---
name: "dirconv"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "conv-tools"
version: "20160905-5"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dirconv"
---

# dirconv(1)

locate and transcode mixed-encoding file names

## NAME

**dirconv** – locate and transcode mixed-encoding file names

## SYNOPSIS

**dirconv** \[**-078dFhnpruvw**\] \[**-f** *charset*\] \[**-x** *regex*\] \[*path* *...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **dirconv** utility recursively scans the specified path(s) and classifies files and directories according to whether their names are pure 7-bit ASCII, non-ASCII but valid UTF-8, double-UTF-8 (WTF-8), or neither.

Names in the latter category are assumed to be Latin-1, unless a different encoding is specified with the **-f** option.

By default, the **dirconv** utility then prints the names that are neither pure 7-bit ASCII nor valid UTF-8.

The following options are available:

- **-0**

  Print a NUL character rather than a newline after each path. This option has no effect if the **-n** option was also specified.

- **-7**

  Select names that are pure 7-bit ASCII.

- **-8**

  Select names that contain non-ASCII characters but are not valid UTF-8. This is the default unless the **-7**, **-u** and / or **-w** options are specified.

- **-d**

  Show debugging information. This option can be specified multiple times to increase the level of detail.

- **-F**

  In conjunction with the **-r** option, force renaming a file when the target already exists.

- **-f** *charset*

  Specify the assumed character set for non-ASCII, non-UTF-8 names. The default is “iso8859-1”.

- **-h**

  Print a usage message and exit.

- **-n**

  In conjunction with the **-r** option, show what would have happened, but do not actually rename any files.

- **-p**

  Print the selected names.

- **-r**

  Attempt to convert the selected names to UTF-8 and rename the files and directories.

- **-u**

  Select names which contain non-ASCII characters and are valid UTF-8 but not WTF-8.

- **-v**

  Print the source reversion number and exit.

- **-w**

  Select names which seem to be WTF-8-encoded.

- **-x** *regex*

  Do not inspect files and directories whose unconverted names match the specified POSIX extended regular expression.

## SEE ALSO

[iconv(1)](/iconv/1.md), [regex(3)](/regex/3.md).

## AUTHORS

The **dirconv** utility and this manual page were written by Dag-Erling Smørgrav ⟨des@des.no⟩ for the University of Oslo.

## NOTES

The **dirconv** utility works by attempting to decode each name as if it were a sequence of UTF-8 characters. It is possible, but highly unlikely, that a random string of characters in a non-UTF single-byte encoding would look like a valid UTF-8 sequence.

Reliable detection of WTF-8 is only possible if the original 8-bit encoding is known.

The exclusion filter is applied *before* name conversion. Character classes are unlikely to work as expected on unconverted names.