UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi,
I have 500 directories each with multiple data files inside them. The names are sort of random. For example, one directory has files named e_1.dat, e_5.dat, e_8.dat, etc. I need to move the files to a single directory and rename them all in numerical order, from 1.dat to 1000(or some number).dat. Does anyone know how this could be done? I'm most comfortable with Perl, but any other way of doing it would be perfectly fine.
Thanks!

Hi my friend, try this:

Code:

#!/usr/bin/bash
for j in $(find . -type f -name "*.dat" | wc -l)
do
find . -type f -name "*.dat" >> all_files.txt
while read line;
        do
        mv $line /YOUR_PATH/my_file$j.dat
done<all_files.txt
done

regards