---
title: "renameItem(_:inDirectory:named:to:inDirectory:overItem:context:replyHandler:)"
framework: fskit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "fskit/fsvolume/handler/renameitem(_:indirectory:named:to:indirectory:overitem:context:replyhandler:)"
---

# renameItem(_:inDirectory:named:to:inDirectory:overItem:context:replyHandler:)

Renames an item from one path in the file system to another.

## Declaration

```swift
func renameItem(_ item: FSItem, inDirectory sourceDirectory: FSItem, named sourceName: FSFileName, to destinationName: FSFileName, inDirectory destinationDirectory: FSItem, overItem: FSItem?, context: FSContext, replyHandler reply: @escaping @Sendable (FSRenameItemResult?, (any Error)?) -> Void)
```

```swift
func renameItem(_ item: FSItem, inDirectory sourceDirectory: FSItem, named sourceName: FSFileName, to destinationName: FSFileName, inDirectory destinationDirectory: FSItem, overItem: FSItem?, context: FSContext) async throws -> FSRenameItemResult
```

## Parameters

- `item`: The file system object being renamed.
- `sourceDirectory`: The directory that currently contains the item to rename.
- `sourceName`: The name of the item within the source directory.
- `destinationName`: The new name of the item as it appears in destinationDirectory.
- `destinationDirectory`: The directory to contain the renamed object, which may be the same as sourceDirectory.
- `overItem`: The file system object if the destination exists, as discovered in a prior lookup. If this parameter is non-nil, mark overItem as deleted, so the file system can free its allocated space on the next call to doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSVolume/Handler/reclaimItem(_:replyHandler:). After doing so, ensure the operation finishes without errors.
- `context`: An object that enables context-aware file system decisions throughout the operation.
- `reply`: A block or closure to indicate success or failure. If renaming succeeds, pass an instance of doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSRenameItemResult containing the doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSFileName as it exists within destinationDirectory, the doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSItem/Attributes of the renamed item, the updated doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSItem/Attributes of the source directory, the updated doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSItem/Attributes of the destination directory, the doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSItem/Attributes of the overwritten item (if any), and the volume’s updated free space, along with a nil error. If renaming fails, pass the relevant error as the second parameter; FSKit ignores the doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSRenameItemResult instance in this case. For an async Swift implementation, there’s no reply handler; simply return the result instance or throw an error.

## Discussion

Discussion Implement renaming along the lines of this algorithm: If item is a file: If the destination file exists: Remove the destination file. If the source and destination directories are the same: Rewrite the name in the existing directory. Else: Write the new entry in the destination directory. Clear the old directory entry. If item is a directory: If the destination directory exists: If the destination directory isn’t empty: Fail the operation with an error of NSPOSIXErrorDomain and a code of ENOTEMPTY. Else: Remove the destination directory. If the source and destination directories are the same: Rewrite the name in the existing directory. Else: If the destination is a child of the source directory: Fail the operation with an error. Else: Write the new entry in the destination directory. Update "." and ".." in the moved directory. Clear the old directory entry.

## See Also

### Working with items

- [createItem(named:type:in:attributes:context:replyHandler:)](fskit/fsvolume/handler/createitem(named:type:in:attributes:context:replyhandler:).md)
- [FSFileName](fskit/fsfilename.md)
- [FSItem.ItemType](fskit/fsitem/itemtype.md)
- [FSItem.SetAttributesRequest](fskit/fsitem/setattributesrequest.md)
- [FSCreateItemResult](fskit/fscreateitemresult.md)
- [lookupItem(named:in:context:replyHandler:)](fskit/fsvolume/handler/lookupitem(named:in:context:replyhandler:).md)
- [FSLookupItemResult](fskit/fslookupitemresult.md)
- [removeItem(_:named:from:context:replyHandler:)](fskit/fsvolume/handler/removeitem(_:named:from:context:replyhandler:).md)
- [FSRemoveItemResult](fskit/fsremoveitemresult.md)
- [FSRenameItemResult](fskit/fsrenameitemresult.md)
- [reclaimItem(_:replyHandler:)](fskit/fsvolume/handler/reclaimitem(_:replyhandler:).md)