Rename a batch of files all at once.

[Kyle]

This is more for home use than anything else I guess.

 

Does anyone know how to rename a load of files all at once. The example i will give is my mom has imported 1000 photos from her camera using the scanner and camera wizard in XP. But she forgot change the name of the last lot she did so now all the photos are called Majorca, instead of 100 of them being called Portugal.

 

Now some one did show me how to do this in windows, but renaming the first file and doing some sort of key combination and the others all followed the naming. I can't remember for the life of me.

 

Des anyone know what i mean or know of any software/other way of doing this?

[plexer]

ren majorca*.jpg portugal*.jpg

 

Ben

[plexer]

so copy all the ones you want to be renamed to portugal into their own folder then from a command prompt cd into that folder and run the above command.

 

Ben

[plexer]

or if it's an xp machine:

 

http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/renamers/ht/renamexp.htm

 

1 Open My Computer to the folder containing all the files you want to rename.

 

2 Select the group of files that you wish to rename. Use Shift or Ctrl to select additional files.

 

3 Right click on the first file in the list and choose Rename from the context menu.

 

4 Type a new name for the file, then hit enter.

 

The first file will take on the name you type, all other selected files will append a serial number enclosed in parenthesis to the base name.

If you typed 'file.jpg', the second file will be named 'file (1).jpg', and so on with increasing numbers.

 

Ben

[mullet_man]

or if it's an xp machine:

 

http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/renamers/ht/renamexp.htm

 

1 Open My Computer to the folder containing all the files you want to rename.

 

2 Select the group of files that you wish to rename. Use Shift or Ctrl to select additional files.

 

3 Right click on the first file in the list and choose Rename from the context menu.

 

4 Type a new name for the file, then hit enter.

 

The first file will take on the name you type, all other selected files will append a serial number enclosed in parenthesis to the base name.

If you typed 'file.jpg', the second file will be named 'file (1).jpg', and so on with increasing numbers.

 

Ben

 

Learn something new everyday, I never knew XP could do that!!!

 

Thanks

[plexer]

If you use my first method it's okay as long as the names are the same length so if the pictures are all majorca001.jpg marjorca010.jpg it's ok as portugal001.jpg is longer however if not you will get some strange results.

 

Ben

[Kyle]

Thnkas Plexer

 

and yes you are right........you do learn something very day.

[plexer]

Or a vbscript:

 

Dim filesys, file, folderName, folderObj, fileColl, objRegEx, newFile

 

Set filesys = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

 

folderName = InputBox("", "Folder Name")

 

Set folderObj = filesys.GetFolder(folderName)

 

Set fileColl = folderObj.Files

 

Set objRegEx = New RegExp

objRegEx.Pattern = "majorca" ' looking for this

 

For Each objFile In fileColl

newFile = objRegEx.Replace(objFile.Name, "portugal") ' replacing with this

filesys.MoveFile objFile, folderName & "\" & newFile

Next

[MkII]

I use a bulk renamer that grabs the exif information from the picture file to name the file with the date and time it was taken.

 

The ReName is one such utility:- http://www.herve-thouzard.com/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=1

 

or Siren:- http://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/Other-Office-Tools/Siren.shtml [- no install/ runs off a pen drive]

 

[both free]

 

SetNameToTime [just for photo's this one] is simple to use but is no longer free [only 15$ tho'].

[6Foot2]

Here is another program to do the same job:

 

Bulk Rename Utility:

 

http://tothepc.com/img/2009/11/rename-multiple-files-utility.png

 

From the download site:

 

Rename multiple files quickly, according to many flexible criteria.

 

Rename files in many ways: add, replace, insert text into file names. Convert case, add numbers.

 

Remove or change file extensions.

 

Check the detailed preview before renaming.

 

Rename photos using EXIF meta data (i.e. "Date Picture Taken", "Resolution" and other information embedded in all JPG photo files) Rename your holiday pictures from a meaningless dsc1790.jpg to NewYork1.jpg in a flash.

 

Rename MP3 files using ID3 tags (a.k.a. MP3 ID3 tag renaming).

 

Change files' creation and modification time stamps.

 

Download site: Bulk Rename Utility

[CraigM]

Here is another program to do the same job:

 

Bulk Rename Utility:

 

http://tothepc.com/img/2009/11/rename-multiple-files-utility.png

 

From the download site:

 

 

 

Download site: Bulk Rename Utility

 

+1, I've used BRU, and while the interface takes some getting used to, it is quite powerful. Been handy more than once already.