Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

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JTCGiants56
Posts: 192
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2014 3:58 pm

Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by JTCGiants56 »

Say that I select three files. The word "friend" exists in the name of all three but they're in different spots in the file name. Is there a way to replace this word, for example if I wanted to update friend to "friends" in all of the files? This is simple if the file names are exact up to the word friends.
NotNull
Posts: 5461
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 9:22 pm

Re: Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by NotNull »

JTCGiants56 wrote: Sun Mar 01, 2020 5:46 am for example if I wanted to update friend to "friends" in all of the files?
Try it with replacing
%1friend%2
with
%1friends%2
.

Here an example with some dummy data:
2020-03-01 12_24_07-T_ - Everything.png
2020-03-01 12_24_07-T_ - Everything.png (14.07 KiB) Viewed 14488 times
void
Developer
Posts: 16748
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by void »

Without regex, only one instance is replaced.

To replace ALL instances of a word you will need to enable regex:
  • In Everything, select multiple files.
  • Press F2 to rename multiple files.
  • In the Multi-file renamer, check Regex.
  • Change old format to:
    friend
  • Change new format to:
    friends
  • Review new filenames.
  • Click OK.
therube
Posts: 4977
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm

Re: Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by therube »

Thank you both (& JT for asking).

Both methods are proving to be very valuable :-).
JTCGiants56
Posts: 192
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2014 3:58 pm

Re: Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by JTCGiants56 »

Thank you all
therube
Posts: 4977
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm

Re: Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by therube »

(Just bumping this because it is a really great tip & I'm using it more & more :-).)
NotNull
Posts: 5461
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 9:22 pm

Re: Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by NotNull »

Stamimail wrote: Thu Nov 26, 2020 7:29 pm https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/ ... e-Overview
Waiting for @therube to step in and promote Bulk Rename Utility ....
(he is a forum moderator there too)
JTCGiants56
Posts: 192
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2014 3:58 pm

Re: Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by JTCGiants56 »

NotNull wrote: Thu Nov 26, 2020 10:52 pm
Stamimail wrote: Thu Nov 26, 2020 7:29 pm https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/ ... e-Overview
Waiting for @therube to step in and promote Bulk Rename Utility ....
(he is a forum moderator there too)
Bulk Rename is great but if I can get many things accomplished with just 1 app, everything, I'd rather do that :)
therube
Posts: 4977
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm

Re: Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by therube »

(he is a forum moderator there too)
Nope. Just a very light user of the program. Actually, only very rarely do I use it.
Most often, I use Everything.

I only mod here & at NoScript (informaction.com).
(And there, not so much anymore. No internet, so no FF, so no testing, so...)

(Latest version of BRU, which does not run on XP, has multiple "forms" of regex:, similar to Everything, which can greatly simply some actions there.
Advanced Renamer is also very good. And allows 'Send To...", which BRU does not.)
raccoon
Posts: 1017
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2018 1:24 am

Re: Replace word in rename dialog across multiple files

Post by raccoon »

I've been using RegexRenamer for several years and it's part of my workflow. It's old and hasn't been updated in a while, and I haven't compared it against the others mentioned here... but it has done me well. (I found the statistics said I renamed over a million files).

http://regexrenamer.sourceforge.net/
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