Batch Rename

Use this dialog to rename many files and directories in a batch using specified rules.

Commands/Rename: Starts batch renaming. This changes filenames on disk according to the rules specified in this dialog. It can also move files to other directories if you rename filenames including their full or relative paths.
Commands/Validate: Tests whether batch renaming will succeed. This reports syntax errors in new filenames, duplicate filenames (multiple original filenames with the same resulting name), and other errors. Use this command to prevent a partially completed batch rename operation.
Commands/Undo: Reverts all rename operations performed in the last batch (the last use of the Rename command).
Commands/Exit: Closes this Batch Rename dialog.
Edit/Store List to Clipboard: Works only in the manual mode of batch rename; see the Manual mode check box. Copies the list of new names to the clipboard, so you can paste it into your favorite text editor to edit it.
Edit/Load List from Clipboard: Works only in the manual mode of batch rename; see the Manual mode check box. Replaces the list of new names with text from the clipboard, allowing you to copy the changed list of new names from your favorite text editor back to this dialog.
Edit/Open List in External Editor...: Works only in the manual mode of batch rename; see the Manual mode check box. This saves the list of new names to a temporary file, opens the file in your favorite text editor, and waits until you finish editing and save the changes. It then loads the list of new names back from the temporary file. You can specify your favorite text editor in the Advanced Options dialog.
Edit/Filter List Through Shell Command...: Works only in the manual mode of batch rename; see the Manual mode check box. This executes the specified shell command (or any command-line application) and sends the list of new names to its standard input. The standard output of this shell command is used as the new list of names.
View/Sort by Original Name: Changes the sorting of items in the Preview list view to sort by the Original Name column.
View/Sort by Size: Changes the sorting of items in the Preview list view to sort by the Size column.
View/Sort by Time: Changes the sorting of items in the Preview list view to sort by the Date and Time columns.
View/Sort by Path: Changes the sorting of items in the Preview list view to sort by the Path column.
View/All Files: Displays all files in the Preview list view.
View/Successfully Renamed Files: Displays only successfully renamed files in the Preview list view.
View/Not Renamed Files: Displays only files that were not renamed in the Preview list view. Renaming of these files has failed; you can try to correct their new names.
Options/Rename Filenames: Choose this option to work only with filenames without paths.
Options/Rename Relative Path: Choose this option to work with filenames with relative paths. This is useful only if you want to rename files in subdirectories selected in the panel before opening the Batch Rename dialog. You also need to select the Include subdirectories check box. This enables you to move files to other directories.
Options/Rename Full Path: Choose this option to work with filenames with full paths. This enables you to move files to other directories and drives.
Options/Remove Emptied Directories: When you rename (move) files to other directories, some of the original directories may become empty (all files from these directories are moved away). Check this option to delete such empty directories.
Options/Last Used: Sets all options in this dialog to the values used in the last batch rename operation. Use this command to repeat the same batch rename operation.
Options/Reset: Sets default values for all options.
Options/Advanced...: Opens the Advanced Options dialog.
Help/Batch Rename Dialog: Displays this help page.
Help/Regular Expressions: Displays the Regular Expressions help page.

Options

Mask: You can filter files for the batch rename operation using this mask. This is especially useful when you rename files in subdirectories (e.g., if you want to rename only *.htm files).
Include subdirectories: When checked, you work with all files contained in the selected subdirectories in the panel (instead of working with the selected subdirectories themselves).
Rename/Validate/Undo: See commands in the Commands menu.
Manual mode: When checked, you can edit the list of new names as plain text directly in this dialog, using an external text editor, or modify these names using a command-line application.
New name: Specify a template for a new name here. You can use predefined variables containing various useful values (e.g., an original filename, a file extension, a counter). Click the button next to the combo box to see a context menu with all these variables.
Search for/Replace with: You can search for a substring in the new name and replace it with something else. You can also use regular expressions here, which enables sophisticated substitutions and reordering of words in the new name. Click the buttons next to the combo boxes to see context menus with regular expression components.
Case sensitive: When checked, searching for a substring is case sensitive. Otherwise, searching is case insensitive (uppercase and lowercase characters are treated as equal).
Only once in each name: When checked, only one substring is replaced in each name (other occurrences of the substring are ignored).
Whole words: When checked, the found substring must be preceded and followed by a space, tab, or punctuation character, or be at the start or end of the name. Otherwise, the found substring may be a fragment of a larger string.
Regular expression: When checked, the Search for field contains a regular expression. Otherwise, it contains plain text. See the description of regular expressions.
Exclude extension: When checked, searching for a substring is performed only in the name part of the new name (the extension part of the name is ignored).
File name: You can choose uppercase/lowercase/mixed case for the name part of the new name here.
Extension: You can choose uppercase/lowercase/mixed case for the extension part of the new name here.
Include path part: When checked, changing the case of the name part is applied also to the path part of the new name.
Preview: You can see all planned changes in a real-time preview of the resulting names. Columns show original names, new names, sizes, dates, times, and paths. New names are displayed in gray if they are the same as the original names. You can sort this preview by clicking column headers or using the View menu.

Batch Rename

Menu

Options

See Also