good renamer

[nikos]

it's time I put my promise on flips and flops. The next x2 version will have a better renamer. I couldn't find a discussion about desired features except for this that soon deteriorates into a regex tuition for narayan

so anyway let's start a fresh thread about it. I don't have much use for mass renaming so if you have any particular needs please tell me about it. Also what are the latest cooler mass renamer programs I should be aware of?

as always with xplorer2 features that can do more with less are preferred. I've seen some programs in the past whose GUI looks more complicated like an airplane's pilot board, and I don't want that for xplorer2

so suggest away!

[FrizzleFry]

The first thing you need to add is replace capability... just simple string replace at first but to do it right you need regex with backreferences (where you put ()s in the search pattern and access them in the replace field by \1 or $1)...

add/remove substrings at/from specific positions in the filenames (add yyy at position 6, remove 6 chars from position 7, or remove from position 7 to 11)
upper/lower casing...
adding date/time info to filenames...

I use Ken Rename (which is not being developed anymore) and Bulk Rename Utility which is one of those very busy ones... I like the renamer built in to FreeCommander (highlight some files and press Ctrl-M to run it)... FileMenu Tools also has a pretty good renamer with plenty of options and a clean interface...

[BRX]

Nice, Nikos.

My 2 cents:

Keep the current functions of the mass renamer. I like some of the $ uses of x2 better than the equivalents in dedicated file renamers.

I don't think you can program the renamer efficient without trying some mass renaming yourself. You should set a tasklist with some more or less difficult renaming jobs and see how you get these done with some of the suggested dedicated file renamers without knowing them beforehand.

There are even more excellent renaming programs than file managers (and freeware too).

I'll settle for two: The often mentioned Advanced Renamer (Aren)

http://www.advancedrenamer.com/

is excellent.

But my personal favourite is Flexible Renamer even though the last update is from 2011

http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA014830 ... /FlexRena/

But it is the renamer I personally found myself most at ease with and very intuitive. Much like when I first tested 2xplorer and fell in love with that. So maybe you feel a similar affinity.

[Brig]

I remember some folks were very eager to see x2 get a robust mass-renaming capability--and I didn't (and don't) understand it. Not that I don't require such a thing, I do--I really like ReNamer (http://www.den4b.com/?x=products&product=renamer)--I just don't see why x2 should bloat up to incorporate it. ReNamer, like many programs, works nicely with x2: I can select a bunch of files and pass them to ReNamer easily. That said, I'm sure Nikos will make an outstanding renaming feature.

So if you're going to do it, Nikos, in addition to all the insert and replace options that these programs offer, it would be good to include a preview capability and error/duplicate checking.

Good luck.

[Kilmatead]

I just don't see why x2 should bloat up to incorporate it.

It shouldn't, of course. Nikos is choosing this topic to parade not because it needs doing, but rather because it can be treated as (essentially) a stand-alone aspect, insulated from the real code, which he's reluctant to touch.

It's also a really easy source of public "busy-work" development because it will take years before any such facility can be as trustedly mature as the extant lot of dedicated lads who've already been fire-tested - and all the while he can (every few months) conveniently wheel-out blog posts about how "surprisingly" complex the simple-seeming world of renaming really is, and how much "effort" goes into making sure it's robust enough for our peace of mind (consistent keywords are all the rage).

It's funny how there's a persistent list of real things/requests that need doing (going back years), yet somehow this fluff gets put at the top - coincidence? I think not.

as I see it the mass renaming bit can get so complex that it deserves a stand alone application, and there are tons of them already

Imagine that. "Deserves", yet. My cynicism is only outweighed by the "road-to-Damascus" change-of tone the Horse's mouth itself doth protest - and lord knows it takes a lot to outweigh my cynicism on even the most innocent of subjects... especially where horses are concerned.

However, to amuse the "topically" minded: Desired features? None. As Brig said, Renamer (above) is all you need.

And for the un-topically minded: No nikos, I will never be a salesman - my core integrity against embellishing superficiality will never get the better of me, no matter how desperate a place this delusional world may become. One of the benefits and luxuries of not having little mouths to feed, I should think - or, at least, that's how the philosophy is best sold to the sell-outs who mistake fluffy embellishment for core-functionality.

[nikos]

naysayers aside, I will do this as a plain/advanced mode, the plain being what it is now and advanced a separate GUI
the current idea is you give a template that replaces the WHOLE filename. The "search/replace" idea to be introduced is different and not entirely clear (e.g. do you replace all or one instance of some searched partial string?).

thanks for the tips on renaming tools, I'll have a look and extract the most useful parts for xplorer2 aka "jack of all trades and master of none"

[Tuxman]

I currently use this one:
http://www.advancedrenamer.com/

While the UI is a bit cluttered, it does its job well. The one big feature I actually "need" is PCRE support for search/replace, and maybe using EXIF tags (like Date) for special causes.

I've been evaluating Ant Renamer (development stopped?) and RenameMaster (great features but awful UI) too but sometimes I change a running system.

[Enternal]

A built in renamer is a nice thing so I won't complain.

Talking about Renamers though brings back soo many memories. One of my past favorites were Ant Renamer (Tuxman, development is slow but I don't think it fully stopped) and also Lupas Rename 2000. Oh and Bulk Renamer too! Those were the days.

Nowadays, I mainly use Advance Renamer and den4b's ReNamer version 5.70(?), the last fully free version before den4b made it into shareware. I also use my file manager's built in renaming features for quick renaming. So any advanced edition for xp2 is welcome for alternatives.

[fuxs]

I'd be pleased with a more appealing rename facility in x2.
But unlike others I am not missing so much functionality (except for search and replace) but a simple and intuitve UI without that many $E or $01 stuff. I don't use rename extremely often it would be worth learning those. Most renamers have much too complicated interfaces (for me at least) to do all the fancy things I need twice a year - I don't want to think about what I am seeing when opening that dialog bi-weekly with different needs. And for the fancy things I could still use them.
I am writing this because I'd love to see something easy for more or less learning free operation:
- live preview w/o hitting a preview button. Two grids (old and new with a color coding to show whether my new names would work or not, eg. red for doubled or invalid names), real grids with icons, not multi line text boxes with console like fonts and text like aaaa.txt --> aaa_001.txt.
- own input boxes for commonly used functions like names, extensions, counters, search and replace, extended functions like exif or ID3 tags with own histories.

I am sorry to say that but this small dialog x2 has as of today just makes me close it after opening (or latest after expanding the token drop down because I really don't want to use it). I still keep an outdated German file manager named Idoswin Pro for that... The other reason I keep it is another feature: setting jpgs created date to exif_created with one click from the date-time dialog

[otlaolap]

A few years ago I tried many and settled on Bulk Rename Utility http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Main_Intro.php. One screen with all options exposed. Used most of the options in my renames, so I'd hope to see the options there in some form or another. (I like the single screen with all the options, though.)

[pj]

The "search/replace" idea to be introduced is different and not entirely clear (e.g. do you replace all or one instance of some searched partial string?).

Since I was an advocate for the simple search and replace functionality, I'll weigh in on the question by saying - "just the first instance". If there is more than one occurrence, the S&R can be repeated as many times as wanted.

-----------------------
PJ in FL

[Gary M. Mugford]

It's interesting that the posts above mention a plethora of renamers, all of which I think the users have arrived at through testing and are ... personal preferences. I could add that I like the FileMenu Tools Advanced Renamer for what it's worth. But that I use the current one in xplorer2 as circumstances suggest. When I need what x2 can provide, it's there. When I want something a LITTLE more powerful, I've got my personal favourite primed and ready to go.

And already mastered.

That's the rub. While I don't doubt that Nikos could re-invite this four-sided wheel, the fact is, I question why waste the energy? Take a vacation. Spend some time with the young'un. Relax. Stop reading email for at least 12 hours. This might very well prove to be a fool's errand, even though I think it gets asked about enough to prove irksome to Nikos. So, he's scratching an itch. But the energy could, and should, be spent elsewhere. Had this been a half-decade ago, sure. Fire up the code editor. But now? I don't really see the point, as the correspondents' list of alternatives grows with each comment. We like what we like. We THINK we might like what Nikos wants to give us, but there will inevitably be some compromises and some disappointing leaving out of "MUST HAVE!" features and ... It will get tiring awfully quickly. And there'll be a learning curve.

This old dog doesn't need a curve, thank you very much.

BUT, xplorer2 development needs to continue as a shark must swim through feeding waters. Improve or stagnate. So, what SHOULD Nikos do to keep we feature hounds at bay? Have not the foggiest clue. Nope. Nada. Zilch. Right now, my 'gotta have it list' for xplorer2 is barren. The 'WOULD like list?' Sure, there's stuff there. How about buttons for mouse jockeys to go from the top to the bottom of the details listing, or vice versa, sitting atop and at the bottom of the scroll bar? I'd like that. A clear filter button's on the list. I'd like to be able copy folder lists of names WITHOUT the pathing info. Building Desktop Search Rules into x2? While I suspect that's a secondary profit centre, I could HOPE can't I?

GM.

[Kilmatead]

A clear filter button's on the list.

> MenuHack.exe 32985

...or...

> x2Filter.exe "<Unfiltered>"

...or... View -> Show All

I'd like to be able copy folder lists of names WITHOUT the pathing info.

<Alt+Ctrl+P>

...or (for those times when you simply must have a toolbar button)...

> MenuHack.exe 32909 ALT

[Gary M. Mugford]

Acknowledged. But what I was asking was a little x in the filter box itself, a common enough standard for clearing the field. I WAS aware of the ability to have a yet another separately setup button on a toolbar ALREADY TOO CROWDED by half. But, you are definitely correct in your observation about a roll-your-own alternative to both situations.

And slap in the stocks, I didn't know about the Path Name key combo (which will, in fact, be made into a button, space be damned!!!).

Thanks for helping out.

Oh, said the man in poor standing slyly, 'how about those scroll bar additions ..."

[Kilmatead]

(Without muddying this thread too much... Fred could split if he wished to be tidy... but to answer...)

But what I was asking was a little x in the filter box itself, a common enough standard for clearing the field.

The best I could do would be to add that to the x2Filter utility, wherein selecting <Unfiltered> from the menu (or using the user-command above) would also clear that particular control field at the same time as it clears the filter, which makes sense - unless Nikos beats me to it, with his usual speedy and responsive recalcitrance.

'how about those scroll bar additions ...

You may just have to learn to live with <Home> and <End> keys for this sort of GUI frippery... even I have a fluff-limit when it comes to making life a little too easy for mice-people... "x2 is not an iPhone" (we're having t-shirts with that slogan printed on them made up as we speak).