rename posts

Filed under: Text, Utilities, Macintosh, Productivity

NameChanger - batch renaming made easy on OS X

by Jay Hathaway May 26th 2008

A lot of digital cameras are great for taking photos, but pretty shoddy for naming files. Sure, it's alright to have them listed by date and time -- at least that keeps them in order -- but we think it's a lot nicer to rename a batch of photos so you remember what they're actually of. That's where NameChanger comes in. It's a lightweight renaming app for OS X, with a focus on images.

NameChanger can append, prepend, replace, or rename all kinds of files with whatever input you give it, but it really shines when it comes to pictures. Drag a batch into the image browser, switch to sequence mode, and "DCP_16739" becomes "Hawaii01," or whatever you want it to be. Let NameChanger keep the numbers straight for you. And, at a tiny 1.9mb, you probably have pictures that take up more disk space than this useful little app.

Tags: images, NameChanger, os x, OsX, photos, rename, rename multiple files, RenameMultipleFiles

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

Supercharge your file renaming tasks with WildRename

by Brad Linder Apr 30th 2008

While Windows lets you rename multiple files at once by selecting a group of documents with your mouse and clicking rename, you don't have a lot of control over the process. What if you want each file to keep its original name, but you want to add a prefix. Or what if you want to change all of the characters from upper case to lower case? Windows doesn't give you that option, but the free Windows utility WildRename does.

WildRename comes in a small, executable package, meaning you there's nothing to install on your PC, and you can even run the application from a USB flash drive. Once it's up and running you can navigate to the directory of your choice and select from a list of possible actions to perform, including:

Changing the case
Add or remove characters
Replace strings of characters
Add text counters to a series, such as _001

There's also a handy simulation mode which lets you preview the changes before writing them to your actual documents.

[via GHacks]

Tags: rename, wildrename

Filed under: Utilities, Macintosh, Productivity, Freeware

BatchRename'em 1.0: Mac utility to easily rename your files

by Simon Kerbel Jan 16th 2008

Haven't gotten around to using Automator for all of your mundane, joyless, repetitive tasks? Need to rename a large number of files with a large amount of hurry? BatchRename'em is the Mac utility for you.

As much as we cringe when an application uses "'em" in its name, BatchRename'em makes up for it with its simple effect. The application allows you to batch rename files and folders in a number of ways, including:

Make Sequential
Add Text
Replace Text
Change Case
Add Date or Time

To get started, double-click the BatchRename'em icon. You'll be met with a finder window where you can choose any number of files simultaneously. After you've selected the files you wish to rename, a drop down menu is presented, and you can choose the rename function that suits you. Hit continue, and BatchRename'em goes about its business.

All in all, BatchRename'em is a quick, sparse tool, with a simple, easy to use interface that harnesses the built-in power of Automator without being too complex. BatchRename'em is a free download for Mac OS X, and is confirmed working on Tiger (it has yet to be tested on Leopard).

Tags: automator, batch rename, BatchRename, freeware, os x, OsX, rename, tiger

Filed under: Windows, Productivity

Batch file-renaming in Windows

by Jordan Running May 9th 2006

Here's a nice trick I didn't know about until today, courtesy of Lifehacker: Windows has the built-in ability to rename whole batches files at once. Just highlight all of the files and press F2 (or right-click on them and choose Rename), and type in the new name. I suspect that the reason I never figured this one out is that when you press F2, your highlighted selection goes away, but rest assured that once you type in a new name and press enter, all of your files will be renamed (with "(1)," "(2)," "(3)," etc. tacked onto the end). The functionality is pretty limited, but for, say, renaming a bunch of DSC####.jpg files to something more meaningful, like an event's date or name, can go a long way in keeping things organized. If you need more power, I recommend reading the comments over at Lifehacker, where readers recommend all manner of free and cheap apps for getting the job done.

Tags: batch, bulk, lifehacker, rename, tip, windows

Filed under: Audio, Photo, Text, Utilities, Windows, Productivity, Freeware

Master batch renames with Rename Master

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Aug 1st 2005

renamemaster Should we really trust a guy named Jackass JoeJoe? Well I did, and was amply rewarded. Anyone working with digital media assets for one reason or another winds up with gaggles of files. Renaming those, or changing anything en masse is a total chore. Thus, we have a slew of renaming utilities out there. I tried Rename Master, which is totally free (Windows only), and loved it.

Version 2.5 was just released and fixes a few bugs, but more importantly gets thumbnails working properly. Rename Master has a nice number of features but excels in ease of use as well. A nice balancing act. You can change metadata in MP3's or change names based on properties. Lots of nice little touches that all make sense. The source code is even available upon request. See a swanky movie of it in action here. Tell 'em Dingus McMoeMoe sent ya.

Tags: batch, file, metadata, rename

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