Multi-File Filename Editor - Use
The Filename Editor provides you with a simple, spreadsheet interface to do the editing. The spreadsheet expands or contracts depending on the length of the filenames. You can change the size of columns or the sheet itself by clicking on the separator in the header bar and dragging it.
The left column shows the original filenames in a read only format. The right column shows the filename as you have currently changed it. You can do multiple operations on the filenames in the right column before renaming or copying. The scrollbar on the right allows you to scroll down to see additional names if the number of files is larger than the view of the spreadsheet. You can click on the bar in the header to dynamically change the size of the column. Click on the right edge of the right most column to expand the sheet itself. If the filenames (original and current) are larger than the view, you will have horizontal scrollbars to be able to view the entire sheet.
You can perform as many editing operations as you wish. The files themselves are not changed in any way until you press rename or copy. Cancel will exit the program without making any changes. Help invokes this document.
You can Rename files or directories but only Copy files.
Editing Operations
Any individual filename can be edited by double clicking on the new filename. The original filenames are read only so that if you do a number of editing operations you can see the original file that will receive the new filename. There are a number of other editing commands that can be invoked from the pull down menus or with a right mouse click from the context menu.
You can select fields by selecting a cell and dragging the mouse or select the first cell and then select the end cell while holding down the Shift key.
| Copy, Cut and Paste | work as you would expect. Notice in the example there several files that have the same filename but different extensions (left column). A filename can be edited and then pasted into the other files. | |
| Find | allows you to quickly find a string with the files names while Replace allows you to Find and Replace a string. | |
| Upper and Lower | case will make the filenames all upper or lower case. | |
| Proper case | will capitalize the first letter of the filename and the first letter following a space while lower casing the rest of the name. | |
| Include extensions | toggles whether file extensions are included in the editable portion of the grid to allow you to edit the extensions as well the filenames | |
| Append string | invokes a dialog that allows you specify a string and indicate whether it should be appended to the beginning or end of the file name. |
The same commands can be invoked from the Edit pull down
menu.
Similarly, the Rename, Copy and Exit (without changes)
commands can be invoked by press the appropriate button or from the File pull
down menu.
| Rename | Renames the file(s) in the left column with the new filename(s) you have produced in the right column | |
| Copy | Copies the file(s) in the left column to the new filename(s) you have produced in the right column | |
| Cancel | Exits the program without changes | |
| Help | Invokes this Help File |
Including Path Information
The Rename and Copy commands are executed relative to the original path of the file(s). If you edit the names to include additional path information (i.e. change bob.txt to hello\bob.txt) the new path information is used in the operations. For a Rename operation the file is renamed to the new path which moves the file to the new location. In a Copy operation the file is copied to the new path.
If the new path does not exist relative to the original path both Rename and Copy will fail. Also, if absolute path information is included (i.e. C:\SomeDirectory) the operation will because that path information will be appended to the original path.