Bulk Utility Rename

[Carlito Austin]

In this demo, all instances of the file name "foo" are replaced with "foobar". Since all of the files are uniquely named, this would have taken a long time to complete manually one-by-one. PowerRename enables a single bulk rename. Notice that the Explorer's "Undo Rename" (Ctrl+Z) command makes it possible to undo the last change.

After selecting files in Windows File Explorer, right-click and select Rename with PowerRename (which will appear only if enabled in PowerToys). The selected items will be displayed, along with search and replace values, a list of options, and a preview pane displaying results of the search and replace values entered.

If selected, the Search value will be interpreted as a regular expression (regex). The Replace value can also contain regex variables (see examples below). If cleared, the Search value will be interpreted as plain text to be replaced with the text in the Replace field.

The creation date and time attributes of a file can be used in the Replace with text by entering a variable pattern according to the table below. Selecting the tool-tip in the Replace with field allows you to view and select from the supported patterns.

Regular Expressions define a search pattern for text. They can be used to search, edit and manipulate text. The pattern defined by the regular expression may match once, several times, or not at all for a given string. PowerRename uses the ECMAScript grammar, which is common amongst modern programming languages.

To use the Boost library instead of the standard library, select the Use Boost library option in the PowerToys settings. It enables extended features, like lookbehind, which are not supported by the standard library.

This utility is part of the Microsoft PowerToys utilities for power users. It provides a set of useful utilities to tune and streamline your Windows experience for greater productivity. To install PowerToys, see Installing PowerToys.

I have only spent 5 months with Ubuntu and it has been an awesome experience, I hardly boot into Windows now, but there are some things I miss, like the Bulk Rename Utility I used to have in Windows.

There is the Bulk Rename utility, which is part of Thunar, the default file manager of XFCE desktop environment (the one used by Xubuntu). Selecting multiple files in Thunar and selecting "rename" opens the tool, but it can also be started separately.

If you prefer to use a different file manager, you may still use this tool. It cannot be installed separately from Thunar but the latter brings very few specific dependencies and can be installed easily. The tool can be started separately though, and can even be integrated as a custom menu action in other files managers like Dolphin and Nautilus.

This tool seem less intuitive and complicated for simple operations. (A great advantage of the Bulk Rename tool in Thunar is the ability of having a list of files outside the file manager that can be modified easily by drag&drop.)

You are supposed to first select the "Picker" tab. But by default all files and folders (of the selected path) are selected and, if you do not want to rename them all, you have to un-select them all by clicking "none" and then select them one by one with single-left-click. (I find this annoying, and prefer to put all files that need renaming in a separate folder, and then select the "Picker" tab. - As far as I can tell, that would be the way to go for the Windows tool mentioned in the question either, as its behavior is similar.)

Bulk rename utility does work with linux via wine. But it get hangs on certain operations. We will get used to it and we will automatically skip doing such operations after familiarizing them. I am very satisfied with it.

For several years I've used BRU, also known as Jim Willsher's Bulk Rename Utility. I haven't posted this before because I thought his great free programs were well known. Since I couldn't recall if I saw it here (at least not for awhile), I thought I would post the links. Don't let the GUI scare you. It's an excellent, powerful, rename utility for files and directories.

The first line outputs the list of files into a file called fileList.txt. The second line separates each of the names in the list into 3 parts, the #, the "-" and the rest of the name. For each of those it does the rename command.

I use Total Commander's multi-rename tool (ctrl+M) for things like this. Their useful tool, one of too many to count, is easy to use, and can also employ regular expressions and templates if necessary. Oh, and it obviously gives you a preview before making any changes.

I personally don't care for the "Bulk Rename" app. As others have mentioned, the GUI is atrocious and not very intuitive. With a little research and simple coding, these things can be done much mroe efficiently and quickly.

I use Blackboard to administer courses in a University. When I download an assignment in mass (in Blackboard, click top of grading column, then "assignment file download" Blackboard adds a bunch of extra stuff to the file name -often making the file name too long to be valid on Windows.

I have developed a hybrid JScript/batch command line utility called JREN.BAT that can rename files or folders by performing a regular expression search and replace on the names. It is pure script that will run natively on any Windows machine from XP forward. Full documentation is embedded within the script.

If you need serious power and are willing to shell out the money... PowerGrep is one of the most powerful and versatile tools on the market... you can rename almost anything with PowerGrep... even binary search and replace... it's created by RegEx Guru, Jan Goyvaerts.

My company does have a batch rename tool for EPMDocuments that, while initially developed for Creo files, should also work for SolidWorks with some testing to verify, as it renames the EPMDocument within Windchill as opposed to an external file outside of the system. It can update any or all of number, name, or filename. It is run as a server-side command-line utility, and support batch renaming via CSV file as an input.

Ref - My usage of it was for bringing in SW data from an acquired company. Brought in all data in one shot to a test Windchill system. Used Fishbowl Solutions' Rename Utility, and then their Revision Utility to bring to current Revision. Then created WTParts, exported all using the Windchill Export/Import utility and imported all to production Windchill using WindchillExport/Import utility.

I tried the Windchill import option (instructions pages 80-82 of the 'Windchill Workgroup Manager for SolidWorks Administrator and User Guide' in the hope it would assign the proper numbers, unfortunately is imports all three columns 'Filename', 'Name' and 'Number' with the original file names. (disappointing)

bulk-rename-utility.com is an online file renaming tool that does not require any downloads or installations. Users can simply access it through their web browser, saving time and disk space. In contrast, bulkrenameutility.co.uk requires downloading and installing the software locally.

bulk-rename-utility.com supports AI-based and rule-based renaming operations. Users can choose the renaming method that suits their needs. The AI operation can automatically modify file names based on user descriptions, while the rule-based operation supports a combination of rules such as deleting/replacing characters, adding/inserting characters, numbering, complete renaming, regex replacement, and custom JavaScript. However, the latter does not support AI operations.

bulk-rename-utility.com is compatible with Chrome and Edge browsers, which have a large global user base. This makes File Renamer more accessible. In contrast, as a local software, the use of bulkrenameutility.co.uk is limited by the operating system.

bulk-rename-utility.com offers an online service, allowing users to rename files directly in the browser without the need for downloads or installations, saving valuable time and computer resources. In contrast, Advanced Renamer is free but requires downloading and installing on a local computer.

The AI feature of bulk-rename-utility.com allows users to automatically update file names by describing their renaming needs, offering great convenience. While Advanced Renamer is powerful with various renaming methods, it does not offer AI-driven renaming options.

bulk-rename-utility.com is compatible with Chrome and Edge browsers, covering a wider user base. Advanced Renamer, as a desktop application, is limited by the operating system and does not specify browser support.

bulk-rename-utility.com supports not only AI operations but also rule-based operations, including deleting/replacing characters, adding/inserting characters, numbering, complete renaming, regex replacement, and custom JavaScript. Advanced Renamer offers rich batch commands, but File Renamer provides more customization and flexibility in rule-based operations.

bulk-rename-utility.com features a user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to rename files. While Advanced Renamer also has a user-friendly interface, the intuitiveness and ease of use of bulk-rename-utility.com as an online tool may be more suitable for users of different technical levels.

In providing online services, AI-driven renaming features, browser compatibility, support for rule-based operations, and user interface and usability, bulk-rename-utility.com demonstrates advantages over Advanced Renamer.

Compared to Smart File Renamer, a significant advantage of bulk-rename-utility.com is its AI operation feature. Users can directly describe their renaming needs to the AI, which then updates file names in real time. This AI-driven interaction greatly simplifies the user's workflow and enhances efficiency.

bulk-rename-utility.com supports rule-based operations, including adding/inserting characters, numbering, complete renaming, regex replacement, and custom JavaScript. These features provide users with more customization options, making the renaming process more flexible and personalized.

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