Command Prompt problems

[Dave Kolars]

I have 2 problems, both of which involve attempting to rename a group of
files... I'm trying to use the "ren" function and finding that it doesn't
work like it used to in good ol' DOS! I'm using XP Home.

First problem -- someone sends me e-mail attachments, named like
"Pic001.jpg", "Pic002.jpg", etc. I want to rename them to reflect what they
are, for example, a new car... so I type at the C:\> prompt "ren Pic*.*
NewCar*.*" The first file is renamed weirdly, and then I get the error
message that the file name already exists and the rest stay the same... by
weirdly, I mean that maybe it will rename it to something like "Nic001.jpg"
or "New001.jpg". So, I end up re-naming them all manually.

Second problem -- I have files that are named in the format "Musical Artist
& His Band - Song Title.mp3". I want to rename them all to "MA & His Band -
Song Title.mp3" I type "ren Musical Artist*.* MA*.*". I get zilch from
this attempt... probably because of the spaces in the name? I've got dozens
of files like this, and don't want to sit and rename them manually for
however long it takes!

Is there any way to do a global rename in XP?
Thanks DK

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Dave;

Rename (ren)
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...hnet/prodtechnol/winxppro/proddocs/rename.asp

Command-line reference A-Z
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...hnet/prodtechnol/winxppro/proddocs/ntcmds.asp

Command-line reference
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...et/prodtechnol/winxppro/proddocs/ntcmds_o.asp

 

[Dave Kolars]

Nope, sorrry, nothing there that I didn't already know... DOS hasn't changed
anything concerning "rename"... I think one of my problems is due to the
fact that I have spaces in the file names... DOS can't deal with spaces...
still.
Thanks! DK

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Dave;

I can't find it now, but I read some where, that
with spaces you need to use quotes. " " Does
that sound right?

[[XP now allows you to select a number of files using
Windows Explorer and then rename them all at once using F2.]]

With XP, (this is new to XP) in a folder::::
[[You can rename multiple files all at once: Select a group
of files, right-click the first file, and select "Rename". Type
in a name for the first file, and the rest will follow.]]

Rename Multiple Files in Windows XP with Windows Explorer
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320167

After batch rename, you get something like this:
Filexyz.jpg
Filexyz (1).jpg
Filexyz (2).jpg
Filexyz (3).jpg
I then rename the first one:
Filexyz (0).jpg
Then they sort in the order I want.
;o)

 

[Dave Kolars]

OK, that will help with the files that I get as attachments, but I'm looking
at other files that don't have a sequential numbering system involved...
each name is unique. I've been pointed to freeware programs that will do
what I want & am investigating them now. Thanks for the XP tip!! dk

Dave;

I can't find it now, but I read some where, that
with spaces you need to use quotes. " " Does
that sound right?

[[XP now allows you to select a number of files using
Windows Explorer and then rename them all at once using F2.]]

With XP, (this is new to XP) in a folder::::
[[You can rename multiple files all at once: Select a group
of files, right-click the first file, and select "Rename". Type
in a name for the first file, and the rest will follow.]]

Rename Multiple Files in Windows XP with Windows Explorer
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320167

After batch rename, you get something like this:
Filexyz.jpg
Filexyz (1).jpg
Filexyz (2).jpg
Filexyz (3).jpg
I then rename the first one:
Filexyz (0).jpg
Then they sort in the order I want.
;o)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes

In

Nope, sorrry, nothing there that I didn't already know... DOS hasn't
changed anything concerning "rename"... I think one of my problems is due
to the fact that I have spaces in the file names... DOS can't deal with
spaces... still.
Thanks! DK

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...et/prodtechnol/winxppro/proddocs/ntcmds_o.asp

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Dave;

You bet.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes

In

OK, that will help with the files that I get as attachments, but I'm
looking at other files that don't have a sequential numbering system
involved... each name is unique. I've been pointed to freeware programs
that will do what I want & am investigating them now. Thanks for the XP
tip!! dk

Dave;

I can't find it now, but I read some where, that
with spaces you need to use quotes. " " Does
that sound right?

[[XP now allows you to select a number of files using
Windows Explorer and then rename them all at once using F2.]]

With XP, (this is new to XP) in a folder::::
[[You can rename multiple files all at once: Select a group
of files, right-click the first file, and select "Rename". Type
in a name for the first file, and the rest will follow.]]

Rename Multiple Files in Windows XP with Windows Explorer
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320167

After batch rename, you get something like this:
Filexyz.jpg
Filexyz (1).jpg
Filexyz (2).jpg
Filexyz (3).jpg
I then rename the first one:
Filexyz (0).jpg
Then they sort in the order I want.
;o)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes

In

Nope, sorrry, nothing there that I didn't already know... DOS hasn't
changed anything concerning "rename"... I think one of my problems is
due to the fact that I have spaces in the file names... DOS can't
deal with spaces... still.
Thanks! DK

Dave;

Rename (ren)

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...et/prodtechnol/winxppro/proddocs/ntcmds_o.asp