rename a batch of files

[Blankman]

Is there a way in XP or a common effective utility that you can run on a
directory to rename a batch of files to something else. In other words, I
have a bunch of files in my folder called
test05op.dat,test05op.001,test05op.002, etc and want to rename then with the
naming convention test05bk.dat, test05bk.001, test05bk.002. How could I
easily do this to preserve their extension but change a portion of their
name?

Thanks

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Blankman.

I don't know how to do this in Windows Explorer or the GUI, but it's easy if
you open a "DOS" window and use the ren (Rename) command. In your example,
that would be:

ren test05op.* test05bk.*

RC

 

[Andrew C.]

That's easy. Download a program called Professional
Renamer (search on google for it). Or I'm sure you can
find another 3rd party program that also does this. There
is no such utility in Windows.

 

[Blankman]

Holy crap. I never even thought of a DOS command. It's bad when you get so
used to clickin' around you can't remember the easy stuff.

Thanks!

 

[Andrew C.]

I thought you were asking for renaming a "batch" of files
like the subject says. If you're OK in renaming it in DOS
why wouldn't you want to do it in explorer?

 

[Blankman]

the ren command in ODS does just what I need. When I said batch, I meant a
HUGE group of files. The only way I know to do it in Explorer is one by one.
I have over 500 files and certainly don't wanna do them individually. DOS
worked like a champ.

Thanks again!

 

[Andrew C.]

Batch is normally referred to multiple tasks where you
normally can only do one task at a time.

In DOS, you'd still have to do :

ren filename.new filename.old
ren filename.new2 filename.old2

etc...

where as if you had 3rd party software, you could tell it
to rename, for example, 10,000 different files from:

files.001
files.002

to:

newfiles.001
newfiles.002

If you did somehow ren multiple files using ren in DOS I'd
be curious to know how since that's not really possible,
unless of course we're just not on the same page.

 

[Blankman]

Indeed if I were changing the extension this would be the case. However, b/c
if you recall I was interested in changing the main part of the name and
keeping the extension in tact, the following worked perfect and all file
were renamed as I needed.

ren test05op.* test05bk.*

I may have been unclear about keeping the extension in tact in my original
post, as I wrote it as follows: "I have a bunch of files in my folder called
test05op.dat,test05op.001,test05op.002, etc and want to rename then with the
naming convention test05bk.dat, test05bk.001, test05bk.002."

However, I do have need as well to rename a large group of files to change
the extension rather than the name itself so those suggestions are helpful
as well. So, for that project, I will go in search for "Professional
Renamer" as you suggested.

Thanks for your wonderful help and input.!
Buster

 

[george]

Is there a way in XP or a common effective utility that you can run on a
directory to rename a batch of files to something else. In other words, I
have a bunch of files in my folder called
test05op.dat,test05op.001,test05op.002, etc and want to rename then with the
naming convention test05bk.dat, test05bk.001, test05bk.002. How could I
easily do this to preserve their extension but change a portion of their
name?

Thanks

if it is really a matter of renaming a pattern like
test05op.dat
test05op.001
test05op.002
to something like
test05bk.dat
test05bk.001
test05bk.002
leaving the extension untouched, you can go into command prompt and type:

ren test05op.* test05bk.*

hth

george