RENAME command prompt malfunction - SERIOUS ERROR

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I needed to rename a folder full of files named

tax001.jpg
tax002.jpg

and so on, to

KYtax001.jpg
KYtax002.jpg

so I navigated to that folder via the command prompt and issued

rename *.jpg KY*.jpg

The result was

KYx001.jpg
KYx002.jpg

-- quite a different result than the RENAME command has done since 1985 or
so. And with potentially disastrous results if used in batch file when
archiving or similar activities. (This is with XP Pro, SP2)

So, I thought I'd let Microsoft know. I tracked down a bug report page on
the MS website, which had only an 800 number to call. This number gets you
not to Bug Report Central, but to... customer support. After ascertaining
that I had a valid copy of XP, the young lady wanted to open a case for me,
but this would mean using up one of my two free support requests, so I tried
to make it clear that I didn't need help, they needed help, which I was
trying to provide. She went away for a while and came back to say that KB
article 330845 would take care of my problem and there would be no charge
against my account.

Well, there is no KB article 330845, so I called back. This time, another
young lady informed me that the only way to submit a bug report to Microsoft
was to send a letter (a letter! with a stamp!) to

Microsoft Corporation
1 Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052

No department, no mail station, no ATTN: BUG REPORT, just the main MS front
office.

Yeah, like that's going to get to the right people.
 
Bill said:
I needed to rename a folder full of files named

tax001.jpg
tax002.jpg

and so on, to

KYtax001.jpg
KYtax002.jpg

so I navigated to that folder via the command prompt and issued

rename *.jpg KY*.jpg

The result was

KYx001.jpg
KYx002.jpg
Click to expand...

The following command should get what you want:

for %a in (*.jpg) do move %a KY%a
 
Thank you, Tom -

Your solution works fine. RENAME doesn't, though, not the way it used to,
and that is my point, that a good old tool has been broken.

-Bill

==========================
 
Bill said:
Thank you, Tom -

Your solution works fine. RENAME doesn't, though, not the way it used
to, and that is my point, that a good old tool has been broken.

-Bill
Click to expand...

Why bother with old Rename anyway? To me it is like trying to make a
fire with two sticks. If you want to get serious about renaming folders
and/or files, try something like the free Bulk Rename Utility.

http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Main_Intro.php
 
Well I remember back in '83, we could call Microsoft to report bug
reports. I guess things works differently nowadays. But let us be honest
here. Microsoft has a lot of annoying bugs that they never fix at all
throughout the many years. Sounds like a bad thing right?

Well guess what? It fuels third party developers to do it better. And it
is easy since Microsoft has a lot of unfixed quirks about it. Even
something as simple as Notepad has many bugs in it. Like a CTRL-S while
something is highlighted. The highlighting changes to a new selection.
This drives me nuts.

And Microsoft sits on their butts just watching who does it better and
wins over with the masses. And when that happens, Microsoft either
steals or buys them out. I rather they didn't work this way, but I admit
it works for someone like Microsoft. Someone else would have been done
in from such shabby workmanship. But it is very good for third party
developers, so I guess who could complain. ;)
 
BillW50 said:
Well I remember back in '83, we could call Microsoft to report bug
reports. I guess things works differently nowadays.
Click to expand...

GEE.... I wonder WHY!

Maybe because there are a bazillion more users of MS products these
days than there were in those??
 
Uncle Grumpy said:
GEE.... I wonder WHY!

Maybe because there are a bazillion more users of MS products these
days than there were in those??
Click to expand...

Yeah well they were not too helpful back then either. Their excuse back
then was they couldn't fix the bugs because zillions have written
programs around the bugs. Thus if they fixed it, zillions of programs
would break. :(
 
Amazing tool! More options than a 747 cockpit. Will require some study, but
looks as if it will be worth it. Thanks for the lead.

If you want to get serious about renaming folders
 
You are welcome. And yes it is one amazing tool. And don't forget to
take advantage of the load and save. So you don't have to recreate the
same values all of the time. ;)
 
Back
Top