sounds like a job for a batch file.
you'd prob have to use a for loop with the /f switch which would
recursively go through all the sub folders and rename them.
Sorry I can't be more specific.
However, I think there is a free windows prog called Bulk Rename Utility
you can use.
Bobby
On 07/06/2020 08:31, Colin@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
Greetings,
Can anybody suggest some kind of program solution?
Is there perhaps a piece of software which can address the problem of taking
a folder (and any sub-folders) and making a global change to the file names?
I stress, only the names themselves, not the format or content of the files,
nor do I want them to be moved or copied, I simply want the program to look
at the folder(s) and change a common part of the name.
I give an example of a few files sent me by a friend, they have simply been
saved into a folder, in this case called "spark" being programs broadcast
over a considerable period in the field mainly of science, by The Canadian
Broadcasting Company.
Note the names are not consistent apart from the start of each being
"CBCSpark" which, in this case, I want to remove as the folder name
indicates the file source. In some cases, I may well want to replace or
amend the text, therefore, would want three parameters, probably the
location of the top folder, being it's complete path in this case "h:\Paul
David\spark\", the second containing the value for which a change is
required, the third, being the substitution. Hence in this case, the
program might receive the following command line:
program "h:\Paul David\Spark\","cbcspark",""
The final backslash indicating to process any sub-folders, if the backslash
is missing, only the specified folder would be processed.
CBCSpark380, phantom traffic jams, catfish in scams and smart speakers.mp3
CBCSpark381, the bad design behind Hawaii's misile scare, Internet freedom
in Iran, and more.mp3
CBCSpark382.mp3
. . .
CBCSpark419, new tech in museums and learning from si-fi movies.mp3
CBCSpark425, The History Of The Future Of Cellphones.mp3
CBCSpark459, Canada, Communications and the New Decade.mp3
CBCSpark460, The Future.mp3
. . .
CBCSpark2014 06 08.mp3
CBCSpark2014 06 15.zip
CBCSpark2014 06 22.mp3
CBCSpark2014 10 12.mp3
. . .
CBCSpark, David Fewer on Copyright Reform.mp3
CBCSpark, David Neale on the future of mobile devices.mp3
CBCSpark, full interview, Kevin Kelly on the pleasures of play.mp3
Note my above command line would not correctly pick up the last three files,
because the start cbcspark has a comma following, therefore, I would be left
with:
, David Fewer on Copyright Reform.mp3
, David Neale on the future of mobile devices.mp3
, full interview, Kevin Kelly on the pleasures of play.mp3
but if setting up a mask to contain the comma, there is a danger of trapping
other names, hence, the new command name would need to have the first
parameter as the path like before, the second ", " and the third "" meaning
the comma and space would be replaced by nothing.
I have a great many folders in similar mixtures so would welcome a program
of the type explained above.
A possible problem, is, by changing the name, it might happen when writing
back to the folder, there may already be a file with the same name, in this
case, we can ignore whichever version is the earliest, or allow the system
to create a file with the (2) or (3) or whatever before the file extension
at the end of the file name is necessary hence leaving me to decide which to
keep as in my system at any rate, in a listing, they appear next to each
other.
I hope I have explained my requirements, I don't want a two-step or
three-step process, I am looking for something I can call and let it get on
with the job with no more intervention from me.
Thanks.
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