Renaming

[hartlyn1]

Shawn,
You brought me to Windows 7 Forums by telling me how to very simply do something scores of others insisted could not be done (Windows Explorer Auto Arrange - Disable).
I have another simple question that all the responders here say "it can't be done"
...despite my having been able to do it for over a year now.
The problem is it has recently stopped doing it.
I have been able to retain the original sequencing (numerical or alphabetical) when I do multiple renames within a folder since shifting to Windows 7. That capacity has stopped recently and I don't know why, or how to restore it. I've addressed this to you because ALL the responders here have told me that what I have been doing for a year now cannot be done. They will obviously be of no use in helping me to restore something now gone missing when they (wrongly) insist it doesn't exist.
Can you help?
Hartlyn


Continued from: renaming files - Vista Forums

 

[Brink]

Hello Hartlyn,

You might see if doing a system restore using a restore point (if available) dated when you were able to do it to see if you may still be able to afterwards.

 

[Thorsen]

Although I hate to say it... maybe a third party software is needed. I read your other thread and do find this weird. I have seen a few minor problems in Win7 but I would expect the sequence to be retained. I just tried this and found the same result. when renaming multiple file types, they are sorted by file type and named the same ex. red(1).txt red(1).html, red(2).html..... etc.

I looked, but have not tried this software yet....

Introduction - Bulk Rename Utility

 

[hartlyn1]

Shawn,
Thank you for getting back to me. I hope the new thread/ personal appeal was not a breach of forum etiquette, but I was getting idiotic responses.
My thought is that the application of the “auto-arrange – disable” that you originally showed me how to do created the change. The timing is similar.
If so…if I do a system reset I will lose the auto-arrange – disable that I value. It might come down to a choice between the two. As it stands: the multiple-rename works except for distinguishing between file types (JPGs and TIFs). That is what has been lost (the capacity to combine file types in a sequencing adoption). If there is a way around that (subordinate the type to the numerical antecedent) I am home free. What do you think?
Ineffably,
Hartlyn

 

[hartlyn1]

Thorsen,
Thank you. Bulk Rename Utility is my fall back plan. But because I was able to do it before without a 3rd party I haven't given up yet on returning to the fold.
Effulgence,
Hartlyn

 

[Brink]

Hartlyn,

I think that you might give the program that Thorsen posted above a try to see how it may work for you.

If the restore point was dated before you applied the “auto-arrange – disable”, then yes it will undo it as well. However, you could just as easily reapply it again afterwards.

 

[Thorsen]

Ok well..... that utility works, but is a little complex looking. If you look at my screenshot below I can give you an example.

Select/highlight the files you want to rename and then in the options below, type in the original you want replaced (red) and the new type (Blue).... you then click on the rename button in the lower right corner.

you might have to play around with some of the features to get it to work for different types of file names, but it keeps the order that you have them arranged without looking at file types for renaming sequence.

Here is screenshot

 

[Thorsen]

Understood Hartlyn and as I said I reluctantly suggest a third party app. I know you want this to work the way it should. Not sure why it is doing the rename in this fashion. I really don't....

I have tried to rename things in the past, but never looked closely at what I was doing.... My computer acts as such. I tested and saw the same results you are describing. I don't know if mine ever worked any differently though.

I hope a restore corrects it and if not, the bulk rename utility can do what you need and as complex as it is, it is very useful looking. (a bit intimidating though....)

 

[allend66]

Just a suggestion - File menu tools from lopesoft has an advanced renamer. insert, delete, substitute, wild cards etc. not as intimidating as bilk rename util.

 

[MrNeeds]

Hartlyn, my post wasn't meant to offend, it was merely to say that I do not know of windows vista to do anything like that, since I don't use win7 I couldn't confirm it, I do a service for free, not a disservice at a price, I could keep my knowledge to myself but I share with others, I did this with you and you did not appreciate but instead you attacked, sorry I couldn't help you, but next time when someone try's to help, please don't insult them, because my intention was to help...

 

[seekermeister]

I also use the Bulk Rename Frequently, and I like it very much for dealing with a batch of files with similar changes. I know that it can do a lot more than I understand, but the number of options available are not something that I have spent the time to learn. I don't know that it would solve the OP's problem, because it still rearranges files when I rename them, but then I have not found that to be a problem, and I have never applied any kind of tweak to change this.

 

[fafhrd]

Sadly, from the human viewpoint, computer databases (of which a file listing is a special type) do not put things in order - they only present a view of that order, based upon some given instruction. The instruction that obtained earlier has been changed in your system, and without knowing what exactly changed it, and from what, it is difficult to return to that past status quo.

There is maybe another tack to follow, hartlyn1 - it appears that these are image files, .jpg and .tif - I did not notice if they were photographs, but that would be one reason to rename from a numerical sequence to a more meaningful name - would be to look at the extended file properties, or View, Choose Details...

There are, for instance, six possible date fields, on these images taken with two different cameras in this snip of a folder. There are also two different ordering options: sort by and group by:



Perhaps at one time the ordering options have been changed and not changed back, grouping selected by mistake instead of sorting? - just a thought.

Otherwise, the date taken property could possibly be used to order the sequence back to the original order in the case of photographic sequential files?

This is a common sort of problem for music lovers who rip tracks from a CD and then find they are playing in a different order on their MP3 player.

There is a simple free utility for this problem: Copy In Order:
CopyInOrder - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

 

[mrdemon]

I think I know what your trying too do, But i want too just say a few things before I suggest this.

You have items (Photo's) in a order you like and then your renaming them using the pictures as a ref, ie: pics 1,5,8,15,45 are lets say dsci0100##.jpg and you want too name them into dave (###).jpg and keep the order you see them in.

Am I correct in saying this, If so its quite simple. Right Click, select sort by and then date taken, you should be seeing in the same order that you see when you see them in the dsci### order.

 

[Thorsen]

Just a suggestion - File menu tools from lopesoft has an advanced renamer. insert, delete, substitute, wild cards etc. not as intimidating as bilk rename util.

Excellent Find. I didn't know about that tool, but it looks very nice for a lot of things.

 

[Thorsen]

I think I know what your trying too do, But i want too just say a few things before I suggest this.

You have items (Photo's) in a order you like and then your renaming them using the pictures as a ref, ie: pics 1,5,8,15,45 are lets say dsci0100##.jpg and you want too name them into dave (###).jpg and keep the order you see them in.

Am I correct in saying this, If so its quite simple. Right Click, select sort by and then date taken, you should be seeing in the same order that you see when you see them in the dsci### order.

The problem Hartlyn is having with this is with multiple file types. Say you have 5 files and one is a different file type

red1.tif
red2.tif
red3.jpg
red4.tif
red5.tif

if you try to rename them with the windows rename you get

blue1.jpg
blue1.tif
blue2.tif
blue3.tif
blue4.tif

so
red3.jpg was renamed blue1.jpg and red1.tif was renamed blue1.tif

red5.tif was renamed blue4.tif and they are no longer in order as the third one in the list is now the first