File Renaming Utilities

[rjbinney]

I know there has been some discussion in the past, re: Bulk Renaming (e.g., Converting huge swaths of JPGs from a camera into "Birthday 1", "Birthday 2", etc.).

Here's what I've got to do:

• I have about 256 files that have been named with Alpha names (e.g., "Tony Stark Sales Q117.xlsw", "Tom Brady Products 2019.pptx", "Bruce Springsteen User Comments.docx", "James Bond Weapons Inventory.mdf").
• I need to put them in a SPECIFIC order (unfortunately, not chrono by save date).
• I figured I should just append the file name (i.e., the above could be "2 Tony Stark Sales Q117.xlsw", "1 Tom Brady Products 2019.pptx", "4 Bruce Springsteen User Comments.docx", "1 James Bond Weapons Inventory.mdf")

I know I can go into Explorer and hit "F2", clicking to the beginning of the text box, and typing in the number. But that seems inelegant.

Is there a utility that will let me do quick and easy text edits on file names? I've looked at a few - but they seem to all require some sort of logic. I don't have logic. I just would love a table where all of my file names are in the left column, and I can do some freeform editing in the right column, and voila they're renamed.

[soybean]

From what I gather from your post, the desired sequence of your files exists in your brain, no where else.  So, I see no other way you can do this other than "can go into Explorer and hit "F2", clicking to the beginning of the text box, and typing in the number."

[rjbinney]

Yeah that's what I ended up doing.

(You say 'exists in [my] brain' like it's a bad thing...!)

Also wish there was way to do like a global replacement - so where someone puts there initials in every file name, I can delete that for an entire subdirectory....

[soybean]

(You say 'exists in [my] brain' like it's a bad thing...!)

I didn't mean it's a bad thing.  Just stated that as a reason why you'd need to manually do this.

[rjbinney]

I kid, I kid.

[spankBot]

Consider Advanced Renamer or possibly Bulk Rename tool.