Main menu - File - Multi rename...


After activating the main menu item "File → Multi rename..." or the shortcut "Ctrl+M" the "Multi rename" window is opened, where the items (files and/or folders) selected in the active panel can be renamed.

The split window "Multi rename" is subdivided as follows:

  • The upper part of the window contains a list of files and folders to be renamed.
  • The lower part of the window contains the tabs "Settings" and "Profiles".
  • The splitter (line between upper and lower part) - clicking the splitter fades in or fades out the lower part.




List of files and folders

The list of files and folders shows all files and folders to be renamed. On opening the windows it contains all files and folders selected in the active panel. 

The menu items (and partly the icons) provide the following processing functions for the list of files and folders:

File

The following menu items of the multi rename main menu item "File" are provided as icons (buttons) and shortcuts additionally:

  • Open location in active panel (shortcut: Space)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut), the item highlighted in the list of files and folders, is highlighted in the active panel and the FreeCommander main window comes to the foreground. The "Multi rename" window remains open in the background. If another folder is active in the active panel, the folder of the highlighted item (shown in the column "Location") is opened.
  • Open location in inactive panel (shortcut: Ctrl+Space)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut), the item highlighted in the list of files and folders, is highlighted in the inactive panel and the FreeCommander main window comes to the foeground. The "Multi rename" window remains open in the background. If another folder is active in the inactive panel, the folder of the highlighted item (shown in the column "Location") is opened.
  • Remove from the list (shortcut: Ctrl+R)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut), all items selected in the list of files and folders are removed from this list.
  • Lock for changes (shortcut: Ctrl+L)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut), all items selected in the list of files and folders are locked for subsequent changes. The actual changes will be still carried out on clicking the "Rename" button. If no actual changes should be carried out, the item has to be removed from the list of files and folders with the function "File → Remove from the list". If the selected item is locked already, activating this function unlocks it.
  • Edit and lock (shortcut: Shift+Ctrl+L)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut), a dialog is opened where the item highlighted in the list of files and folders can be renamed manually. After confirming the new name the item is lock for all actual and further renaming processes. The can be renamed only by activating this function again. This function can be undone with the menu item "Command → Undo".
  • Rename using text editor
    After activating this menu item, the text editor (defined in the menu item "Options → Select editor") is opened with the list of files to be renamed. After editing files, saving and closing the changes are exported to the dialog, where the changed files can be edited again.
  • View (shortcut: F3)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut), the item highlighted in the list of files and folders, is opened in the "Viewer".
  • Quick view (shortcut: Ctrl+Q)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut) the "Quick viewer panel" is opened/closed. It shows the highlighted item. It can be configured under the menu item "Tools → Settings → View → Viewer". If the "Multi rename" option "Quick viewer orientation - horizontal" is checked, the quick viewer panel is shown above the list of files and folders. If not, it is shown to the right of the list of files and folders.
  • Properties (shortcut: Alt+Enter)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut), the Windows property window is shown for the item highlighted in the list of files and folders.
  • Close (shortcut: Esc)
    After activating this menu item (or this shortcut) the "Multi rename" window is closed without further actions.

Edit

The rename main menu item "Edit" offers the following menu items:

  • Select all (shortcut: Ctrl+A)
    After activating this menu item (or this shortcut) all items of the list of files and folders are selected.
    The selection influences the following menu items:
    • "File → Remove from the list"
    • "File → Lock for changes"
    • "File → Properties"
    • "Edit → Invert selection".

       Only the highlighted items is influenced by the functions "View (F3)" and "Quick view (Ctrl+Q)".

  • Invert selection (shortcut: * on the numeric key pad)
    After activating this menu item (or this shortcut) all items of the list of files and folders not yet selected, are selected. All selected items are unselected.
  • Copy old name (shortcut: Alt+Ins)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut), old name and old extension of the highlighted item are copied to the clipboard.
  • Copy old name without extension (shortcut: Shift+Ctrl+C)
    After activating this menu item (or this icon, or this shortcut), the old name without extension of the highlighted item is copied to the clipboard.

Command

The rename main menu item "Command" offers the following menu items:

  • Rename
    After activating this menu item (or the button "Rename" in the tab "Settings") all list items are renamed with the name in the column "New name".
  • Undo
    After activating this menu item a dialog is shown, asking "Undo the last rename action?" and showing a list of renamed items. After confirming with "Yes" all items, renamed during the last rename process, get back their old names. This command is active only, if a rename process was already started.
  • Reset current settings
    After activating this menu item (or the button "Reset" in the tab "Settings") all settings made under the tab "Settings" are reset to their initial values.
  • Clear history
    If the option "Save history" is checked, the entry history (per combo box in the tab "Settings") is saved until the command "Clear history" is activated.

Options


The rename main menu item "Options" offers the following menu items:

  • Save history
    Clicking this menu item activates/deactivates this option. If this option is checked, this menu item is preceded by and the entry history (per combo box in the tab "Settings") is saved until the command "Clear history" is activated.
  • Start options
    After clicking one of the following start options (menu items) the menu item is preceded by and is activated:
    • Start with empty settings
      If this option is checked, on opening the window "Multi rename" the standard settings are active in the tab "Settings". These settings would not cause the renaming of an item.
    • Start with last used settings
      If this option is checked, on opening the window "Multi rename" the settings of the tab "Settings" defined in the last call of the command "Rename" are active.
    • Open fist profile on start
      If this option is checked, on opening the window "Multi rename" the settings of the tab "Settings" defined in the topmost profile (of the tab "Profiles") are active.
  • Select columns
    After activating this menu item a window with the list of columns to be renamed is opened.

           

    The following buttons are available for editing the list of columns:
    • :        add new row in the list of columns

After activating this button a window is opened where all possible columns can be selected for display or deleted.



All checked columns are displayed. Saving profiles includes the checked columns. Therefore it is easy to switch between column sets in the "Multi rename" dialog.

    • :        delete the highlighted row in the list of columns
    • :        move the highlighted row in the list of columns up
    • :        move the highlighted row in the list of columns down

The columns "Old name" and "New name" can not be moved or deleted in the list of columns.

  • Select editor
    A text editor (for example Notepad) for the multi rename command "File → Rename using text editor" can be selected here.
  • Activate profiles combo box first

Clicking this menu item activates/deactivates this option. If this option is checked, this menu item is preceded by and on opening the window "Multi rename" the profiles combo box is active. That allows to select a profile (e.g. with the ↓ key) immediately.

  • Illegal characters

Clicking one of the following menu items activates/deactivates this option. If a menu item is activated, it is preceded by .

    • Replace illegal characters with "_"
      If this option is checked and the name of a renamed item would contain illegal characters, these illegal characters are replaced by underscores "_".
    • Cut illegal characters
      If this option is checked and the name of a renamed item would contain illegal characters, these illegal characters, are removed without replacing them.
  • Resolve duplicates with auto counter
    If this option is checked and the renaming process would generate files with the same name, these duplicates are renamed automatically using a counter.
    Example: From three files named actView.png the three files named actView1.png, actView2.png and actView3.png are generated.
  • Check names in target folder before rename
    Clicking this menu item activates/deactivates this option. If this option is checked, this menu item is preceded by and it is checked whether the names are legal, when:
    • the button "Preview" in the tab "Settings" is activated.
    • as soon as a setting is edited and the option "Auto preview" in the tab "Settings" is checked.

If a name contains illegal characters, its row is preceded by the error icon and a suitable failure message is provided in its column "New name".

  • Stay on top
    Clicking this menu item activates/deactivates this option. If this option is checked, this menu item is preceded by and the window "Multi rename" always stays on top.
  • Quick viewer orientation - horizontal

If this option is checked, the quick viewer panel is shown above the list of files and folders. If not, it is shown to the right of the list of files and folders.

  • Use big icons

Clicking this menu item activates/deactivates this option. If this option is checked, this menu item is preceded by and the icons in the actions toolbar of the multi rename dialog are displayed bigger.

Profile

The combo box "Profile" shows the active profiles name, if a profile is active. After clicking the combo box another profile can be selected. On switching the profile all actual settings (in the tab "Settings") are overwritten by the settings of the new profile. Profiles can be managed in the tab "Profiles".