FreeCommander

The settings in the tab "Settings" of the main menu item "File → Multi rename..." allow to define how the new names should be formed from the actual names.

File name and File extension

In the section "Pattern" new names and extensions for the items (files and folders) to be renamed can be formed.

After clicking the button in the fields "File name" or "File extension" an older content of the field can be selected from the field history, to replace the actual content (pattern). This is only possible, if the option "Save history" is checked and the command "Clear history" was not activated most recently. After clicking the button next to the field a wild card can be selected from a drop down menu and is inserted at the cursor position. Wild cards are always enclosed in square brackets "[ ]". On forming a new name all wild cards are evaluated and replaced by a string of characters. All other characters (not enclosed in square brackets) are placed in the name unchanged.

The following wild cards are supported:

Picture-Exif

By now nearly any digital camera writes EXIF data to the beginning of image files. This information can be used on forming image file names via appropriate wild cards.

FreeCommander reads this metadata from picture files.

exiftool

If the program exiftool.exe is installed and its path is entered in the dialog "Tools → Settings → View → Viewer → "Metadata/Exif", for all exif/metadata (from all files/folders that contain exif/metadata) wildcards are offered.

Examples for wild cards:

The wild cards for "Summary info", "MP3" and "EXIF" also can be augmented with a number. Example: [exif_camera6] - is replaced by the first 6 characters of the camera name.

The wild card [c] numbers the items to be renamed according to the criteria defined under "Counter".

If a date is inserted via wild cards it is formed according to the criteria defined under "Timestamp format".

The combination of several wild cards allows to define complex rules for forming new names. (e.g. "[exif_camera][exif_cmodel][exif_taken,1,10]_[c]").

Case

After clicking the combo box "Case" and selecting an option, the case sensitivity of the forming of names can be defined. The following options are offered:

The option "Upper first letter following any of defined characters" allows to define:

• all characters that should be followed by one upper case letter.
• all substrings that should be followed by one upper case letter. The substring has to be enclosed with "\". Example: \ed_\ causes that ed_ is followed by one upper case letter.

Keep current uppercase

If this option is checked, existing uppercases are kept. This option is active only if one of the following selection points are chosen:

 - First letter of each word uppercase
 - First letter of each word uppercase, extension lowercase
 - Upper first letter following any of defined characters

Search and replace

"Search and replace" offers the possibility to further process the items in the list of files and folders.

• Search for
  After clicking the button in the input field "Search for" an older content of the field can be selected from the field history, to replace the actual content. This is only possible, if the option "Save history" is checked and the command "Clear history" was not activated most recently.
• Button
  After clicking the button a pop up menu is opened with tips on the use of wild cards in the "Search for" field.
  Example: To uppercase all vowels, "a|e|i|o|u" must be inserted in the "Search for" field and "A|E|I|O|U" in the "Replace with" field.
• Replace with

After clicking the button in the input field "Replace with" an older content of the field can be selected from the field history, to replace the actual content. This is only possible, if the option "Save history" is checked and the command "Clear history" was not activated most recently.
After clicking the button next to the field a wild card can be selected from a drop down menu and is inserted at the cursor position. All wild cards described under "File name and file extension" can be selected.

• Case sensitive
  If this option is checked, the search and replace process is case sensitive.
• Replace all occurrences
  If this option is checked, the "Search for" string is always replaced, even if the name contains it several times.
  If this option is not checked, only the first occurrence of the "Search for" string in the file name is replaced.
• Regular Expression
  If this option is checked, the "Search for" string will be interpreted as regular expression.
• Exclude extension
  If this option is checked, "Search and replace" is only executed for the file name and not for the file extension.

Include only files of this type:

• Input field "Include only files of this type"
  The content of the input field "Include only files of this type" allows to limit (filter) the number of items in the "list of files and folders". Wild cards and regular expressions are accepted in the input field.

• Button
  After activating the button a pop up menu is opened with tips on the use of file types and regular expressions.

• Button
  After activating the button a selection list is shown, with the last inputs (filters) in this field and the text "<RegExp>:" (to enter regular expressions). Clicking a row in this selection list overwrites the contents of the input field with the contents of the clicked row.
• Button
  After activating the button a selection list with filters (defined under the menu item "Folder → Filter → Set filter") is shown. Selecting a filter overwrites the contents of the input field with "<Filter>:" + "contents of the filter".

With subfolder

If this option is checked, the "List of files and folders" also contains files and folders of subfolders, if folders are selected in the main window.

Only files

If this option is checked, the "List of files and folders" only contains files, no folders are contained.

Timestamp format

In the input field "Timestamp format" the format for timestamps inserted with the wild cards „[d]“, „[dc]“ or “[dm]“ (see table above) can be defined. Clicking the button opens a selection list with predefined timestamp formats.

Counter

Under "Counter" can be defined, according to what criteria the items to be renamed are numbered with the wild card "[c]". The following parameters are offered:

• Start at
  Under "Start at" can be defined, with what number the wild card "[c]" is replaced on renaming the first item in the "List of files and folders".
• Step by
  Under "Start at" can be defined, in what steps the counter „[c]“ is increased from item to item.
• Digits
  Under "Digits" the number of digits of the counter can be defined.
  Example: The number 10 should be inserted. 4 digits are defined. Thus the wild card "[c]" is replaced with "0012".

Preview changes

Activating the button "Preview changes" forms the new names for all items of the "File and folder list" (that are not locked) according to the actual settings and shows them in the column "New name".

Auto preview

If this option is checked, the new names of all items of the "File and folder list" are formed and shown immediately after every change in the settings.

Rename

After activating this button (or the menu item "Command → Rename) all list items are renamed in the file system with the name in the column "New name". If the option "Close dialog after rename" is not checked, the button "Rename" is replaced with the button "Reload". Activating the button "Reload" reloads all items for further editing their names. 

The last (mistakenly) renaming process can be undone for all renamed items with the menu item "Command → Undo". This is also possible if the window "Multi rename" has to be activated again (with any items).

Close dialog after rename

If this option is checked, the window "Multi rename" is closed after the rename process, if no error occurred during the process. If errors occur, they items that could not be renamed are preceded by the error icon in the "File and folder list" and and a suitable failure message is provided in the column "New name".

Reset

After activating the button "Reset" (or the menu item "Command → Reset current settings") all settings made under the tab "Settings" are reset to their initial values.

Cancel

After activating the button "Cancel" the "Multi rename" window is closed without further actions.