background operation improvement request

[Personal-CD]

OK - I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to break my promise .

I download AHK and it is obviously an extremely powerful tool. However, most of the help file went completely over my head. I played around with it a bit, but got into terrible trouble. I've also not managed to use the TC Multiple re-naming tool to do what I want - although I have a feeling I should be able to.

What I was looking to do was to batch alter a set of file names as follows;

Original Name:

Aundefinedlength - Bundefinedlength.ext

Required Name

Bundefinedlength.ext - Aundefinedlength.ext

The only constants in this expression are the <space>-<space> and the .ext.

I've played around with the TC renamer - which I believe can do this, but I can't work out how to do it. AHK seemed a lot more powerful, but I didn't even understand 80% of the help file, so I've failed to make it work for me.

[Give me a break, I'm 65 - computers weren't even invented when I was born and I'm really struggling here ]

[icfu]

Code: Select all

Search for: ^(.+)( - )(.+)(\..+)$
Replace with: $3$2$1$4
RegEx

Icfu

[Personal-CD]

icfu

That's positively amazing! I tried for ages to work out how to do this and you come up with it in the space of a few hours.

I have to admit, I thought this was an AHK script at first - needless to say, I failed dismally. Then I realised it was for TC and had it running in no time at all.

Thank you so much, this will save me a big heap of file renaming.

I really, really, promise to go away now and leave you all in peace for a while - but I go leaving my undying gratitude for all the help you guys have given me.

[StickyNomad]

2Personal-CD

You may also have a look at the TC Wiki for additional infos.

[petermad]

2Personal-CD

Aundefinedlength - Bundefinedlength.ext

Required Name

Bundefinedlength.ext - Aundefinedlength.ext

If the above is truely what you want, then the parameters shoud be:

Code: Select all

Search for: ^(.+)( - )(.+)(\..+)$
Replace with: $3$4$2$1$4
RegEx

(with an extra $4)

But since you are satiesfied with icfu's solution, I think that it is because icfu applied some error correction to your request - and what you really wanted was:

Bundefinedlength - Aundefinedlength.ext

with only one .ext in it. Is that correct

[Personal-CD]

But since you are satiesfied with icfu's solution, I think that it is because icfu applied some error correction to your request - and what you really wanted was:

Bundefinedlength - Aundefinedlength.ext

with only one .ext in it. Is that correct

Yes - you are right. It was my mistake in the original post.

icfu's solution works very well for me and has saved me a bucketload of time and aggravation in just two days.