copy/move dialog: target path - file mask

[Evds]

In the help file is, concerning the "target path file mask *.*" in the copy/move dialog, the following mentioned: You can use any type of valid file name including wild cards as your target file name..

I was under the impressing that the first star was a placeholder for the filename and the second star a placeholder for the file extension.

But, when I select the file "test1.txt" and "test2.txt", press Copy and change in the copy dialog the filemask in "a*.*" the result is "aest1.txt" and "aest2.txt" instead of "atest1.txt" and "atest2.txt".
So, it seems as if everything that is entered before the "filename placeholder" * overwrites the source filename.

If I select the same files "test1.txt" and "test2.txt", press copy and change in the copy dialog the filemask in "*a.*" the result is "test1.txt" and "test2.txt" (the target filename is the same as the source filename).
So, it seems as if everything that is entered behind the first star is rejected.

If I do the same with the "extension placeholder" (the second star) the result is a bit different.
Anything that is entered behind the "extension placeholder" (the second star) is actually added to the target extension, as I would expect.

Wouldn't this feature be more useful if the stars where actual placeholders for the filename and the file extension?
And anything that is entered before the star is added before the source filename (or source extension) instead of overwriting the source filename (and source extension) and anything that is entered behind the star is added behind the source filename (or source extension) instead of being rejected in the case of the filename.

[petermad]

I find this confusing too.

Also, if I select the files "test1.txt" and "test2.txt", press Copy and change the file mask to "*.*a" the resulting filenames are "test1.txta" and "test2.txta" (with "a" appended - as expected), but if I use the file mask "*.a*" the resulting filenames are "test1.axt" and "test2.axt" (with "'a" replacing the first character of the extension).

[gdpr deleted 6]

Yeah, it would be nice to have a similar functionality for Copy/Move operations as in the Multi-Rename tool.

I too find trying to alter file names with these "wildcard masks" unsatisfactory and limited when copying more than a handful of files.

What i often end up doing is either rename the files with the MRT before copying/moving, or - if i don't want/can't rename the file in the source dir(s) - i first copy the files into a sub dir of the target directory, then rename them with the MRT and finally moving them one directory up to their intended destination. Not exactly a single-step operation, but on the upside, doing so gives me much more control and feedback (within the MRT) about what i am doing...

[Hacker]

IIRC the behavior emulates the command line (cmd.exe). The goal was to make them consistent.

Roman

[petermad]

I managed to append an "a" to the name part of the filename with this mask "?????????????????a.*" where I put more "?"s than possible characters in the chosen filenames - but IMHO "*a.*" should give the same result

[petermad]

IIRC the behavior emulates the command line (cmd.exe). The goal was to make them consistent.

It does seem to be the same as in the command line, but not quite:

If I in TC copy the file atest.txt with the mask *a.* the result is atest.txt
If I at the commad prompt copy the file atest.txt with the mask *a.* the result is a.txt