Allow subdirectories in the Multi-rename tool

[mistyc]

Hi!

From my personal experience, it would be great if MRT can be used to rename files that are in subfolders relative to the actual path.

Also, if there would be a way to remove leading and trailing spaces easily,

and to replace multiple spaces with one (possibly can be fone with regex, except that sounds chinese to me).


Thanks.

[StickyNomad]

2mistyc

Hello and welcome!

You can press CTRL+B for branch view to show all files in the subdirectories of the current folder before opening the MRT.

Or you can first select the desired directories and press CTRL+SHIFT+B to show only all files in these directories (New function in v 7.55 beta).

As for the SPaces issues I'm sorry I can't help you, because for me, regex sounds like chinese backwards

[mistyc]

Hi!

Thanks, branch view works as a workaround. I was a bit surprised while trying it though, and as a result I got a listing of 100-something thousand files.

[StickyNomad]

Did you press CRL+B in the root of the drive?

If you navigate to a certain folder before pressing CTRL+B, only the files under the current subfolder are displayed.

[mistyc]

No, on a storage folder that contains the files I wanted to use MRT on. It's a large organized folder that contains work related stuff. There are quite a few files in it.

[StickyNomad]

Ah, OK.

btw, you can use the quick filter (CTRL+S) in the filelist to show only files containing a certain string, so e.g. type CTRL+S and type *anytext* to show only those files which contain this string.

Or even more simple, you can press NUM+ and type the string in the dialog to select the files, this way you don't have to filter the list first...

But this only helps if all the files you want to rename contain all some same part of the filename or the same extension to have this work.

Or, like I said before, the new CTRL+SHIFT+B function could help, if all the files you want to rename are spread over a few certain subfolders.

[Hacker]

So, what's the suggestion? Or move to the English forum?

Roman

[mistyc]

Well, the branch view works as a workaround, yet still a checkbox (include subdirectories) would be nice in the MRT. Also, an option to remove leading and trailing spaces and I personally would love an option to replace multiple spaces (that some users like to use as tabulator) with single spaces. It might work with any repeating characters, like double dots, for example: "04.28.2010..doc".

[HolgerK]

an option to replace multiple spaces

Search for:

Code: Select all

#####|####|###|##

Replace with:

Code: Select all

#|#|#|#

Substitute # with <Space>

spaces or any repeating characters

"Hello world.cpp" -> "Helo world.cp" ?


Regards
Holger

[mistyc]

Thanks, it works in my case, but... I know that regex can do "miracles" just like nearly anything can be done in a command prompt too (especially in a powerful shell) but TC is mainly for people that don't know and/or doesn't even want to know how to use these possibilities. The availability of regex is a nice option, but to be honest, I assume that only a very low percentage of TC users can and/or willing to use it. That's what the GUI's for. And btw, MRT is great for its purpose, makes ones life much easier at times

[HolgerK]

This wasn't a regex sample.

A regex solution is ( substitute # with <Space> ):

Search for:

Code: Select all

(#+)

Replace with:

Code: Select all

#

[x] RegEx

Regards
Holger

[mistyc]

Ok, I always learn something new. That worth starting this topic (for me at least)

Still, my suggestions are two posts above

[HolgerK]

but TC is mainly for people that don't know and/or doesn't even want to know how to use these possibilities.

Who said this?
<irony>
TC is mainly for people, which are not willing
- to read the fine help.
- to combine existing possibilities to reach solutions beyond everything that can be put into any overcrowded user interface (hiding often needed functionality behind hundreds of infrequent used options).
</irony>
Btw. i had to rename an existing file just for testing purpose because none of mine filenames contains multiple spaces.

A good suggestions should ask for additional possibilities, enabling the user to do something that wasn't possible before, or to optimize the work flow in often used task.

If you really need this functionality very often and want to access it via a nice user interface, just save the MRT settings under a name like "Remove multiple spaces" and use a Button/Start menu/Usercmd+hotkey with command:

Code: Select all

MULTIRENAME Remove multiple spaces

As for the check box "include subdirectories":
This will offer less possibilities compared to the already mentioned <Ctrl+Shift+B> and is nearly useless if you use the MRT in combination with a search result.

As for the "trailing spaces":
Such filenames are normally not allowed.

Do not end a file or directory name with a space or a period. Although the underlying file system may support such names, the Windows shell and user interface does not.

So, if you have such filenames, you should try to fix the problem at the side generating such strange names.

As for the "leading spaces":
Search for:

Code: Select all

^( +)

Replace with:

Code: Select all

<Clear>

[x] RegEx

And keep in mind: you have got some solutions long before the other thousand suggestions are processed by the author.

"That's the forum is for."

Kind regards
Holger

[Balderstrom]

With Ctrl+B (Subdir Branch View) You can also setup a customColumn, such as:

Code: Select all

path            |	 130	|	 <--		 |	 [=tc.path]
size             |	   39	|	 -->		 |	 [=tc.size.kbytes] k
writedate	|	   42	|	 <-- 		|	 [=tc.writedate.M|D|Y]

As far as the typical TC user, I imagine there are many that don't want to deal with command-line or scripts -- Yet I would imagine the ones that are more inclined to dig underneath the GUI far outnumber the ones that wont.

[foxidrive]

to replace multiple spaces with one

I do that in the multi rename tool by putting two spaces in the source box and one space in the target box.

You can do the same rename a few times if you think there are multiple spaces.