Search long list of filenames +10000 Mission Impossible?

[Albert Fox]

Hello!

I'm renaming a massive amount of files. I have huge lists in flat format (plain text name.wav; name.wav;). Before starting, I was looking for, how to not spend 200 hours, which would cost me do this, file by file.

Solution: Total Commander! Well, almost... not found the solution to this:

So I can search filenames using the search tool (Alt + F7) PE. 39912.wav; 39913.wav; 39914.wav ... separated by semicolons, in a specific directory (including subfolders) PROBLEM! The box does not allow me to add more than 136 names of files at once of a total of over 5,000-10,000 (the box has character limit).

Once I have the desired files, I add to the list and then can easily rename them (Control + M) by adding a text file with the list of definitive names.

How do i fix the limitation of the search box?
I hope you can help!

Thank you,
Have a nice day!

[Lefteous]

1. Are there any other files in that directory (including subdirectories)? If not try the branch view (Ctrl+B), select all and start multi rename tool.

2. Is there any pattern for the file names? I guess it's quite some work to manually copy their names and paste them into the search field.
If there is really no pattern try my 'File' plugin. It can be used to search files stored in a text file.
http://totalcmd.net/plugring/file.html

[DrShark]

Or you can use built-in feature to search for names from file list. See Total Commander Help, page "Find files: General" (aka "Dialog box: Search: General"; Press F1 key in Find files dialog to open it directly) for details. This way is not flexible in case if you will want to find filenames from your filelist in 2 or more specific locations, see this topic for details.

[Albert Fox]

1. Are there any other files in that directory (including subdirectories)?

Yes! a lot of files, I don't want included in the search all of them.

2. Is there any pattern for the file names?

Not particularly. This is the format name "39911_SFX.wav" another can be "40132_SFX.wav" for example. That's why I want to make a search by specifying the name of each file to find. Well, Wait! may be perhaps using a search for files with number 39911 to 44814. To select all numbers between? (I do not know how to do it).

Another thing, i don't have the path for each file. Only have a starting folder, where all files are in subfolders (with other files), I don't know where is every file in them.
The only thing I have is:

1. List of names with extension.
(PE 39911_SFX.wav, 39912_SFX.wav, 39913_SFX.wav)

2. folder with multiple subfolders. The path of each file is uncertain.


FINALLY THE SOLUTION:
I like to leave the solution, because someone might find useful.

Very easy:
1. Open search box (ALT+F7)
2. I put nothing on Search
3. Search in add this: @directorypath\search.txt
Note: Replace directorypath for location of the file and inside search.txt is a list of filenames with path, using asterisk after grabbing the home directory where they stay all subfolders, so inside text file like this:
H:\masterfolder\*39911_SFX.wav
H:\masterfolder\*39912_SFX.wav
H:\masterfolder\*39913_SFX.wav

And voila! Total commander look around the main and sub-directory, listing all the names of the text file. Without limitation of the text field (in search).

Thanks to Total Commander and support forums, managed to save 200 hours of tedious and mechanical work. Today is a great day

Thank you,

[DrShark]

Edit: Albert Fox already used the following suggestion while I was writing my post

You can use built-in search using a file with list of filenames. It is not a pattern-based solution, so requires some manual work.

files with number 39911 to 44814...
2. folder with multiple subfolders. The path of each file is uncertain.

Make a text file filenames.txt in your folder. File contains lines with path to your folder name, backslash and asterisk before your filenames in each, so it will be like that:

c:\folder\*39911_SFX.wav
c:\folder\*39912_SFX.wav
... (other names)
c:\folder\*44814_SFX.wav

In Find files, leave "Search for:" field empty, in "Search in:" field enter "@" and a path to your text file with names:

@c:\folder\filenames.txt

TC will find files with names from 39911_SFX.wav to 44814_SFX.wav in folder and its subfolders.

Edit 2:
With File plugin, "Is In List" field OP set to [=], the value should be 1, and the filenames list made and stored according to this howto.