IDEA: Drag Drop renamer

[magician62]

Having looked on the web, I can find noting that fits the bill, so if anyone knows of something that fits the bill, please speak up.

In this modern day, like many, I take photographs, in my case birds. I have in the last year accumulated around 150k pictures, which really could do with better identification. I have already used a number of methods to append the species, but none are overly efficient.
 
My preference is to put the subject species into the filename.

The current filename format before species is
YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_IMAGENUMBER.jpg or .nef
After species I get
YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_IMAGENUMBER_Species_Name.jpg

As to the idea, which should work for just about anything or any filetype.

A variable size window, so a variable number of "tiles" can be created, allowing for multi monitor use.

The tile size would be around 150px. square or variable but the same size for all tiles.

Each tile is in effect a drop zone where a single, or multiple selection of images can be dropped and the assigned rename applied.

Ideally the tile should have the ability to overlay a users supplied image using the full tile, keeping aspect ratio and sizing to longest side.

Under the Tile should be the rename criteria, Ideally without Underscores, but could be user defined.

I envisage a user interface where the user would put the rename criteria

In this interface there would be
A row for each tile which would contain The rename criteria and a link to a source image which would be imported and then saved with the program settings to create the thumbnail on the tile.
 
Ideally a selector to indicate substitute spaces which in my case is an underscore, but maybe give the user a box to type what they want
A selector to indicate if the above character should be used to separate the rename criteria from original filename.
An option could also select prepend the original filename for those that would like it
These three could be just added as options to the row above. which would allow different affects for different adjustment is people needed it

The ability to save the rename set, so multiple sets for different purposes could be created.

Ideally the rename process might be some form of queue so that it does not interfere with subsequent drops. This would be most beneficial where a 100 or so images need a rename in one drop
Presumptions:
Files may be from multiple locations, but filenames are unique.
Renamed files will remain in their source folders

I have attached an image that gives an idea of the sort of layout (Borrowed from other software)


Hopefully that explains it

[KodeZwerg]

Hello,

my first idea would be something like this...

a sizeable window
inside window some buttons and two viewpanes
buttons like copy/rename, clear list, sort list, exclude

first view deals as dropzone between app and external (maby looking like explorers report/detailed view)
that view will then contain all dropped files
files will have checkboxes (for .jpg maby a small preview, .nef tells me nothing)
files can be removed from list
files can be pre-renamed in list (you will see (as hint text original name) autogenerated name to have a chance to interact)
files can be excluded if not .jpg or .nef

second view would look like explorers large symbols
where you have buttons to add/edit/remove boxes design
boxes will be displayed as individual image that you define
boxes will have as character a individual destination path
boxes will have endless down scrollbar/refit design on change of window size
boxes have same width+height that you can define somewhere i let you
boxes display images that keep aspect ratio, not stretched to fill box complete
doubleclick/open a box would simply open explorer with destination path, then you have all used to know and handle windows functions avail

multimonitor = i have no idea and can not test, havent got such high equimentent.

copy/remove = what kind of file operation we talking about ? from/to local harddrive ?

is that described that what you are looking for?
to describe what i mean here is a quick montage IDEA: Drag Drop renamer
left side as file drop zone, right side those boxes (in final product with custom image etc... this just explorer icons)

[mouser]

This is an interesting idea..

Let me try to summarize the idea:
You want to be able to rename a bunch of files that can be categorized as being one of a set of categories, and where the categories are usually visual in nature and so dragging and dropping onto the visual category would be natural.

May I suggest a slightly different way of going at this that would require hugely less coding and take advantage of existing tools:

If you think of the renaming as taking place in two stages:  First organizing your photos in category FOLDERS, and then renaming files inside folders.
Use your favorite file explorer replacement, with folders in thumbnail mode, to organize your photos.  Just create folders for each category and copy or move images into them.
Then stage 2 is renaming files based on what folder they are in.

A file explorer tool seems built well for your desired use and reinventing the wheel for this would be a considerable amount of work...

[magician62]

This is an interesting idea..

Let me try to summarize the idea:
You want to be able to rename a bunch of files that can be categorized as being one of a set of categories, and where the categories are usually visual in nature and so dragging and dropping onto the visual category would be natural.

May I suggest a slightly different way of going at this that would require hugely less coding and take advantage of existing tools:

If you think of the renaming as taking place in two stages:  First organizing your photos in category FOLDERS, and then renaming files inside folders.
Use your favorite file explorer replacement, with folders in thumbnail mode, to organize your photos.  Just create folders for each category and copy or move images into them.
Then stage 2 is renaming files based on what folder they are in.

A file explorer tool seems built well for your desired use and reinventing the wheel for this would be a considerable amount of work...

-mouser (November 02, 2018, 03:58 PM)

Still thinking over the KodeZwerg response, but to answer you question.

For myself it is all images, but the idea allowed for use by others

Sorting to folders would mean breaking the existing file structure and necessitating it to be rebuilt later.

It also doesn't accommodate images where there is more than one primary subject, as occasionally happens (I hadn't mentioned this as using suffix, I could just process a second time if needed). 

My current method uses a drag drop renamer where i can drag from various locations sometimes using wildcard view, and drop into the utility, then process. The util does allow multiple instances but there is only so much space available where you can still access the start button. So often limited to 9 or at best 18 options, but that uses up 2 monitors

Using the method you suggest would likely be slower than the existing method after adding back the original structure.

Also working on a starting structure containing over 150K files and potentially 3-10k being added a week, it is growing quite quickly and is already onto a second 2TB drive

[mouser]

Sorting to folders would mean breaking the existing file structure and necessitating it to be rebuilt later.

That's a good point, I didn't think of that.

[KodeZwerg]

If i may stick to my written text and your reply....

you mean the steps where i told about fileoperations and what boxes are doing... you want in fact virtual folders?

i mean....
the "boxes" thing what i mentioned and on screenshot displayed as large icons on right side

those should have some kind of "playlist" (stored locations of added files, just names, no actual files)
and my "execute" button will just rename original files in original folders and add them to selectex box.
opening a box will open something that look, feel and smell like explorer with whatever files you added.

that right?

[magician62]

If i may stick to my written text and your reply....

you mean the steps where i told about fileoperations and what boxes are doing... you want in fact virtual folders?

i mean....
the "boxes" thing what i mentioned and on screenshot displayed as large icons on right side

those should have some kind of "playlist" (stored locations of added files, just names, no actual files)
and my "execute" button will just rename original files in original folders and add them to selectex box.
opening a box will open something that look, feel and smell like explorer with whatever files you added.

that right?

-KodeZwerg (November 02, 2018, 08:16 PM)

Sorry, As mentioned in my reply to mouser, I am still digesting what you wrote.
It was a bit late last night for thinking too much. And I have read through a couple of times, slowly building in my mind a picture of what you propose.

Give ma a chance to down a few coffee, and I will have another read through this morning.

[magician62]

After first coffee

I will add the original source location should be from outside the utility, so once I catch up, I can wildcard the originating windows folders and work across a few.. We see about 150 species, but there is no real upper limit.

Just yesterday a little over 1000 images were added to the stack.

[mouser]

To intrude once more lightly into this thread.. A long while ago I wrote a program called Drag and Drop Robot: https://www.donation.../drag-and-drop-robot
That program let you drop files into a window and ran a batch commandline on each.

*IF* you could separate your needs into a gui drag and drop tool, and a commandline renamer, it wouldn't be too hard to take the Drag and Drop Robot Code and make it so there was a grid of drop targets with associated images, and a separate commandline specified for each target.  Dropping files onto a target cell would simply queue that commandline up in the batch queue.

Having said all that, it's still an interesting idea of kodezwerg or someone else wants to make a more dedicated renamer tool..

[magician62]

To intrude once more lightly into this thread.. A long while ago I wrote a program called Drag and Drop Robot: https://www.donation.../drag-and-drop-robot
That program let you drop files into a window and ran a batch commandline on each.

*IF* you could separate your needs into a gui drag and drop tool, and a commandline renamer, it wouldn't be too hard to take the Drag and Drop Robot Code and make it so there was a grid of drop targets with associated images, and a separate commandline specified for each target.  Dropping files onto a target cell would simply queue that commandline up in the batch queue.

Having said all that, it's still an interesting idea of kodezwerg or someone else wants to make a more dedicated renamer tool..

-mouser (November 03, 2018, 02:36 AM)

Interesting. Second coffee has arrived.

I will restate the requirement, which might make for an easier to split the functions, and your idea may then work.

[magician62]

Restatement of requirements

A user resizeable interface window which contains a variable number of tiles approximately 150px square.

Each tile should have the ability to allow an image thumbnail in place or overlayed on the tile

When one, or many files are dragged from Windows and "dropped" onto the appropriate tile. A predefined rename function should auto-magically be performed on the file(s)

Ideally this rename function is immediate, or in a running queue, so the original file is updated as soon as resources are available. ( This is to accommodate the possible effect of a renaming large group of files)

Does that make it easier?

[mouser]

A major question is this: Can you use an existing external commandline tool to do the renaming? So that the job of this app is mainly to queue up and invoke commandline calls to the renamer?
With each tile just specifying a different commandline to run?

[magician62]

Once I know how it works, it shouldn't be a problem.

Examples are good especially if regex is involved

I use a number of Skwire's utils that use regex and can normally muddle my way through.

If it uses regex and has a result preview option, even better.


I do have Bulk Rename Utility installed if that helps.

[KodeZwerg]

I'm more the maker not the thinker. (even if i thought my idea mirrors request...)
I'm more the creator not the user. (even if standard wheel exists; i like to have my custom ones...)
And finally, if you need to think and rethink (maby due to the way i communicate), i do not harm anyone or want to convince anyone.
Free world for free softwares :-)

Your are in best hands @mouser 
He can better communicate and final product does what he say.

Best wishes!


KodeZwerg.

[mouser]

No!! kodezwerg I will happily leave this one to you

[magician62]

I'm more the maker not the thinker. (even if i thought my idea mirrors request...)
I'm more the creator not the user. (even if standard wheel exists; i like to have my custom ones...)
And finally, if you need to think and rethink (maby due to the way i communicate), i do not harm anyone or want to convince anyone.
Free world for free softwares :-)

Your are in best hands @mouser 
He can better communicate and final product does what he say.

Best wishes!


KodeZwerg.

-KodeZwerg (November 03, 2018, 03:30 AM)

I have no issue with how you communicate, we all do it differently, if we all did it the same the world would be very plain. If you have ever tried talking to some of the natives in England, even we have trouble understanding them even if born 10 miles down the road!

I think when I have something in my mind, reading anothers take on it can sometimes be harder as you try to see how it fits. Second coffee now taking effect

It does look like mouser may have a simple solution to piggyback existing tools, but thank you for your interest.

[KynloStephen66515]

I'm more the maker not the thinker. (even if i thought my idea mirrors request...)
I'm more the creator not the user. (even if standard wheel exists; i like to have my custom ones...)
And finally, if you need to think and rethink (maby due to the way i communicate), i do not harm anyone or want to convince anyone.
Free world for free softwares :-)

Your are in best hands @mouser 
He can better communicate and final product does what he say.

Best wishes!


KodeZwerg.

-KodeZwerg (November 03, 2018, 03:30 AM)

I have no issue with how you communicate, we all do it differently, if we all did it the same the world would be very plain. If you have ever tried talking to some of the natives in England, even we have trouble understanding them even if born 10 miles down the road!

I think when I have something in my mind, reading anothers take on it can sometimes be harder as you try to see how it fits. Second coffee now taking effect

It does look like mouser may have a simple solution to piggyback existing tools, but thank you for your interest.

-magician62 (November 03, 2018, 03:48 AM)

* Stephen66515 has nothing to input to this discussion but wanted to say hello to the fellow Englander

* Stephen66515 waves

[magician62]

* Stephen66515 waves

-Stephen66515 (November 03, 2018, 03:54 AM)

Waves back.

[wraith808]

A major question is this: Can you use an existing external commandline tool to do the renaming? So that the job of this app is mainly to queue up and invoke commandline calls to the renamer?
With each tile just specifying a different commandline to run?

-mouser (November 03, 2018, 02:58 AM)

If we go this route, I can create the command line tool to take the commands for renaming, if desired.

[4wd]

Not an All-in-One solution but just something simple in the meantime.

NOTE: I've attached the script, icons, and shortcuts in the archive - they will not work due to ExecutionPolicy and the paths I used unless they are edited.
They are there as an example.

--> Read post below about ExecutionPolicy <--

DND-Rename.ps1

Code: PowerShell [Select]

1. # DND-Rename.ps1
2. for ($i = 1; $i -lt $args.Count; $i++) {
3.   Copy-Item $args[$i] ($args[$i] -replace "(\.[^.]+$)", "$($args[0])`$1")
4. #  Move-Item $args[$i] ($args[$i] -replace "(\.[^.]+$)", "$($args[0])`$1")
5. }

Tested on two Win 10 systems with Powershell 5 but there's nothing version specific.

Copy/Paste the above into a new Powershell file called DND-Rename.ps1 - when you've tested it works OK you can comment out the Copy-Item line and remove the comment (#) from the beginning of the Move-Item line.

Create a shortcut with a Target as follows:

Code: Text [Select]

1. C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -File "C:\PoSh\DnD-Rename.ps1" _Kingfisher

Change the path to the Powershell script to wherever you've copied it.
The first argument after the script in the Target field is the text to append to the filename base, (eg. above it is _Kingfisher).

Change the icon for the shortcut to the image you want, see the images below.
Save the shortcut.
Rename it as you like, see the images.

Then just Drag'n'Drop some files onto your new shortcut.

eg.

IDEA: Drag Drop renamer

IDEA: Drag Drop renamer

Keep a folder full of icons somewhere, create a folder full of shortcuts, and you have something that's reasonably equivalent until something better comes along

If you don't want the console window that remains opens add -WindowStyle Hidden to the shortcut Target, eg.

Code: Text [Select]

1. C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -WindowStyle Hidden -File "C:\PoSh\DnD-Rename.ps1" _Kingfisher

PS: It doesn't matter what type of files you drop on the shortcuts as long as they have an extension.  All Drag'n'Drops are launched in separate threads, one for each DnD action, so if you do more than one they'll run concurrently.

[magician62]

Not an All-in-One solution but just something simple in the meantime.

-4wd (November 03, 2018, 09:57 PM)

As best I can tell, I have done as stated but nothing appears to happen. Console window opens and closes, but that seems it. There does seem to be red writing at thee top of the console window, but not possible to read. Is there a way to make it persist?

[Select]

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -File "E:\Renamer\DnD-Rename.ps1" _Kingfisher

[4wd]

As best I can tell, I have done as stated but nothing appears to happen. Console window opens and closes, but that seems it. There does seem to be red writing at thee top of the console window, but not possible to read. Is there a way to make it persist?

-magician62 (November 04, 2018, 05:28 PM)

Default ExecutionPolicy of Powershell is very restrictive and you'll get the following in red:

Code: Text [Select]

1. .\DND-Rename.ps1 : File X:\DND-Rename.ps1 cannot be loaded. The file X:\DND-Rename.ps1 is not digitally signed. You
2. cannot run this script on the current system. For more information about running scripts and setting execution policy,
3. see about_Execution_Policies at https:/go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=135170.
4. At line:1 char:1
5. + .\DND-Rename.ps1
6. + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7.     + CategoryInfo          : SecurityError: (:) [], PSSecurityException
8.     + FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnauthorizedAccess

Usually if the script isn't written on the target machine or digitally signed then you'll get the above.

Try changing the shortcut Target to the following:

[Select]

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -NoExit -File "E:\Renamer\DnD-Rename.ps1" _Kingfisher

-ExecutionPolicy Bypass will tell Powershell to ignore all security settings and just run the script, (since it's rather simple this should be OK).
-NoExit will keep the console window open so you can read any errors.

If you use Powershell quite a bit and have profile scripts to customise the environment then you might want to add the -NoProfile switch to stop them affecting the above script, (not likely but who knows).

Addendum: I've added the -ExecutionPolicy Bypass parameter to the shortcuts - some people don't like running scripts with this, just remove it and then change your local machine ExecutionPolicy or digitally sign the script.

[magician62]

Try changing the shortcut Target to the following:

[Select]
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -NoExit -File "E:\Renamer\DnD-Rename.ps1" _Kingfisher

-ExecutionPolicy Bypass will tell Powershell to ignore all security settings and just run the script, (since it's rather simple this should be OK).
-NoExit will keep the console window open so you can read any errors.

-4wd (November 04, 2018, 06:36 PM)

That sorted it.

Now executes as intended.

A couple of issues I have identified,, which I suspect is a function of how windows now seems to work.

On processing large numbers of files 100+ (each 10-20mb). I am unable to add further files till they are processed, as windows will not allow them to be selected.

Having to create an icon...

Due to the way this works, it may not be suited to the original idea because of the delays it creates with larger groups of files, as mentioned that may be windows, but it does work very well for another task I have in mind.

[4wd]

A couple of issues I have identified,, which I suspect is a function of how windows now seems to work.

On processing large numbers of files 100+ (each 10-20mb). I am unable to add further files till they are processed, as windows will not allow them to be selected.

-magician62 (November 05, 2018, 01:55 AM)

Now you know it works, try this and see if it improves the time:

Code: Text [Select]

1. C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -WindowStyle Hidden -File "E:\Renamer\DnD-Rename.ps1" _Kingfisher

BTW, was this having it Copy or Move?
I find Move to be very quick since it's essentially just renaming the file, something like 3-4 seconds for ~200 files (~500MB) - it did it before I could select another load to drop on an icon, (and this is on my slow computer).

Having to create an icon...

 

I just grab an image off Google, view in XNView, crop to 128x128, then save as an .ico - probably something that could be done using XNView's batch processing.

[magician62]

I was using "move".

The irony on Icons was i have several graphics packages, just none allowed me to create icons!

I suspect part of my speed issue is, my system was a W10 upgrade from W7 rather than fresh install. I have occasions where if several large files are sent to my computer from another on the network, I can loose total control till completed. If I pull the same files, I have no problems. The solution is probably a format, but even when I upgraded, I really didn't fancy spending a month or more re-installing and reconfiguring everything to where I had it before.

A good way of describing, and it is not just this util. If I drag a number of files from an explorer window to my graphics program, I can not select any file in the source folder till all the files have loaded as I get a busy cursor. File "moves" see explorer processor usage go silly. It's almost as though it has forgotten to multi task.