Author Topic: BULK Rename Utility (Read 40,859 times)

crabby3 · « **on:** February 29, 2012, 04:49 PM »

This BRU has a lot of options.

I only use a few, i.e. File (2), Remove (5) and Numbering (10), but it's nice to have the additional 10 Options in case I need them.

It's freeware and you can see all the features here or... download it here.

AbteriX · « **Reply #1 on:** February 29, 2012, 06:42 PM »

Or here Mini-Reviews by Members - I love the Bulk Rename Utility!

crabby3 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 29, 2012, 07:00 PM »

Quote from: AbteriX on February 29, 2012, 06:42 PM

Or here Mini-Reviews by Members - I love the Bulk Rename Utility!

I searched the DC forum before I posted... but I guess I didn't choose the correct wording?

I didn't use Bulk in the name but I found it again anyway... through Gizmos.

Besides... it may have been updated since this 2005 post?

Curt · « **Reply #3 on:** February 29, 2012, 08:29 PM »

Even though it was well-liked, well LOVED, in 2005, BRU was extensively updated in the following 3 years, and is now considered bug-free.

Changelog.pdf: http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Files/BRUChangelog.pdf

rjbull · « **Reply #4 on:** February 29, 2012, 08:53 PM »

Don't overlook its companion command-line utility, BRC, Bulk Rename Command:

Quote

In addition to the conventional Bulk Rename Utility, we also now have a command-line version, called Bulk Rename Command.

For those of you who grew up with Windows, the command-line is the non-GUI way to perform commands on your PC. With DOS everything was driven from the command-line, but with Windows you have to access the command-line by clicking Start, Run, then typing cmd (or command, if you use Windows 98). You might think this sounds convoluted and backward, but a command-line utility can wield immense power if you are performing repetitive tasks. For example, you can:

* Create scheduled jobs
* Create a set of batch files which perform a single task, safe in the knowledge they will do exactly the same thing each time.
* See exactly what command is being performed - no hidden settings
* Be sure that you will always keep the command details -there are no config files to lose.

Bulk Rename Command (BRC) is targeted at system administrators and power-users, who need to perform specific tasks repetitively. For example, the renaming of log files, or the processing of backup files. As such, it does not contain some of the features of Bulk Rename Utility such as MP3-tag or EXIF tag processing.

You can download BRC here. http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Download.php

crabby3 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 29, 2012, 09:07 PM »

Quote from: rjbull on February 29, 2012, 08:53 PM

Don't overlook its companion command-line utility, BRC, Bulk Rename Command:
Quote
In addition to the conventional Bulk Rename Utility, we also now have a command-line version, called Bulk Rename Command.

For those of you who grew up with Windows, the command-line is the non-GUI way to perform commands on your PC. With DOS everything was driven from the command-line, but with Windows you have to access the command-line by clicking Start, Run, then typing cmd (or command, if you use Windows 98). You might think this sounds convoluted and backward, but a command-line utility can wield immense power if you are performing repetitive tasks. For example, you can:

* Create scheduled jobs
* Create a set of batch files which perform a single task, safe in the knowledge they will do exactly the same thing each time.
* See exactly what command is being performed - no hidden settings
* Be sure that you will always keep the command details -there are no config files to lose.

Bulk Rename Command (BRC) is targeted at system administrators and power-users, who need to perform specific tasks repetitively. For example, the renaming of log files, or the processing of backup files. As such, it does not contain some of the features of Bulk Rename Utility such as MP3-tag or EXIF tag processing.

You can download BRC here. http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Download.php

Exactly right, rjbull, I figured the people interested in the Command Line version would see it at the bottom of the Features Page... but I should have mentioned it anyway.

Renegade · « **Reply #6 on:** March 01, 2012, 05:24 AM »

+1 for BRU - LOVE it!

zridling · « **Reply #7 on:** March 01, 2012, 01:18 PM »

Definitely a great program, even today! Fortunately, KDE (Linux) includes a free batch renamer called Krename that is very flexible and easy to use.

IainB · « **Reply #8 on:** March 01, 2012, 01:46 PM »

@crabby3: Many thanks for this. That looks like a seriously powerful utility. It apparently does things I have wished I could do with xplorer²'s superb bulk rename, but cannot.
Going to download it now...

crabby3 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 01, 2012, 02:50 PM »

Quote from: IainB on March 01, 2012, 01:46 PM

@crabby3: Many thanks for this. That looks like a seriously powerful utility. It apparently does things I have wished I could do with xplorer²'s superb bulk rename, but cannot.
Going to download it now...

Hope it works for you, IainB, and if you use the Command Line version... feel free to comment on its performance here.

rjbull · « **Reply #10 on:** March 01, 2012, 10:00 PM »

Quote from: IainB on March 01, 2012, 01:46 PM

It apparently does things I have wished I could do with xplorer²'s superb bulk rename, but cannot.

Almost everything is visible from the main screen... but not quite. You need to investigate the menus if you want to use its ability to extract bits of EXIF data to use in renaming.

tomos · « **Reply #11 on:** March 02, 2012, 03:57 PM »

I rarely use renamers & was looking for a quick fix
Needed to rename (recovered) photos after the EXIF date "Taken"

Was very easy to find the list of "Custom Date Formats" so I used
%Y-%m-%d_%H%M-%S
which gave me:
2011-07-18_1945-22.jpg

Very nice

thanks for the tip

hulkbuster · « **Reply #12 on:** March 07, 2012, 01:16 PM »

Hello , i just stumbled across this topic and found its a renamer : you see i was looking for a exe extension renamer so i thought if any one could suggest anything more than this tool: i have always found it hard to go through renamer as it was hard and difficult to figure things out.
So can anyone tell what do i need for extension renamer just for the extension, its would be a huge just to rename one by one, so can someone from this forum could suggest something:

hulkbuster · « **Reply #13 on:** March 07, 2012, 04:08 PM »

Well found one here: Extension Renamer:

Small and free:

rjbull · « **Reply #14 on:** March 07, 2012, 04:39 PM »

You can do it with BRU:

Or you might prefer 1-4a Rename:

I'd probably just use the Multi-Rename Tool built into my file mananger, Total Commander:

But if you're already suited <shrug>

superboyac · « **Reply #15 on:** March 07, 2012, 06:32 PM »

rjbull....I'm looking at your taskbar and it's looks more or less just like mine. We use the same programs. It's the DC connection.

hulkbuster · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2012, 04:00 PM »

Thanks rjbull i got that: couldn't get my eye over there: Another thing , can i rename any file in a folder containing zip and rar files just by adding a number in the start of of the file name: i.e.,
like for instance in this folder containing zip and rar files i just want the name to be the same but i want serial number in the start of the file name: starting from the rar or zip. If that could be done it would be a beauty: )

rjbull · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2012, 11:25 PM »

Quote from: hulkbuster on March 08, 2012, 04:00 PM

Thanks rjbull i got that: couldn't get my eye over there:

It's easy to go boggle-eyed looking at BRU

Quote from: hulkbuster on March 08, 2012, 04:00 PM

Another thing , can i rename any file in a folder containing zip and rar files just by adding a number in the start of of the file name: i.e.,
like for instance in this folder containing zip and rar files i just want the name to be the same but i want serial number in the start of the file name: starting from the rar or zip. If that could be done it would be a beauty: )

Not quite sure what you're asking for. BRU's author points out that changing extensions is dangerous, because Windows relies on them so much to decide what to do with a file. You can add an extra extension with BRU, Box 11, Extension, investigate the dropdown. If you really want to add numbers to the extension, you can, but the key isn't on the main screen. You have to use BRU's menus: Options -> Ignore -> File Extensions. Then go to Box 10, Numbering, and select the options you want. Do you mean

foo.bar -> foo.bar1 (etc.) - or - foo.bar -> foo.1bar ?

Both are possible, see screenshots.

It's maybe a little easier with 1-4a Rename, in that you don't have to dig into menus when you weren't expecting to. 1-4a's Web site has lots of good examples, but the program itself has almost no help - other than hovering the mouse over the relevant section. See last screenshot.

rjbull · « **Reply #18 on:** March 08, 2012, 11:35 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on March 07, 2012, 06:32 PM

rjbull....I'm looking at your taskbar and it's looks more or less just like mine. We use the same programs. It's the DC connection.

I hit the wrong hotkey in SSC. As soon as I realised the taskbar and tray were included, I knew I'd offered a hostage to fortune

You are right: DC is the best place to discuss software because you get a rational discussion of the whole range. You aren't railroaded by suits obsessed with Famous Names, nor by deranged freeware zealots. Instead there's usually enough information on any area of software you care to investigate to make an informed choice. Actually, there's usually so much that one can develop "analysis paralysis."

hulkbuster · « **Reply #19 on:** March 09, 2012, 02:40 PM »

Hell rjbull thank you for the turorial it was really helpful, wow its quite a renamer and that's all i need renaming the extension and sometimes the prefix changed.
Their is no need for other renamer really. Must have and must keep tool after every new install installation of the windows relly:

CHEERS !

shmidman · « **Reply #20 on:** April 02, 2012, 11:18 PM »

@Curt: You wrote: "BRU was extensively updated in the following 3 years, and is now considered bug-free".
It's true BRU is an outstanding product; however, there are a number of serious bugs that remain, especially regarding filenames that contain diacritics or non-English characters. For instance, Regex backreferences within BRU completely ignore any such characters, potentially resulting in seriously maligned filenames (see a more detailed description of this bug here: http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1528).
Thus, although it may be a solid product for English-only filenames, users with a wider character set should be wary. Note also that although the reporting of bugs continues on the BRU forum, as far as I can tell there is unfortunately not much development going on there anymore.

kunkel321 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 02, 2012, 11:38 PM »

Does anyone know how BRU compares with ReNamer http://www.den4b.com/?x=products&product=renamer ?
I actually use xplorer2 for 99% of my renaming...
Recently I needed to remove a string of text from multiple file names.
x2 wasn't able to do it, but RN was. It was also nice because it "pre-checked" all of the files and told in before the actual rename, if there were going to be any conflicts... (x2 will preview the first 2 or 3, but doesn't show errors).

IainB · « **Reply #22 on:** April 02, 2012, 11:55 PM »

Quote from: AbteriX on February 29, 2012, 06:42 PM

Or here Mini-Reviews by Members - I love the Bulk Rename Utility!

I have added a post to that review:

Quote

This review needs updating.
SUPERB piece of software!
Bulk renames those files that other file renamers cannot rename.

Quote from: rjbull on March 08, 2012, 11:35 PM

...nor by deranged freeware zealots

I object to the potential implication that I may be "deranged". I are not.

Using BRU makes my brain hurt, but it's a very powerful tool. You could really screw up with it big time too.

Tuxman · « **Reply #23 on:** April 03, 2012, 04:59 AM »

While most renaming applications support appending strings and changing file extensions, they lack the possibility to batch rename files completely, or I am only too stupid to understand how they theoretically do.

For me, Ant Renamer is the only tool that is easy to use and has decent features. Might be just me...

ewemoa · « **Reply #24 on:** April 03, 2012, 05:08 AM »

Assuming you've tried it, please share how den4b's ReNamer is lacking for your purposes -- that's the one I ended up on.