Author Topic: Review of File Renamers — let's make a list (Read 84,090 times)

zridling · « **on:** March 31, 2006, 05:27 PM »

I've got the green light to do a review of file renaming utilities, and I need your help in composing a list of the best file renamers out there. This review will acknowledge others, but will focus on the leading renamers within the category. Below is a [alphabetical] start, but what other [very good] renamers are there?

(01) 1-4A RENAME F
http://www.1-4a.com/rename/

(02) ANT RENAMER O
http://www.antp.be/software/renamer

(03) BATCH RENAME S
http://batchrename.foryoursoft.com/

(04) BETTER FILE RENAME S
http://www.publicspace.net/windows/BetterFileRename/

(05) BULK RENAME UTILITY D
http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Main_Intro.php

(06) FILE RENAMER S
http://www.princetonsoftwarecompany.com/pr_renamer.htm

(07) FILE RENAMER 2005 S
http://www.filerenamer.net/index.htm

(08) FILE RENAMER BASIC S
http://www.sherrodcomputers.com/products_filerenamer.cfm

(09) FILE RENAMER PRO S
http://www.totaldownload.com/filerenamer/index.html

(10) FLASH RENAMER S
http://www.rlvision.com/flashren/about.asp

(11) FLEXIBLE RENAMER F
http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA014830/english/FlexRena/

(12) LUPAS RENAME D
http://www.azheavymetal.com/~lupasrename/lupasrename.php

(13) MAGIC FILE RENAMER S
http://www.finebytes.com/mfr/

(14) NYIoW, NAME IT YOUR WAY S
http://www.niyow.com/index.html

(15) OSCAR'S FILE RENAMER F
http://www.mediachance.com/free/renamer.htm

(16) PFRANK RENAMER D
http://www3.telus.net/pfrank/index.html

(17) PROFESSIONAL RENAMER S
http://www.miklsoft.com/profren/

(18) RENAMEFILES F
http://it-falke.com/software/renamefiles/us_description.php

(19) RENAME MASTER D
http://www.joejoesoft.com/rm.php

(20) RENAMER F
http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~den4b/

(21) SOPHISTICATED RENAME S
http://acritum.com/sr/

(22) THE RENAME D
http://www.herve-thouzard.com/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=1

D = Donationware
F = Freeware
O = Open Source
S = Shareware

This is going to be a lot of fun, so if one of these is your favorite, please consider writing a mini-review of it and share with us what makes it stand out. I hope to have it completed by the end of May. Thanks!

allen · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2006, 06:30 PM »

I'm looking forward to seeing the results -- that said, I can't help much, you've already got my pick (Oscar's) in there.

zridling · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2006, 09:58 PM »

Like you, Allen, I was surprised how easy Oscar's File Renamer was to use. I used Real-DRAW for several years and that cat was always coding. Moreover, I'm surprised it's freeware.

kimmchii · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2006, 10:02 PM »

the rename function in ExplorerXP is very user friendly.
freeware.

zridling · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2006, 10:07 PM »

Wow, nice file manager kimmchii! I had no idea ExplorerXP was out there. This review will center around file renamers only, but for the person who wants to compose the "Review of File Managers," that is perhaps an essential feature. Thanks, now you've just cost me an hour of my life diving into ExplorerXP.

mouser · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2006, 10:18 PM »

Better File Rename
http://www.publicspace.net/windows/BetterFileRename/

(basically its a context menu extension, but quite good and very easy to use which makes it a good chioce much of the time)

zridling · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2006, 10:40 PM »

Got it! Would seem handy for quickly renaming a series within a folder.

patteo · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2006, 04:36 AM »

I was looking for a file renamer about two years ago and one of those which I settled on was D-FileMU.

One of the key features that drew me to it (if my memory does not fail me) were the extensive command line arguments available. And this is very handy when you want to automate the process of file renaming.

Perhaps in the review, some coverage of the quality of command line arguments could be covered for automation freaks.

I did look at some of those in the list you started off with and do not remember coming across one with as extensive command line arguments as D-FileMU.

And don't be fooled by the plain looking website. It host a pretty capable file renamer than it appears. And it's Freeware.

Extract from very plain looking home page.
"D-FileMU
D-FilenameManipulationUtility is a utility that allows you to make changes to filenames of a number of files quickly and easily. It can perform changes such as adding strings to the beginning and end of the filenames, deleting specified number of characters from beginning or end of the filenames, adding numbers in sequence to the beginning or end of the filenames, changing to upper or lowercase, Adding or removing the read only(+r) or hidden(+h) or archive(+a) file attributes, replacing strings with specified string, changing the file extension of filenames and also capitalizing words. The program can also be used as a command line utility.

The program is easy to use, very quick in performing the changes and also allows the user to preview the changes before performing them."
http://www.dimbu.com/programs4free/d-filemu/

zridling · « **Reply #8 on:** April 01, 2006, 05:04 AM »

Thanks patteo for the suggestion on command line utility features and for synopsizing the program for us. Most renamers don't go that far. D-FileMU — I wonder how that name came about?

patteo · « **Reply #9 on:** April 01, 2006, 07:09 AM »

Another one is Siren but I have not tested it. I only checked to see if there were command line arguments available since I was looking from the automation perspective.

http://www.scarabee-software.net/en/index.html

It's Freeware

Personally I think Command line commands is a must if you really want to automate anything with utilities like that . Yes, it would be nice to have a nice GUI. But I think, no one should take away the command line functions in the process and it is sad that in the process of making utilities for the masses, many developers forget that there's a group who can really benefit from such commands. So effectively, they end up crippling the software for them.

mouser · « **Reply #10 on:** April 01, 2006, 07:24 AM »

patteo makes an interesting point - the review should mention the extent of commandline support of each renamer.

zridling · « **Reply #11 on:** April 02, 2006, 07:23 AM »

Duly noted. I also found another one through a reader (Kiwi2b) on my blog, simply titled, File Renamer.

herbiman · « **Reply #12 on:** April 02, 2006, 01:11 PM »

You seem to have missed my favorite -- Magic File Renamer

http://www.finebytes.com/mfr/

brotherS · « **Reply #13 on:** April 02, 2006, 01:27 PM »

BatchRename: http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/BatchRename/1061233630/1

AbteriX · « **Reply #14 on:** April 02, 2006, 01:36 PM »

ANT Renamer	- F -	http://www.antp.be/software/ - http://www.buypin.com
eRename	- F -	http://hansjoerg.reister.bei.t-online.de/erename/
ReNamer	- F -	[den4b] - Denis Kozlov - http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~den4b/
Renamer 6.0 Final	- F -	Albert Bertilsson - www.albert.nu
Sophisticated Rename 1.7 (Last Freeware Version)	- F -	http://www.aplusfreeware.com/categories/util/renaming.html

zridling · « **Reply #15 on:** April 02, 2006, 10:55 PM »

AbteriX, out of curiosity, which one do you like best, or do you use most often? (I couldn't bring up the eRename site.)

Also, thanks herbiman and brotherS for the recs! I get excited hoping to find a better app than what I'm using.

AbteriX · « **Reply #16 on:** April 03, 2006, 07:17 AM »

I am playing around with BulkRenameUtility 'cus it's on development. Mostly i play with RegEx and help others in the forum.

I am playing also with THE Renamer and translate it to german. He have a lot of power if you take the time to take a closer look.
e.g. rerange files by there first chars in corresponding folders.

I think most i like FlexRen, wich i also have translated to german, 'cus of hes regex possibilities.

But most i use the renamer plugin of Servant Salamander.

... have to go... perhaps later more if you have questions.

AbteriX · « **Reply #17 on:** April 03, 2006, 07:25 AM »

the eRename "side" is here
http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=1902.msg12804#msg12804

brotherS · « **Reply #18 on:** April 03, 2006, 07:40 AM »

Quote from: zridling on April 02, 2006, 10:55 PM

I get excited hoping to find a better app than what I'm using.

I believe many are by now

Btw, I'd love if you'd include the BetaNews/FileForum ratings like LuckMan212 did on http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=2566.new;topicseen#new

rjbull · « **Reply #19 on:** April 03, 2006, 10:56 AM »

Quote from: patteo on April 01, 2006, 07:09 AM

Personally I think Command line commands is a must if you really want to automate anything with utilities like that

Don't overlook Horst Schaeffer's LMOD (click DOS/BATCH, then LMOD)

Quote from Horst's Web site:

Quote

LMOD extracts data from an input source (STDIN): from redirected DOS screen output, for example, or from any (ASCII) file. The extracted information is inserted into a given text or command string, and sent to STDOUT for redirection into a file.

You may extract a complete line, a part of it (starting column, size) or words (by number), even several items from a source line in any order. And this will be done either for a single line, or for a given range of lines of the input source.

What you can do with LMOD:

* set environmental variables with information from (DOS) screen output
* get keyboard input
* generate a command using extracted input data
* generate a list of commands for each item of a given (file) list
* extract (and modify) range of lines from a file
* modify lists or tables, arrange columns

To set a variable: generate a SET command (or WINSET / SETX), and execute it thru a temporary batch file. This method also works under Windows NT/2000.

Special Features:

* change case for extracted data
* tabs (to given column) for formatted output
* right aligned fields (numeric data in tables)
* insert CR+LF to generate several lines for each input line
* omit CR+LF at end of output (to append later)
* insert line number (to generate filenames, for example)
* insert special characters by code number or in quoted string

Redirect a DIR listing and use LMOD for file renaming.

rjbull · « **Reply #20 on:** April 03, 2006, 03:48 PM »

Command-line tool, Renamer, formerly BKRenamer: http://www.orbit.org/renamer/

Favourably mentioned in Mark TAW's smallwares, viz.:

Quote

a great regular expression, command-line no-install tool. BKRenamer is great when you have to do a change all the file names in several directories because it can search through subdirectories as well.

tsaint · « **Reply #21 on:** April 03, 2006, 10:43 PM »

Another is PFrank -
brief review at http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/PFrank/pfrank.html
Author's site at http://www3.telus.net/pfrank/

zridling · « **Reply #22 on:** April 04, 2006, 04:48 AM »

Thanks guys, I really appreciate these suggestions. I can't wait to dig into these. When you take 20-30 programs and start using them next to one another, you'd be surprised how quickly the cream rises to the top. More than a few developers have written renamers for their own needs rather than for mass consumption, you several of you point out.

However, I will point out that I know very little about regular expressions and command-line utilities. While these will be noted, those naturally fall into a sub-category that might merit a second, more detailed review of these only. This review will focus mainly on the best GUI file renamer not excluding command-line, text, and RegEx abilities. If the scope is not somehow limited, then the review begins to make unfair or misaligned comparisons. Right now, I want to look at everything that's good, not just every renamer available. Fortunately, you all can help me with that last part!

mouser · « **Reply #23 on:** April 04, 2006, 05:12 AM »

regular expression search and replace is quite important -
allen here is an expert on them, and so are some others. would be nice to have them make some early comments on how well the top contenders do on regex before you make up your mind about top candidates.

id say with such a big field, any renamer without good regex support should probably not get the top nod.

zridling · « **Reply #24 on:** April 04, 2006, 06:34 AM »

Excellent! I've asked patteo to consider filtering out the best renamers with regard to command-line utility, and maybe allen, et al. can help sort the best of the RegEx renamers. I know some renamers "claim" RegEx abilities, but I've no idea if they deliver on them, nor would I know if they did.

I won't pretend to know more than I do, but in the search for the best, we should make sure we don't miss a powerhouse! :-)