Rename utility to replace R-name

[rivan]

I've used R-name for years, but it's really out of date and as it's PPC code it no longer works in Lion.

I need a free, no-install (I'm not an admin), lightweight utility that will:
• find/replace
• append
• number sequentially

File and folder names.

Recommendations, please?

 

[TheStu]

Automator, look in the Utilities folder (though maybe it is in the Applications folder...) Built into the OS.

 

[rivan]

Automator, look in the Utilities folder (though maybe it is in the Applications folder...) Built into the OS.

Yeah, unless I'm missing a something (always a good possibility), Automator looks like a front end for applescript, and I'd end up having to make or modify a script/workflow for each rename batch - something that I'd prefer avoiding.

This is what I'm replacing, and it's a perfect, super-fast tool to do what I'm after. I drag and drop the stuff I want to rename onto the app and it populates the bottom half of the window with old & new names, click confirm and I'm done.

 

[TheStu]

Yeah, unless I'm missing a something (always a good possibility), Automator looks like a front end for applescript, and I'd end up having to make or modify a script/workflow for each rename batch - something that I'd prefer avoiding.

This is what I'm replacing, and it's a perfect, super-fast tool to do what I'm after. I drag and drop the stuff I want to rename onto the app and it populates the bottom half of the window with old & new names, click confirm and I'm done.

You open up automator, select Finder (or files and folders, whatever they call it), select what you want to do (you drag these things over to the right side to build the workflow) and then go from there. I will take a screenshot tonight after work to show you how i have mine set up.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

There is a free Unix utility, if you're good with regexes:

http://linux.die.net/man/1/rename


I use A Better Finder Rename, which costs money and probably has an installer. There is also Name Mangler, which also costs money and probably has an installer. Name Mangler is an updated version of File List, which I used pre-Lion and which is a PPC app.

 

[TheStu]

Here is how I setup Automator, just play with the settings and go to town. It may be a WYSIWYG front end for AppleScript, I can't say for sure, but it works well for me, is free, and aside from some little quirks (you have to remove and re-drop the files after each edit, at least that is how it used to be).

link

Sorry, I can't figure out how to insert images into messages, I may be a little slow about these things sometimes.

 

[rivan]

Here is how I setup Automator, just play with the settings and go to town. It may be a WYSIWYG front end for AppleScript, I can't say for sure, but it works well for me, is free, and aside from some little quirks (you have to remove and re-drop the files after each edit, at least that is how it used to be).

link

Sorry, I can't figure out how to insert images into messages, I may be a little slow about these things sometimes.

Thank you, Stu. That does look like it'll work, but not quite as seamlessly as my previous util. I'll use this for now but want to keep looking.

 

[TheStu]

Thank you, Stu. That does look like it'll work, but not quite as seamlessly as my previous util. I'll use this for now but want to keep looking.

Yea, it is definitely not perfect, but it is free, and with some experimentation you might be able to get it closer to what you are looking for. Automator is pretty nice for doing that kind of stuff once you get the hang of it.