Question

rename files using lookup table

Asked by: wellsj

I have a huge list of .tif files that need to be renamed based on a lookup table.  Can this be done fairly easily?  I am running on Window2000 or Window NT4.0.

Example

file            table.fieldA      table.fieldB
3142.tif         3142              AD-56
2312.tif         2312              PAD-874
87631.tif        87631             CD-1256

Would like to have file names be:
AD-56.tif
PAD-874.tif
CD-1256.tif

Anyone?

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Asked On
2002-08-27 at 11:31:10ID20342674
Tags

lookup

,

rename

,

table

Topic

Operating Systems Miscellaneous

Participating Experts
3
Points
200
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: SysExpertPosted on 2002-08-27 at 12:14:05ID: 7244812

If they are all in the same directory, or you have a list by directory, all you need to do is export the old name and new name coulumns in your spreadsheet to a text file ( CSV or other) after adding a column in from that has
Rename
as text
after you have 3 columns lookink like

rename   xxxa  fffdd.tif

export it as a text file or csv.
Clean it up, and rename it as a batch file.

put a CD command to the correct directory, or place it in the correct directory and run it.

I hope this helps !


 

by: wellsjPosted on 2002-08-27 at 12:18:56ID: 7244825

You totally lost me.  I already have a csv with the filename and the newfilename.  How do I get this to automatically rename the files?

 

by: SysExpertPosted on 2002-08-27 at 17:29:39ID: 7245320

NT and WIN@K both have a CMD or DOS window.

The old DOS REN or rename command still works.

ren  file1  file2  
will rename file1 to file2

so all you need to do is create a large batch file with the commands in it and run it in the correct directory.

for more info, open a DOS window and type

ren /?

I hope this helps !

 

by: CrazyOnePosted on 2002-08-27 at 21:36:33ID: 7245647

I am not sure what you are using as your base application for the lookup tables. But if you are using Access or Excel then to rename the files you could use this basic routine to do that. The deal is that you need to cycle through each entry under the file and table.fieldB column and plug the file names in as you cycle.

Sub RenamFile()
    Name "C:\TheFolder\OldFileName" As "C:\TheFolder\NewFileName"
End Sub

 

by: doubledratPosted on 2002-08-28 at 03:50:12ID: 7246113

bring your csv into excel as columns a-c in d1 put

="rename "&A1&" "&C1&".tif"

copy d1 down all columns.  copy column d to the paste buffer, open notepad and paste it.

insert a line at the top of the file to change to the correct directory

e.g.

E:
cd files
rename 3142.tif AD-56.tif
.
.
.

save the file as something.bat (remember to tell notepad to save as all files or it will call it something.bat.txt!)

doubleclick on something.bat  

voila

 

by: wellsjPosted on 2002-08-28 at 04:30:50ID: 7246174

That will do it.  Thanks dd.

Go Browns!

 

by: SysExpertPosted on 2002-08-28 at 16:18:30ID: 7247755

wellsj :
Since I think that I supplied most of the information ( perhaps not in the exact format you needed ), I was wondering if you would consider dividing up the points.

You can open up new questions with points for each expert with a subject like " For xxxnname" for help with...
, and notify the experts here of what you did and perhaps even provide the links,

or

You can put in a request to                    
http://www.experts-exchange.com/jsp/qList.jsp?ta=commspt
to distribute the points in any manner you think is proper. .

This is especially true when you think you have received good information from more than one person, or answered it yourself.

Also see  http://www.experts-exchange.com/jsp/cmtyQuestAnswer.jsp

     I hope this helps !

 

by: doubledratPosted on 2002-08-29 at 04:21:18ID: 7248730

sysexpert: you can have all the points if you want - I don't need them :-)

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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