Tag: file

KuKnet FileRenamer: Freeware File Renamer

KuKnet FileRenamer (Version: 3.4) is a freeware file renamer. It is portable and does not require installation.

The first step in using KuKnet FileRenamer is to add files or folders to be renamed, click the upper add button and choose any files or folders. Move the files up and down or remove those not needed. The next step is to add renaming rules, click the lower add button and choose all those required. Multiple operations can be added, and rearranged, which will then be applied to file names in the order they appear.

The renaming rules are divided into three categories. Text, Metadata and Other. The text operations available are Replace, File extension, Truncate, Numeration, Numeration (letter), Prefix/Suffix, Regular expression, Upper/Lower case, Insert and Delete. The metadata operations include Date/Time, MP3 ID3 tag, WMA tag, Vorbis comment, Exif and File size. The Other category adds hash or UUID info to renamed files.

The text rules or operations each have their own options. For example Truncate can remove letter(s) from beginning or end of file names, Insert can add or insert text at any position in the file name, Delete can delete letters from and to any position in the file name, Numeration is similar to applying increments and Numeration (letter) can replace the file name with letters in upper or lower case.

There are also variables that can be inserted into file names and they are available from the drop down in the different Edit Rule windows. These variables are %n% which is the ‘now’ file name, this is the equivalent of keeping the file name of the file at the time a rule is being applied to it. %o% is the very original, pre any renaming rules, file name. %d% is the name of the file’s parent folder and %p% is the file path.

After done adding rules a preview is available as is an export feature to save a list of files (right click anywhere on the file list). Rules can be saved for re-use later.

It requires the .NET Framework 4, KuKnet FileRenamer runs on XP and newer.

April 15, 2013
Black: Minimalist File Manager

Black (Version: 1.40) is a no install, lightweight and less than 100KB unzipped freeware file manager. It is two pane and only supports a subset of features common to most file managers but at its size it’s a reasonable option.

Its basic features are copy, move, rename and delete. The rename operation can be applied to a group of files. This requires choosing the files by selecting them all (the red icon) or by right clicking a set – which turns the file names red. Rename rules include increment, counter, extension, size, time, date and case.

The program’s search tool is not the fastest and seems to only find exact matches, including extensions, by default. See images below for search results when I searched for ‘homer’.

It includes shortcuts to few systems folders and the command prompt.

Black should run on all Windows versions.

February 28, 2013
Siren: Infinite Ways To Rename And Organize Files

Siren (Version: 3.01) is a freeware file renamer, it features many ways to rename, move and copy files using expressions to create renaming rules.

The expressions can be any in number or combination and use almost any file attribute one can think of. One can change the case, remove parts of the file name, use file paths, extensions, audio file tags, modified dates, checksums and lots more. It can use and read attributes belonging to many audio, video, image and other kinds of files.

Siren works by loading a folder and checking off or selecting files to work on or alternatively work on all files and subdirectories. The next step would be to click on the right hand side of the Expression text field to add rules. The first (tag icon) presents all the options available, the second (magic wand icon) helps test and build expressions. When done the new file name(s) will be shown and one can click Rename (play icon) to rename the files. The Create copies (fast forward icon) button will create copies first then apply the rename rules.

The filter option at the top right lets the user filter visible files. Filters can be any combination of file types and regular expressions too. For example to filter down to “jpg”, “bmp” or files beginning with a letter use *.jpg;*.bmp;[A-Z]*

The Favourites menu lets the user save expressions or rules to re-use later. It is also possible to test the expressions and renaming rules with a “testbed” that is available under the ? menu, the same menu also includes Siren’s detailed help file which includes examples.

Siren has some command line support, works on Windows XP and newer and doesn’t require installation.

January 10, 2013
ClipMon: Freeware Clipboard Monitoring

ClipMon (Version: 1.0.1.1) is a freeware clipboard monitoring tool with an aim to improve on the drawbacks of the Windows’ single clipboard feature.

The first and obvious feature is that ClipMon can remember and store more than one clipboard item. The second is that it keeps and categorizes them into text, images and files. It comes with history browser, a separate process (HV.exe) on its own, where clipboard items can be viewed and also edited. ClipMon also features a floating and resizable sticky note look-a-like window where the latest clipboard item is displayed.

Text items can be edited inside the program and using available scripts text items can be opened in Notepad or Wordpad (with a double click), converted to numbered or bullet lists and encrypted/decrypted. The latter option didn’t work using the portable version of the program. Image files can be previewed and re-copied. Double clicking images shows them in the internal viewer. The viewer has a selection tool (drag the mouse to draw a rectangular selection) to be used to crop images. External programs to open images with can be added as well.

Use the Send This Clip To to email or save an item outside of ClipMon’s history. Configure a recipient and then email items to him or her or send and save a copy of an item to a directory outside of ClipMon’s. The send to feature is rather non intuitive as ClipMon seems capable of sending any item in its history but it is not immediately obvious how to send the non current clipboard.

The program’s options (accessible from the history browser window) include assigning hotkeys for opening the history browser window or the right click menu and defining the maximum number of text, image and file items ClipMon remembers.

ClipMon works on XP and newer and is available in both installer and portable versions.

October 7, 2012
Ken Rename: Freeware Rename Utility

Ken Rename (Version: 1.02) is a rename utility with a good number of features. It presents an immediate preview of renaming results. Choosing files or folders to be renamed can be done either by the buttons or menu near the top, drag and drop or selecting a folder from the explorer tree.

The Macro tab is first and offers a bunch of options and actions to create very flexible renaming rules. The user can use the buttons to include original file name, a counter (by any starting point and increment), date, EXIF and folder name (1st, 2nd or 3rd parent folder) in the renamed files. File filtering is available to include or exclude system, archive, hidden, read only or folders plus the option to include or exclude subfolders and some file types.

The Replace tab offers to replace matching letters in the original with something else, it has regex and match case support. It can save the replace/with combination to a preset to be re-loaded for use later on.

The Change Case tab has options to capitalize, sentence, upper or lower case renamed files. It can be set to include or exclude either the file name or extension when it renames files.

The Remove tab removes letters from file name and can again work on either or both the file name and extension.

The Insert tab adds letter(s) to different positions within the file name or extension.

The Script tab comes with several ready made (VBScript) ones to further customize renaming options. One can add other scripts as well and save them for future use. For example one of the included scripts is “reverse.vbs” to reverse the file name (eg. hello.jpg to olleh.jpg):

Function Rename(strPath, strName, strExt, bIsFolder)

If bIsFolder Then
Rename = strName + strExt
Else
Rename = StrReverse(strName) + strExt
End If

End Function

Code page and Decode work on Unicode and other formats to convert to different encoding and characters. This was not tested for this review.

The Import list tab can import a text or list type file format (lst, txt, ini, wpl, m3u or pls). An existing file list can be loaded and worked on here.

Ken Rename supports Unicode file names and reading ID3 tags, it has some command line support as well. It is available both in a zipped portable and installer.

March 3, 2012
Freeware Shorts: Métamorphose (File And Folder Renamer)

Métamorphose (Version: 2 (0.8.2 beta) as of this post. That is a beta of version 2) is a powerful, some may say somewhat complicated, renamer program. It works well whether working with few or thousands of files.

The first step is to pick the files and/or folders to be renamed using the Picker tab. Here filters on file types (dropdown immediately below the browse dropdown), case sensitivity and unicode file names (right of the aforementioned file type drowdown) can be picked. Also the recursive option checked to work on subfolders to any number of depths.

The Renamer tab can support any number of operations. Available renaming operations include putting the directory path into the file name, inserting text in any position in the files, replacing text, swapping text, modifying text (to upper case, removing certain characters, etc.) and more. Each time the operation can occur based on regular expressions, for example if a file name includes upper case it can be ignored.

All operations can be sorted to occur in different sequences and also ‘destroyed’ to be deleted. There are options for incremental numbering and date based renaming as well (see image below). A preview is immediately shown when at least one operation is chosen.

The Sorting panel or tab lets files be sorted manually or automatically, this basically lets the user choose to do the renaming operations in different order, for example in descending or ascending file name.

The Help menu has examples, a help file and a page on regular expressions that may be used with the program. Métamorphose is cross platform, works on Windows 2000 and newer and is available via Ubuntu’s Update Manager among other places.

December 3, 2011
Organize Files With File Bucket

File Bucket is one the many excellent programs and coding snacks from DonationCoder. File Bucket’s main purpose is to copy or move scattered files into one central or organized location. It was created because a user on the DonationCoder forums asked for a program to ease disc creation. The user wanted to automatically copy media files to one single folder and then burn them to a disc. In my opinion the same concept can be applied to backing up files. Working on my system I am using File Bucket and moving files that have been created in various My Documents and other folders into one location so subsequent system backups are easier and cleaner.

File Bucket is divided into four panes or areas, the top left hand side shows all systems drives and below it the folder tree. Highlighting a folder in the tree will show its files in the upper right hand pane. The lower right hand pane is the bucket or list of files and folders that will be moved or copied.

The three buttons on lower left side of the interface act as aids or shortcuts for adding files or folders to the bucket. “Add folder’s file to list” will add only files – from the folder selected in tree – to the bucket, ignoring any subfolders. “Add folder & subfolder’s files to list” will add all files including those in subfolders. “Add to list as a folder” will add the selected folder as is to the bucket thereby moving or copying it as a folder and not only the individual files that are within it. The “Add selected to list” and “Add all to list” buttons work on the folder(s) and file(s) visible just above them. After the bucket is populated the destination folder can be configured and the option to move or copy – or “Delete items to Recycle Bin”, “Save list with absolute paths” and other – chosen.

One other feature that adds another degree of usefulness to File Bucket is the filter (middle right of the program interface). Using the filter one can specify the file formats that will end up in the bucket. For example one can only move *.mp3 or *.jpg files. Any number of formats can be defined in the filter list which pops up when clicking the filter button. The filter(s) must be defined before any files are added to the bucket and in that sense the location of the filter button – and its associated dropdown – is perhaps not the best as one can mistakenly add files to the bucket before ‘reaching’ or getting to the filtering part on the right hand side of the program.

Once used it becomes clear that File Bucket is more difficult to describe than to use and it joins a long list of very useful utilities coded at DonationCoder.

August 7, 2010
File Hound: Freeware File Search

File Hound is Described as

…Search for text inside any file on your computer. It can search all kinds of text files, including pdf, doc etc.

It is a simple program that does its job well and as mentioned in its description searches inside *.pdf files too. It is not limited to pure text files as it can search inside *.dll, *.exe and other such files as well. Another advantage is that the search results for *.pdf files are shown in the program’s own search results window. As of this date folder paths must be typed or pasted into the Folder box as there is no browse button available but enabling the Associate with folders setting adds a Hound entry into folders’ right click context menu. It is also possible to expand or limit a search by including subfolders and restricting file sizes.

File Hound is a useful, fast, lightweight and freeware search utility. It does require the .NET 2.0 framework on the host system.

December 1, 2009
DragTargets Makes Moving Files Convenient

DragTargets is a desktop tool that is similar to DropIt featured here on RGdot.com.

DragTargets makes the task of moving or copying files more efficient by providing an interface that acts as alternative of opening instances of Windows or alternative Explorers and then navigating to a particular folder.
When installed DragTargets presents a small window on the desktop, right clicking the window one can browse to a drive or folder and create a new dragtarget. After a new dragtarget is created any files dragged and dropped into the interface or target will copied to that destination or chosen folder. The default action here is to copy the files but checking the small square (see image) at the bottom of the program interface changes the action to move instead of copy.

Additionally, clicking on any of the saved targets opens the destination folder so targets are also alternative shortcuts to folders and drives on the computer.

October 30, 2009
DropIt Organizes Files And Folders

DropIt is a small portable download that helps manage the process of moving, copying and organizing files and folders. When installed DropIt adds a floating image or icon on the system desktop. Dragging and dropping files or folders over or into the icon moves or copies the files or folders into a configurable destination.

Right clicking on the floating image one can access the program Settings where one can choose to move or copy files when using DropIt and to activate the feature which treats folders in the same way as it does files.

Managing the main settings of the program is done via the same right click but instead choosing the Manage option. Here one can use the Search File button to find a file with the extension (*.jpg for example) one wants to work with or type the extension in the small box to the immediate right of the Search File button. After doing that one should press the Folder button to browse to the folder where the *.jpg (or other) files will be moved (or copied) to when ‘dropped’ on the DropIt icon. The chosen extension will then appear in the far right Extension List box. There after one can edit the association or setting for each file extension by highlighting it and editing the settings that appear in the Edit Associations area.
DropIt is a useful tool for cleaning up the desktop or indeed any other folder.

October 25, 2009