Tag: folder

  • KuKnet FileRenamer: Freeware File Renamer

    KuKnet FileRenamer: Freeware File Renamer

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

    KuKnet FileRenamer

    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.

  • Black: Minimalist File Manager

    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.

    Black, File Manager

    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’.

    Black, File Manager

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

    Black, File Manager

    Black should run on all Windows versions.

  • Ken Rename: Freeware Rename Utility

    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.

    Ken Rename

    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.

  • Monitor Folders With Watch 4 Folder

    Monitor Folders With Watch 4 Folder

    Watch 4 Folder (Version: 2.3 tested) is another freeware and useful utility from Leelu Soft. It is a folder and file monitoring program that can do a bit more.  It supports 12 types of events to monitor, they are File create, File Delete, File Change, File Rename, Association Change, Free Space change, Folder Create, Folder Delete, Folder Rename, Folder Change, Media Insert and Media Remove. After choosing a folder and optionally its subfolders any one or more of the events to monitor can be checked or chosen.

    Watch 4 Folder

    Watch 4 Folder can execute one of four types of programs when one of the events is triggered.  It support a .vbs, .exe, .bat or .cmd file chosen using the “Execute a program or batch file” field. The “Add changed object as argument” field is available to add an argument to the opened program. This means that, if “File Create – FileName” is selected, and a file is added to the monitored folder it will be opened using the program chosen in the Execute a program field before it.

    There are slightly more advanced uses for the argument field. A notable example is the “File Rename – NewFile OldFile” argument. If inside a monitored folder a file is renamed this will create a copy of that file with it’s original name.

    Watch 4 Folder has a Live Log tab to view events as they occur and additionally it can save them to a log file. Pop ups and alerts, triggered on events, are also available. Monitoring states can be saved as a configuration file and loaded to be used later. Watch 4 Folder has a command line option to load and run a configurations too.

    Watch 4 Folder only requires unzipping and should work on Windows XP and newer.

  • Keep An Eye On System Changes With TheFolderSpy

    Keep An Eye On System Changes With TheFolderSpy

    TheFolderSpy monitors folders so one can check for changes. The Spy in the name may conjure up a hesitation or two and the program doesn’t help the cause by having hidden and incognito modes.  In these modes the program runs in the background. However the hidden and incognito modes don’t really make the program invisible, both leave the program’s icon in the tray area, but notifications are disabled in the latter.

    TheFolderSpy

    Perhaps the best use for TheFolderSpy is to keep an eye on programs that add folders or files in places like the Documents folder when they are being installed.

    Using TheFolderSpy starts with adding an item. Choose the path to the folder – and optionally subfolders – to be monitored, if needed add file type filters and optionally execute a file when a change is detected. Created, changed, deleted or renamed are the file attributes that can be monitored.

    TheFolderSpy can be paused, made to save a log or start with Windows. It has a built-in feature to send emails when changes occur. The email feature is ready to use with gmail or any other SMTP server. The subject and content of the emails can also be set within TheFolderSpy.

    TheFolderSpy has command line parameter support to configure its modes, log file path and others. The email body has parameters as well. For example *f inserts the file name and *n the date and time of a change (See the accompanying readme.txt for others).

    TheFolderSpy is freeware, a single executable file, just over 60KB and runs on XP and newer versions of Windows. It requires .NET Framework 3.5.

  • Freeware Shorts: Métamorphose (File And Folder Renamer)

    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.

    Métamorphose

    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.

    Métamorphose

    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.

  • GDocsDrive: Google On Your Desktop … Giveaway!

    GDocsDrive: Google On Your Desktop … Giveaway!

    The giveaway has now ended, thanks to those who participated and The Cloud Drive Team for providing giveaway licenses.
    GDocsDrive is a program that lets you manage your google documents straight from the desktop, essentially acting as a disk drive but one that is in the cloud.
    Google’s office suite, the alternative to Microsoft Office, offers a way to create documents, presentations, spreadsheets and more. To use these office programs online you can log in and start working on new documents or import or upload existing documents, however GDocsDrive gives you the chance to do more. Unlike google docs GDocsDrive lets you upload folders, instead of individual documents, to google docs.
    It also supports google docs’ other features but perhaps easier through your desktop, these include sharing document(s) with others, by entering their email address(es), or making the document(s) public. It is possible to convert files to other formats and to search them from within GDocsDrive itself. Perhaps most importantly GDocsDrive is an easy way to back up files and let google store them or back them up for you.
    The Cloud Drive Team, the people behind GDocsDrive, have offered several licence keys for GDocsDrive, which you can win by commenting below!

  • Organize Files With File Bucket

    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.

  • New Version News: Dirhtml And SysPad

    In this edition of New Version News I will highlight two new versions of freeware downloads reviewed earlier on RGdot.com.

    dirhtml featured here and here is at v.4.851 now with some improvements such as:

    • Config and XML files are now UTF.
    • Ability to create HTML5 doctype files.
    • New variables such as %%ROOT_FOLDER% and %%FNAME% simplify and improve file creation.

    SysPad which is now also in its own home at Serysoft has newer versions, for example:

    • One can now start typing in FolderPad’s text box to filter and easily find the folder entries or destinations one is looking for.
  • DragTargets Makes Moving Files Convenient

    DragTargets Makes Moving Files Convenient

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


    DragTargets

    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.