Possible to mass edit filenames?

B0bbyEwing

But not in the way F2 seems to do it.

So there's 100s of files in a folder all named a certain way that needs to be changed.
Say there's 400. You want to batch them off - first 100 need to read:
S01E01 .......... S01E100
Next 100
S02E01 ........... S02E100

And so on.

But you don't want to manually edit 400 files because that's a nuisance.

How do you do it?

booneruk

Depending on the simplicity of the job, you could create a batch script do do this - however, what you want could easily be more complicated than I'm imagining.

PC: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9383032/rename-all-files-in-a-directory-with-a-windows-batch-script
Mac: https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/64497/how-to-rename-multiple-files-at-once

There may also be free tools to do what you require, but I've personally not used these and would always be wary of bundled adverts (adware) or even spyware bundled into "free" software.

DullGreyGuy

B0bbyEwing said:

But not in the way F2 seems to do it.

So there's 100s of files in a folder all named a certain way that needs to be changed.
Say there's 400. You want to batch them off - first 100 need to read:
S01E01 .......... S01E100
Next 100
S02E01 ........... S02E100

And so on.

But you don't want to manually edit 400 files because that's a nuisance.

How do you do it?

So in all 400 files you just want to change the E01 to E100? Would use the rename function using wildcards

B0bbyEwing

As there appears to be some confusion over what I want, let me have another bash at clarifying.

So in the example, the 400 videos are in their respective folders (we're talking about Plex here). So let's go for season 1 because as soon as I know how to do that I can just replicate for the other folders.

So currently the filenames can be say:

video01
video02
video03

which is no good.
I want the files literally to say this....

S01E01
S01E02
S01E03..........and all the way to the end. As in season01episode01 etc

As I say, I can do this manually no problem but it's going to take time. 

If I highlight all the files & press F2 and then type in S01E01 then they ALL get named S01E01 but then have a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 after the name - which is also no good.

I need them to read exactly what I put above in bold.

I've tested it out & S01E01 works - as in it shows the video file in Plex just how I want it with cover art, episode name and everything so I know I'm on the right track. I just need to do the renaming but preferably quicker than 1-by-1.

DullGreyGuy

So how do you know when to iterate the season number? Do all seasons have 10 episodes?

cymruchris

I can't see any program being able to distinguish how many episodes there are in a series and then changing the first half of the renaming to match it from just the original file name of 'video1 2 3' etc. If it was just renaming 'video 1 2 3' to ABC101, ABC102, ABC103 for the entire list it's likely doable - but from what you've said I don't see a way of achieving it with the variables you have.

B0bbyEwing

DullGreyGuy said:

So how do you know when to iterate the season number? Do all seasons have 10 episodes?

Well no, I was just giving round figures for easiness. 
16
11
14
5
30
54
Those are the number of episodes in each season with season 1 being 16 & season 6 being 54.

OR......

And it makes no difference to me for how this is done, all 131 episodes in this case (I know i said 400 but that was round figures for examples) if it makes it any easier can be part of 1 big series.

So it'd run S01E01.................S01E131.

For me it doesn't have to get boxed off in to 6 seasons. I'm not choosy either way.

km1500

you cannot do it using standard rename - as you say it will just get (1), (2), (3) etc appended to it

you probably will do it quicker by doing it manually - so for example you rename the first one and then copy onto the clipboard (by highlighting the file name and choosing right click copy) the first part of the file name you want omitting the 01 at the end

then a simple matter to go down the list renaming each one in turn using (ctrl-v for paste )and adding 02 03 etc

the quickest way would be to use f2 rename and rename the lot SO1E (01) etc in one go but this is obviously not what you want ?

outtatune

Directory Opus can do this but it's pricey. Totally worth it in my opinion, but may not be for you.

https://www.gpsoft.com.au/index.html

Also have a look at Microsoft's bulk renamer powertoy

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/powerrename

B0bbyEwing

km1500 said:

the quickest way would be to use f2 rename and rename the lot SO1E (01) etc in one go but this is obviously not what you want ?

True, it's not because episode 2 can't be called episode 1 as well as episode 1.

Maybe the best way then from what you guys are saying is to use F2 to rename everything:
S01E

And then just manually run through them adding 01, 02, so on & so forth.

outtatune said:

Also have a look at Microsoft's bulk renamer powertoy

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/powerrename

Also on first look this one may do (I say may because I've had a look down that page & my head is a bit mushed so I don't feel like I'm taking it in properly).

The paid one, even if it works is an instant no as I'm not looking to pay at this moment in time. Thanks though.

DullGreyGuy

B0bbyEwing said:

As there appears to be some confusion over what I want, let me have another bash at clarifying.

So in the example, the 400 videos are in their respective folders (we're talking about Plex here). So let's go for season 1 because as soon as I know how to do that I can just replicate for the other folders.

So currently the filenames can be say:

video01
video02
video03

which is no good.
I want the files literally to say this....

S01E01
S01E02
S01E03..........and all the way to the end. As in season01episode01 etc

As I say, I can do this manually no problem but it's going to take time. 

If I highlight all the files & press F2 and then type in S01E01 then they ALL get named S01E01 but then have a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 after the name - which is also no good.

I need them to read exactly what I put above in bold.

I've tested it out & S01E01 works - as in it shows the video file in Plex just how I want it with cover art, episode name and everything so I know I'm on the right track. I just need to do the renaming but preferably quicker than 1-by-1.

So in the command window navigate to the folder in question and do:

ren video*.* S01E*.*

Will just sub the S01E for the Video in the filename