This free utility integrates directly
into Windows Explorer. After installing the
utility, you use it by selecting the files you wish to rename in Windows
Explorer, then choosing "Batch Rename..." from the right-click context
menu.
Batch rename supports:
 Wildcard
Use a wildcard ('*') to copy the current name of the file to the
new name. You use the wildcard character along with other text to give the file
a new name.
Example: You've made copies of files
from your digital camera that you now wish to modify. You want to differentiate
these files from the originals.
 Sequence character
The colon (':') character indicates that you wish a sequence
number to be inserted in the new filename. This is especially useful when you
wish to rename a selection of files using a new base name and a sequence
number.
Following the ':' you can enter a sequence starting
number. By entering a number you can specify the starting number and also
specify the number of digits each sequence number should contain. For example
":001" means start at one, and also specifies that each sequence number should
be three digits long.
Example: You have an assortment of
picture files you took while on vacation in Hawaii. You would like to give
these files a name that indicates what they are about.
 Scramble
and Unscramble
With Batch Rename you can quickly and automatically scramble and unscramble
names of the files. Enter 'scramble' to scramble file names and 'unscramble' to
restore previously scrambled filenames. Scrambling file names temporarily masks
files that you may want hidden or unusable for one reason or another. When a
user tries to open a scrambled file, a built-in handler will simply display a
graph based on the file's name.
NOTE: This is a very casual level of encryption. Only the file name is encrypted
and unscrambling is not password protected. Anyone with access to the computer,
who has knowledge of Batch Rename, will be able unscramble the files. On the
other hand, scramble and unscramble is very fast and reliable. You can scramble
tens of thousands of files in just a few minutes.
Watch for an upgraded version of Batch Rename that will offer password
protection, higher levels of encryption, and other options.
Examples: In the first shot, we've
entered 'scramble' to mask the selected files. Later we select the scrambled
files and enter 'unscramble' to restore the original file names.
 
Re-date
files
Another special case entry is to enter a single asterisk in
the 'Rename to:' field. Instead of renaming the files, the utility will re-date
the files to the current date in the order shown.
Example: Simply enter a single asterisk
in the 'Rename to:' box, then click the OK button. The files you've selected
will be re-dated in the order listed in the preview box.
Also...
-
 If you have selected
folders you can choose to include these in rename operation by checking
the  option
(including subfolders is particularly useful with scramble and unscramble
operations).
-
If the order of the list of selected files is important (and it
can be if you are renaming using a sequence character), then
sort the list of files in the Windows explorer prior to invoking Batch Rename.
Batch Rename maintains the sort starting with the file that you right clicked
to invoke the context menu. In most cases this means that it is best to invoke
the context menu by right clicking on the first file in your selection.
-
Both the name and the extension can be changed separately using
a wildcard. Experiment with the 'Rename to:' field and use the
preview to see what the result will be.
-
You cannot undo batch rename operations.
-
The utility's window is resizable.
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