Please help mass renaming...

[mika]

I need to rename a bunch of files with different extensions. Basically, there is year in the brackets somewhere inside the file name, and I need to move the year to the beginning of the file name, something like this:

File1 (1994) Description ABC.doc -> 1994 - File1 Description ABC.doc
File123 (2001) Description DEFG.txt -> 2001 - File123 Description DEFG.txt

and so on.

I hope there is a quick way to do it. Please help!!!

[Samuel]

Open MRT
Search for: (.*)\((\d\d\d\d)\)\s(.*)
Replace by: $2 - $1$3
RegEx: [✓]

See F1 in MRT > RegEx

Code: Select all

(.*)       > stands for many characters; can be referenced by $1 (because of the brackets around it)
\(         > stands for "("
(\d\d\d\d) > stands for 4 digits; can be referenced by $2 (because of the brackets around it)
\)         > stands for ")"
\s         > stands for whitespace like a space " "
(.*)       > stands for many characters; can be referenced by $3 (because of the brackets around it)

[risk]

Open MRT
Search for: (.*)\((\d\d\d\d)\)\s(.*)
Replace by: $2 - $1$3
RegEx: [✓]

@Samuel, I always wanted to put in the time to learn RegEx because it can be useful in many tools including TC. Seeing how you search and replace strings in the way that would be impossible to do with out it, you've now inspired me to finally commit do it. Thanks.

[ehab]

if you wanna learn regex i recommend regexbuddy YEs it costs money but its worth it.

[mika]

Samuel:

It works!!!

Thank you very much for your help!!!!!!!!!!