Multi rename tool: insert dash hyphen to all files

[louwin]

Really complex RegEx question


I apologise if this is the wrong place to post this thread/question. Maybe I should look for a RegEx forum but there are some VERY smart people on THIS forum

I have many folders structured thus:-

Author1
--first book title.txt
--second book title.rtf
--third book
----Title.doc
----Cover.jpg
Author2
.etc.

Is there a RegEx that will append an " - " and the Author to each book title using the Multi Rename Tool? The first 2 books are difficult enough and I suspect the third book structure is impossible?

There can be 1 to many book titles and different file types involved in each Author folder.

I also suspect that RegExs only work at one level

I'll be more than happy with any solution that will save me manual effort

I have about 400 authors and I have already done a couple of hundred manually

Thanks in anticipation

[louwin]

If not possible with RegEx I would be also be grateful for a "Batch" file solution

[MVV]

You don't ever need RegEx to do such thing.

1. Press Ctrl+B to see all files in all author's folders.
2. Select all files and press Ctrl+M.
3. Enter name template [P] - [N] (or [N] - [P] in order to append author name after book name) and extension template [E]
4. All other parameters should be in default state (no search/replace, no case change etc).

BTW you can press F1 in MRT window and read about all supported parameters like [P]. And, you've selected right subforum.

[louwin]

******* hell! (please insert expletive in place of *******)

What an unbeleiveable solution (and ssssooooo easy).

I didn't believe it while I read it!

Tried it and it works ******* perfectly!

I got a reply (by email) from White which detailed a brilliant RegEx solution but this one takes the cake!!!!

THANK YOU

I wish I had asked this question 200 manually renamed Authors ago

I have dome about 1200 filenames painfully manually

[louwin]

A few hours later and I'm still blown away by MVV's solution

I read the MRT Help and included "Series" in my renames with a

[P], [N] - [G] Fabulous!

So I tried to further refine my requirement.

I did a ctrl + B to "explode" and ctrl + A to "select all". Then I did a Unselect Group "*.jpg" and a Unselect Group "*.gif" as I didn't want to rename the picture files.

I then wanted to Unselect all files with a pre-existing "space-dash-space" in their filenames. I tried Unselect Group * - *.* and *" - "*.* but they just unselected ALL the files

How do I Unselect all the files with a pre-existing "space-dash-space" in them?

[ehab]

true, MVV does magic.

[mhe]

Try unselect group, define, write " - " in the search (with the quotes) save, use what you just saved with unselect group.
Not entirely sure if it works, just tried quickly but think it does what you need.

[MVV]

louwin, try to unselect "* - *" - you need to use quotes if your mask contains a space (or TC may think that you've specified multiple masks divided by a space).

[louwin]

Brilliant.

Thanks MVV and mhe

Now I can refine my file selection before the final rename