Using clipboard to paste text as file name: replace newline by space

[funkymonk]

When using the content of the clipboard as a file name (especially during in-place rename (Shift+F6) or in dialogs where file names can be entered), TC truncates the content of the clipboard at the first newline char.
I would prefer to replace newlines by a spaces.


Background: I often copy some title from pdf, txt, docx, etc. files and rename the file accordingly -- mostly with in-place rename.
If the title has 2+ lines, I need to copy them line by line or type them manually.
Both is slow and a bit annoying, since the entire title is in the clipboard but cannot be used easily for file names.

Hence my suggestion: Replace newlines by spaces when using text from the clipboard as file name.

Maybe this can be made optional with an INI setting:

Code: Select all

RenameReplaceNewlineBySpace = 0
0 is default (as it is now), 1 is as described above

Of course, it might happen that a user accidentally pastes a "huge" amount of text.
To avoid potential problems with the exit boxes, the max length of the pasted string could still be limited. Maybe by a reasonably chosen constant or by another user-defined INI setting.


Any opinion on that?
Thank you.

[Fla$her]

Do you want to expand the basic functionality of Ctrl+V? Somehow I doubt that the author will go for it.
It's easier to use commands to copy names with a space instead of a newline:

Code: Select all

TOTALCMD#BAR#DATA
%ComSpec% /q/c chcp 65001>nul&<nul set
/p=%Q%S|clip
wcmicon2.dll,45
Copy names in one line

1

[petermad]

2Fla$her

Background: I often copy some title from pdf, txt, docx, etc. files and rename the file accordingly

[Fla$her]

Ah, I read about the title wrong. But this only concerns the button, and not the expanding the functionality.

[Hacker]

funkymonk,
As I often find myself in a similar situation, I fully support++ this.

Roman

[funkymonk]

Do you want to expand the basic functionality of Ctrl+V? Somehow I doubt that the author will go for it.

No, I'm sure that there is no need to expand the *basic functionality* of Ctrl+V. Of course, nobody would probably do that.

It's more like an "expansion" of the way in which TC's edit boxes for file names handle input from the clipboard: Simply replace newlines by spaces.

[Fla$her]

It's more like an "expansion" of the way in which TC's edit boxes for file names handle input from the clipboard: Simply replace newlines by spaces.

Understood. As in some browsers, it is implemented for the address bar. I support this option.

[Galizza]

Support++ , but the maximum length of the pasted string should be defined by user.

[petermad]

but the maximum length of the pasted string should be defined by user.

Doesn't he define it when he mark the text for copying?

[funkymonk]

but the maximum length of the pasted string should be defined by user.

Doesn't he define it when he mark the text for copying?

To avoid confusion:
The maximum length *I was writing about* has nothing to do with the users' wishes. It's a length that limits the pasted text to the amount an edit box can handle without problems. I remember situations (in other applications) where pasting thousands of chars into a UI element caused severe slowdowns or even crashes.

Thus: I guess @ghisler should define a reasonable limit (depending on typical path and file name lengths).

[Usher]

Just two remarks to make suggestion much better:

1. There are more characters which should be replaced when pasting as a file/directory name:

Code: Select all

    < (less than)
    > (greater than)
    : (colon)
    " (double quote)
    / (forward slash)
    \ (backslash)
    | (vertical bar or pipe)
    ? (question mark)
    * (asterisk)

Some of them are frequently used in titles (colon, double quotes, question mark), not just EOLs.
TC knows how to manage backslash.

2. Such characters are usually replaced with _UNDERSCORE_ rather than space. It's better solution - anyone can see that there were replacements made.

[ghisler(Author)]

You can use the multi-rename tool with placeholder
[X]
which does already most of what you suggested:
- replaces line breaks with spaces
- replaces special characters with underscores, except for / and \ which can be used to move files to subfolders.

[funkymonk]

I must confess, I wasn't aware of the [X] placeholder in the MRT.
That's certainly useful -- and it can be used with a shortcut launching an MRT profile...

Still, especially for in-place renaming I want to emphasize my initial suggestion and Ushers addition once more:

1. It would be way faster.
   Especially if just
   • a part of the current filename shall be replaced by the clipboard content OR
   • the clipboard content should just be integrated/added to an existing file name,
   it's quite annoying to set up the MRT accordingly for just a single file.
   
   Examples:
   
   "2023-07-27 - TOBEREPLACED" --> "2023-07-27 - some text from the clipboard with line breaks and other chars that are not supported in file names"
   "2023-07-27 - SUFFIX" --> "2023-07-27 - some text from the clipboard with line breaks and other chars that are not supported in file names - SUFFIX"
   
   In such simple scenarios using the MRT is simply not convenient.
   
   
2. I don't see why TC ignores some of the clipboard content for file names. The information is there -- just use it!
   If a user explicitly pastes some text as file name I guess/assume/hope he does this for good reason.
   Of course some chars are not allowed in file names --> replace by space or "_".

[ghisler(Author)]

I don't handle Ctrl+V in any edit boxes, this is handled by Windows itself.

[Stefan2]

There are tools and scripts to modify the clipboard, which can be called by button click or keyboard shortcut.
I myself always use the way via notepad (copy from web or document >> paste in notepad >> adjust the text >> copy and paste where I want to)