Processing files after a certain date

[johnb265]

Maybe this has to be done with regular expressions. My Canon camera started renumbering from 1 after it got to file IMG_9999. So in my folder strucuture I have >30000 files resulting in 3 or more files with the same name but in unique subfolders of the form YYYY_MM_DD. I want to select a range of subfolders and change the file prefixes within from IMG_ to IMG2_; and then select another range and change from IMG_ to IMG3_ to avoid duplicates in collections of particular image types. I have done some tests, looked in the manual and had a look in the forum, but can't see the solution I want. I thought there may be a way of selecting and changing filenames based on a date range (i.e. the numbering scheme reset to 1 on particular dates, so maybe that would be a way of selecting all the files I want to rename.). Also, I thought of moving the subfolder ranges to another folder before renaming, but this changes the create date on the files. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Stefan]

Please post that question again and add a few line breaks.

[johnb265]

Maybe this has to be done with regular expressions. My Canon camera started renumbering from 1 after it got to file IMG_9999.
So in my folder strucuture I have >30000 files resulting in 3 or more files with the same name but in unique subfolders of the form YYYY_MM_DD.
I want to select a range of subfolders and change the file prefixes within from IMG_ to IMG2_; and then select another range and change from
IMG_ to IMG3_ to avoid duplicates in collections of particular image types.
I have done some tests, looked in the manual and had a look in the forum, but can't see the solution I want.
I thought there may be a way of selecting and changing filenames based on a date range (i.e. the numbering scheme reset to 1 on particular
dates, so maybe that would be a way of selecting all the files I want to rename.).
Also, I thought of moving the subfolder ranges to another folder before renaming, but this changes the create date on the files.
Any advice would be appreciated.

[Stefan]

Maybe this has to be done with regular expressions.
My Canon camera started renumbering from 1 after it got to file IMG_9999.
So in my folder strucuture I have >30000 files resulting in 3 or more files with the same name but in unique subfolders of the form YYYY_MM_DD.

I want to select a range of subfolders and change the file prefixes within from IMG_ to IMG2_;
and then select another range and change from IMG_ to IMG3_
to avoid duplicates in collections of particular image types.

I have done some tests, looked in the manual and had a look in the forum, but can't see the solution I want.
I thought there may be a way of selecting and changing filenames based on a date range (i.e. the numbering scheme reset to 1 on particular
dates, so maybe that would be a way of selecting all the files I want to rename.).

Also, I thought of moving the subfolder ranges to another folder before renaming, but this changes the create date on the files.
Any advice would be appreciated.

You have something like this:

Code: Select all

pics\2011_01_05\IMG_1
...
pics\2011_01_05\IMG_4567

Code: Select all

pics\2011_02_21\IMG_1
...
pics\2011_02_21\IMG_9999

Code: Select all

pics\2011_03_11\IMG_1
...
pics\2011_03_11\IMG_345

Then you want to select "a range of subfolders and change the file prefixes within from IMG_ to IMG2_" ?

But then you have same file names again?
Three times IMG2_1 in my example.
pics\2011_01_05\IMG2_1
pics\2011_02_21\IMG2_1
pics\2011_03_11\IMG2_1

It seams you should rename files from different folder with different prefixes.
For example use the parent folder name as prefix?
pics\2011_01_05\2011_01_05_IMG_1
pics\2011_02_21\2011_02_21_IMG_1
pics\2011_03_11\2011_03_11_IMG_1

Or i completely misunderstand your request.

[johnb265]

I should have been clearer.
What I have is something like this:
pics\2009_01_05\IMG_1 to IMG_100
pics\2009_02_10\IMG_101 to IMG_300
...
pics\2010_01_21\IMG_950 to IMG_999
pics\2010_01_22\IMG_1 to IMG_50
pics\2010_03_10\IMG_51 to IMG_150
...
pics\2011_01_11\IMG_910 to IMG_999
pics\2011_01_15\IMG_1 to IMG_25
pics\2011_02_21\IMG_26 to IMG_100

I want to change this to the following without modifying any file dates and keeping the current folder structure.
pics\2009_01_05\IMG_1 to IMG_100
pics\2009_02_10\IMG_101 to IMG_300
...
pics\2010_01_21\IMG_950 to IMG_999
pics\2010_01_22\IMG2_1 to IMG2_50
pics\2010_03_10\IMG2_51 to IMG2_150
...
pics\2011_01_11\IMG2_910 to IMG2_999
pics\2011_01_15\IMG3_1 to IMG3_25
pics\2011_02_21\IMG3_26 to IMG3_100

Sometimes the file numbering resets within a folder, but I can deal with that manually through your interface.

Thanks
John

[Stefan]

I should have been clearer.
What I have is something like this:
pics\2009_01_05\IMG_1 to IMG_100
pics\2009_02_10\IMG_101 to IMG_300
...
pics\2010_01_21\IMG_950 to IMG_999
pics\2010_01_22\IMG_1 to IMG_50
pics\2010_03_10\IMG_51 to IMG_150
...
pics\2011_01_11\IMG_910 to IMG_999
pics\2011_01_15\IMG_1 to IMG_25
pics\2011_02_21\IMG_26 to IMG_100

I want to change this to the following without modifying any file dates and keeping the current folder structure.
pics\2009_01_05\IMG_1 to IMG_100
pics\2009_02_10\IMG_101 to IMG_300
...
pics\2010_01_21\IMG_950 to IMG_999
pics\2010_01_22\IMG2_1 to IMG2_50
pics\2010_03_10\IMG2_51 to IMG2_150
...
pics\2011_01_11\IMG2_910 to IMG2_999
pics\2011_01_15\IMG3_1 to IMG3_25
pics\2011_02_21\IMG3_26 to IMG3_100

Sometimes the file numbering resets within a folder, but I can deal with that manually through your interface.

Thanks
John

As far as i see:

You want to keep the file names of the first range of 999 files stay to "IMG_"
Then the second range of 999 files should be renamed to "IMG2_"
Then the next range of 999 files should be renamed to "IMG3_"
But those ranges are cluttered over several folders.

Hmm, try this:

1.) make an backup of your files (to an ZIP archive, copy to an other partition or external USB-Drive)
2.) in BRU in the left Tree ( show with F11) select your "pics" folder
3.) at "Selections(12)" enable "[X] Subfolders"
4.) click the header of the "Sub Dir." column to sort all files not by name but by there parent folders
5.) select the second 999 files by hand
(
click on first file "pics\2010_01_22\IMG_1"
and press and hold the Shift-key,
then scroll down to "pics\2011_01_11\IMG_999"
and click at that file.
)

6.) at "Repl.(3) enter
Replace[ IMG_ ]
With[ IMG2_ ]

7.) take an look at the "NewName" column
8.) if all looks OK, press the [Rename] button in the lower right.

9.) read point 5.) again and select the next 999 files. Modify "Repl.(3)" to rename to "IMG3_" ,... and so on...

Done.

HTH?

.

[johnb265]

That was a great help. Thank you!