You can rename a file from Windows Explorer. However, it becomes a bit more difficult if you want to rename an entire group of files at once. Then you better reach for a tool like Ant Renamer, which also makes complex 'rename' operations possible.
PriceFor free
Language
Dutch
OS
Windows 7/8/10
Website
www.antp.be 8 Score 80
- Pros
- Powerful undo function
- Real-time preview
- flexible
- Negatives
- Limited help function
If you want to rename a series of files at once from Windows Explorer, you are basically limited to the same names with ascending numbers, such as name(1).docx, name(2).docx, and so on. There are hardly any more options, and that contrasts sharply with the numerous functions that Ant Renamer offers.
Operations
Logically, you first add all files to Ant Renamer that you want to rename based on the same criteria. Then you only have to indicate which operations you want to perform on that file selection.
The tool offers 14 possible actions by default, the names of which largely indicate their intent: Change extension, Replace String, Remove character, Uppercase and lowercase, and so on. Depending on the chosen action, adjusted options and parameters will appear on the screen. We limit ourselves here to one example. If you choose Enumeration, you first have to fill in the desired file mask (for example %name% %num%%%ext%, where in this case the original name and extension are kept, but a counter is added). You can also set from which number should be counted, how many digits the number should consist of, and so on.
Extras
Less obvious is that Ant Renamer also supports regular expressions. You have to master the syntax yourself, because the help function remains somewhat substandard in this area. Furthermore, Ant Renamer can handle a number of mp3 and exif tags. For example, if you add %flash% in the file mask of a photo, you can already deduce from the name whether the flash was used.
Conveniently, you can see the effect of the requested changes in real time on the basis of a sample file. Only when that looks good, do you let the adjustments be made (which you can still undo). It is also possible to perform several actions on a file selection at once in a self-determined order.
Conclusion
Ant Renamer is a great tool for those who occasionally want to rename an entire file selection at once. A whole range of possible actions is available to you, including support for mp3 and exif tags and even regex for those who love it.
