Renaming Files Sequence

Help & Support
1

Hello,

I love Directory Opus, but I'm having an issue I cannot seem to resolve. I've searched everywhere and am honestly stumped.

I would like to rename files, however, I want the rename sequence to follow the "Sort By" settings filtered by Date Modified. Currently, I can change the view to these settings, but then when I rename the files they are sequenced by order of FILENAME and not Date Modified. I Cannot figure out how to change this.

The same problem persists if I manually sort the files, select and rename. Instead, they are renamed in sequence of FILENAME.

Thank you.

2

The rename dialog should list the files in the same order they were in the file display it was opened from.

(If you're renaming files in sub-directories, that can complicate things, but there's a way around that.)

3

My current problem reillustrated:

Alphabetical FILENAME:
File1
File2
File3
FileA
FileB
FileC

Manually Sorted:
FileB
File1
File3
FileC
File2
FileA

Select all-->Right click-->Rename to "Saved"

Result:
File1 = Saved
File2 = Saved (1)
File3 = Saved (2)
FileA = Saved (3)
FileB = Saved (4)
FileC = Saved (5)

So, Opus is using the FILENAME order to decide the sequence of the rename result. I want the sequence to be what I manually sorted. Hope that makes sense.

4

Try the Rename button on the toolbar instead of the context menu.

5

I don't understand the Opus Rename menu, this is too new for me. I played around with it but I could not figure out how to sequence. I just want it to function like Windows Explorer when I rename with a simple sequence based off the sorted items placement in the selection.

6

It's not very complicated.

https://www.gpsoft.com.au/help/opus12/index.html#!Documents/Numbering_Files.htm

7

After duplicating the provided example, I hit Ok and nothing happens, no rename takes place.

8

No matter what I type as the new name, no new name shows up in the preview pane of the Rename menu. It completely fails to rename anything when I hit Ok or Apply. The only time I was able to change a name, it affected a single file instead of the entire selection. The sequential numbering was unsuccessful as well.

Also, I noticed the Context Menu Rename resets the sequential numbering for different file types. I do not want this either, I only want it to function as sequential for the sorted view of the selected items. This issue might to related to my overall problem.

9

Maybe post a screenshot.

image
image1193×1276 138 KB

10

Your screenshot helped me, I wasn't putting an Asterisk(*) in the old name field, this solved the Rename function. Thank you for that.

However, my end goal is to solve the Context Menu Rename function. It currently functions exactly like I want it to in Windows Explorer, but fails to operate as I wish inside Directory Opus. This indicates that it is an Opus function that I need to adjust.

11

You can't manually sort/rearrange files in Explorer, can you?

12

No, Manual Sorting was used as an example to my issue.

My preferred sorting is Date Modified, which is achievable within Explorer. Opus is using the FILENAME to provide my Context Menu Renaming sequence, whereas in Explorer I can sort the files any way I wish, with the preferred method of Date Modified, and get the correct sequence based on Sorting results.

13

If you want to do it via the context menu, use this command:

Rename PATTERN=* TO="{dlgstring|Enter Prefix} [#]" IGNOREEXT NUMBER

and add it to the menu via Settings > File Types > All Files and Folders > Context Menu. (Set the type to Run an Opus function.)

That will prompt you for the prefix and then rename the files in their currently displayed order, without having to do anything else or use the big Rename dialog.

1 Like
15

This is a great workaround, thank you for your patience in resolving my dilemma. I am happy with this result.

1 Like