How to Rename Files with CMD Using a Text File in Windows

Описание: Discover how to efficiently use Windows CMD to rename files in bulk with names from a text file. Learn the process step-by-step!
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/65589234/ asked by the user 'stackhawk' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/12582665/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/65596378/ provided by the user 'Compo' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/6738015/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Rename Files with CMD Using a Text File in Windows

Renaming files in bulk can be a daunting task, especially when it involves matching new names against a predetermined scheme. If you're comfortable using Bash on WSL but find yourself in a situation where you're limited to CMD in Windows, worry not! In this guide, we will walk you through the process of renaming MKV files in a directory based on a list stored in a text file.

The Problem

You have a directory full of MKV files that you want to rename according to a new naming pattern stored in a text file (for example, file.txt). Your task is to create a loop that renames each MKV file to the corresponding name from the file.txt. Unlike Bash, CMD does not have a straightforward one-liner for this operation, but we can certainly achieve it through a simple batch script.

The Solution

Here’s how you can accomplish this with a CMD batch file:

Step 1: Create the text file

First, we need to create a file.txt that holds the new names you want for your MKV files. Here’s how to do it:

Open the Command Prompt (cmd.exe).

Navigate to your directory with your MKV files:

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List all MKV files and save them to file.txt:

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Now, open file.txt and edit the contents to reflect the new names you desire for those files.

Step 2: Create the batch script

Now that you have your list of new names in file.txt, your next task is to create a batch file that will handle the renaming:

Open any text editor (like Notepad).

Paste the following code into your text editor:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Save the file with a .cmd or .bat extension (e.g., rename_files.cmd) in the same directory as your MKV files and file.txt.

Step 3: Execute the batch file

Now you can run your batch script:

Open Command Prompt.

Navigate to the directory where your rename_files.cmd is located:

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Run your batch script:

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This will rename each MKV file in the directory to the corresponding name from file.txt.

Important Notes

Ensure that the number of lines in file.txt matches the number of MKV files in the directory. Each line corresponds to a file and will be used for renaming in the order they appear.

It’s helpful to have the new names formatted correctly in file.txt before executing the script to avoid errors in renaming.

Conclusion

While renaming files in CMD may not be as intuitive as in Bash, following these steps will guide you successfully through the process of bulk renaming files based on a list. This technique is especially useful for managing large quantities of files quickly and efficiently, saving you time and effort.

Give this method a try the next time you need to renavigate your file naming scheme! If you encounter any issues or have specific scenarios you’d like assistance with, feel free to reach out for more tailored help.