[REQ] integrate ant renamer function with windows explorer

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rs232
Posts: 107
Joined: 2012-05-09 21:57:22

[REQ] integrate ant renamer function with windows explorer

Post by rs232 »

Would it be difficult to have a rename function defined within antrenamer to be accessible via windows explorer?

Or put in other words: when I right click on a directory together with the system "rename" have also an "antrename" voice. This is could e.g. be a character substitution or anything else that you custom define.

I've been looking around and believe it or not there's not such a thing out there. The closes I've found operates on files only (no directory) and it's not even close to the level of functionality antrenamer offer.

Is this a possibility?

Regards

P.S. actually something I found. Just to give an idea: http://www.extrabit.com/renameman/
but its not free and not quite what I meant.
Last edited by rs232 on 2013-06-11 07:40:35, edited 1 time in total.
antp
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Post by antp »

It is rather easy to do on folders (more precisely on one folder at a time) in Ant Renamer by adding an entry in the registry.
A new entry in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell could be associated with Ant Renamer to make it add the folder contents to the files list.
By using predefined batch files (.arb) passed in parameters, the renaming could also be done directly.
You could check the help file for details about Ant Renamer's command-line parameters.
Note: do not edit the registry if you are not comfortable with it, it can be dangerous if you do not know what you do :D
rs232
Posts: 107
Joined: 2012-05-09 21:57:22

Post by rs232 »

Outstanding!

I want to share the result with other users here:

a) create a text file with extension .reg e.g. "antrenamer_context.reg"

b) add the following content modify the path if your system is 32 bit:

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\AntRename]
@="Ant rename me~"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\AntRename\command]
@="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Ant Renamer\\renamer.exe  -b c:\\directory_rename.arb -aF %1 -g -x"
c) create your rename batch in ANT renamer and save it as c:\directory_rename.arb

d) right click on any directory and you'll find a voice called "Ant rename me" under Open


now, two things for antp:

1) would it be possible to create a context menu and have different batch under it? e.g. like 7-zip does for example where you have a 7-zip context name and under it a sub menu with
compress.zip
compress.zip and email
compress .Z
compress.Z and email


2) Would you consider adding a function "add to context" when e.g. a batch is created within ANT Renamer? This is what namEx does (http://code.google.com/p/namex/) and I found it very effective, though the rest of the utility is limited.
antp
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Post by antp »

1. I do not think it is possible that way. Programs that display more advanced stuff (icon, menu, etc.) usually register a DLL in the system for that.

2. It would be rather easy to integrate in Ant Renamer, or at even more easy make a small tool for making that easier. I'll put on the to-do list but I do not know when I'll work on the program next time...
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