Copyright: File Name Juggler 1.10ß


File Name JugglerTM

ver. 1.10

Long File Names Batch Renamer

and

Other Utilities for Windows NT/95

Copyright 1996-97

Antares Productions

All rights reserved

Welcome in File Name Juggler

Have you ever:

•	Had to rename many files manually?

•	Trashed a directory because you typed an incorrect rename command?

•	Been frustrated by the confusing and mind-taxing ren command?

•	Etc, etc?

Of course YES!  Everybody has to face those damn situations one day. But the key to your freedom and power has just been forged, right out of the blacksmith's workshop : File Name Juggler! Crafted for power and flexibility for the professional system administrator, but also designed with a very intuitive and easy to use interface for anybody at home who may need to handle their file names under Windows 95 or Windows NT.

File Name Juggler (FNJ) is an application that will allow you to easily manage your long file names at lightning speed by the touch of a few keys and mouse clicks, no matter how big the list is.

You can use the browsing buttons << and >> in the title bar to jump to previous or next topic, or the Contents button to see a list of all topics covered in this on-line help file.  Also, shortly I’ll set up a Frequently Asked Questions & Tips page on FNJ’s Web Page.


Features

•	User-friendly Interface.

•	Rename To: Performs complex renaming operations in a very intuitive way.

•	Standardize: Makes many files have the same capitalization style.

•	Reorder Numerals: Reorders and reformats the numerals of your file names.

•	Create Batch: Generates a batch file from a list of file names, with other options...

•	Preview: Gives you a glimpse to what files will look like, before actually renaming them!

•	Undo: Restores file names to their original state.  No messes anymore! :-)

•	Full support for long file names.

•	And much more!!!


This application is Shareware

You have the great opportunity to evaluate this application for a 30 days trial period.  If you like and want to keep using this application, you have to register.  By registering, you will receive a fully functionnal, not-time-limited version, as well as totally free bug fixes and patches for this version, as they become available.  It also entitles you for low-cost updates for future releases, as well as free Email support and information on other Antares Productions' releases.

To register, just print out, fill and send in this registration form with a cheque or money-order of the appropriate amount to this address.

Antares Prod.

Attn/ Mathieu Frenette

269 Brunelle

Bonsecours, QC

Canada

J0E 1H0

Please, make cheques payable to Mathieu Frenette. Thanks in advance.


Registration form

Register To : _____________________________  (company or user name to display on title bar)

Company : _______________________________

Address : ________________________________

City, State & Country : _____________________

Phone # : ________________    ZIP : _________

Email : __________________________________  (write it clearly, especially for Email delivery)

License Type*/Quantities

Home usage, one computer :	______  x  10 US$ (Cool!!!)

Commercial, one computer :	______  x  49 US$

Commercial, domain/sub-net license :	______  x  99 US$

Delivery

[  ]  Email delivery	FREE!

[  ]  Mail delivery	add 2 US$

For a total of 	________

How/where have you heard of File Name Juggler?

________________________________________

What kind of job are you using File Name Juggler for?

________________________________________

Any comments/suggestions for future releases?

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

* The Home/Commercial, one computer licenses allow exclusively to use File Name Juggler on files of the computer it has been installed to.  The Commercial, domain/sub-net license allows exclusively to use File Name Juggler on files of all computers of one single domain/sub-net.


The FNJ Interface

Just click on the different elements of FNJ’s interface to get help on these particular topics.  Clicking on minor features will pop-up a small window containing help, while clicking on major features will display a whole new topic (just click the Back button to come back to this screen).


The Rename To Utility

This utility allows you to easily rename a great number of files at the same time.

•	First select the files to work on. The first file of the range is automatically used as Rename Template and placed into the Rename To box. (If for any reason, you want to use a different Rename Template, right-click on the file with the name to be used and select Set Rename Template To... from the pop-up menu.)

•	It's now time to customize the Rename Template file name to your like. Your changes will appear in red, except for deleted characters, which obviously cannot be displayed at all! These modifications will be used for renaming all the files you've selected. If for any reason you're not satisfied with your modifications to the template and want to restore the Rename Template to its original value, just click on Reset.

•	Click on Rename, and that's it! If for any reason you're not sure about that batch renaming operation, just preview the results by clicking on Preview first.

For example, these files :

Monday Schedule.txt

Appointments.txt

To Do List.txt

To Remember List.txt

could be appened the My Wife's prefix by only selecting them, which automatically uses the first file name as Rename Template, then editing this template so it looks like My Wife's Monday Schedule.txt, and finally clicking on Rename.  The results would be :

My Wife's Monday Schedule.txt

My Wife's Appointments.txt

My Wife's To Do List.txt

My Wife's To Remember List.txt

Note that you can insert/delete characters anywhere in the template. You just have to understand these few basic principles:

Characters inserted/deleted...

•	...at the begining of the template will be inserted/deleted at the begining of all names.

•	...in the body of the template will be inserted/deleted at the same position in the body of all names.

•	...before the period of the template will be inserted/deleted before the period of all names, no matter how long the names are (they don't have to be the same length).

•	...in the extension of the template will be inserted/deleted at the same position in the extension of all names.

NB: It is strongly suggested not to delete the last period of a file name, and not to add a period at the right of another period, since it may lead to unpredictable results.  This limitation is due to the high complexity of the extension concept, especially in the “free” world of long file names.  For FNJ version 2, I’ll be working on an even more elaborated algorithm in order to allow more flexibility and power.  Please let me know of all the cases and problems you encountered in this version, and I’ll strive to solve them for next release.


The Batch Commands Utility

This utility allows you to create a batch file that will contain the name of all selected files, with a possibility for every line to start and end with a given prefix/suffix.

•	First select the files names to be included in the batch file.

•	If you want specific prefix and suffix to be appended to each line, enter them in the given fields now.

•	Check the boxes of the elements you want for each line (whether or not to include the path, name and extension, as well as whether or not to insert a space after the prefix and before the suffix).

•	Click on Build Batch, and that's it! A message box should let you know that everything went fine.

For example, these files :

File00.txt

File01.txt

...

File98.txt

File99.txt

could be listed in a batch file that might look like that :

copy c:\MyDir\File00.txt c:\MyBackup

copy c:\MyDir\File01.txt c:\MyBackup

...

copy c:\MyDir\File02.txt c:\MyBackup

copy c:\MyDir\File03.txt c:\MyBackup

or like that :

c:\etc\send.exe File00.txt

c:\etc\send.exe File01.txt

...

c:\etc\send.exe File98.txt

c:\etc\send.exe File99.txt

Note that more complex batch files (or just lists) can be created by loading the output file into your favorite text editor and customizing it to your exact needs. I personally use the Columnar Block feature in my text editor very often to modify the output batches from FNJ. Just try to generate the batch file the closest to your need using FNJ's automation, and then patch the little details and add headers and footers afterward.


The Reorder Numerals Utility

This utility allows you to change the order or format of many file name numerals at the same time.

•	It is suggested, but not required, to first apply an appropriate filter to display only files from the given numerical group. Setting a numerical filter can be helped by right-clicking on a file from the numerical group of files to filter and selecting the name*.ext or name.* filter (depending if your numerals are in the body or extension of the name).

•	Set the correct numeral properties (number of digits in numerals, first value to start with, and whether the numerals are in the body of the names or in the extension).

•	Order the files correctly by selecting some of them and moving them among the others with the two big arrow buttons.

•	Finally, select all files to be reordered, since this utility won’t alter unselected ones.

•	Click on Reorder, and that's it!  All file name numerals have been changed to match the new order you have specified.

If you just want to change the properties of the numerals without altering their order, then just skip the “moving with big arrow buttons” step : numerals will acquire the new format given in the Properties box, but won’t change of order.

For example, given these files :

File00.txt

File01.txt

...

File98.txt

File99.txt

you can make them look like that :

File00100.txt

File00101.txt

...

File00198.txt

File00199.txt

just by changing the number of digits to 5 and the first numeral value to 100.

But what if my numerals are in the body of my names and I want to move them into the extension of all files?  Simple.  Just select all the files of the series, choose the Name.Ext000 radio button, and click on Reorder.  Your files will look like Name000.Ext000.  Now, all you have to do is remove the numerals from the body with the Rename To utility (take note that this will work only if all the file names in the series have the same length, though this feature should be more flexible in next release of FNJ).


The Standardize Names Utility

This utility allows you to make a great number of file names all use the same capitalization style.

•	First select the files to work on.

•	Set the style for both the body and extension of file names.

•	Click on Standardize, and that's it!

PS: Please note that Win95’s Explorer won’t display files in all uppercase correctly.  It seams that if you rename files to all uppercase under Win95, they’ll show up correctly from FNJ’s interface and also after rebooting to NT. Now, go ask MicroSoft why they thought all uppercase was not a desirable style! ;-)


Tips from the author

•	Always have a glimpse to the file list after a rename operation to ensure results are those expected. FNJ has a great renaming power, but things might not always end up the way you planed. If anything went wrong during the operation, just Undo it immediately and try again a different way, maybe with a different Rename Template.  Of course, the most secure way to avoid messes is still to Preview the changes, when this is possible.

•	Always give your file names an extension.  FNJ's Rename To utility and some others can hardly deal with no-extension files.  And anyway, this is yet the best way to organize your files into categories! :-)

•	Using a period in the body of the name (like Letter to Dr. Watson.txt) is valid..  However, it might confuse FNJ if the name has no valid extension (ie. with a name like Letter to Dr.No, FNJ would consider No to be the extension, while Letter to Dr.No.Txt doesn't introduce any ambiguity).  Always using an extension prevents such situations from happening completely.

•	While undoing changes, makes sure that no files are locked/in use/already existing, since in such a case these specific files wouldn’t be restored and you’d have to rename them back manually.


Features in the work

Here is a list of the features I’m now working on for FNJ 2.0.  However, no doubts my best inspiration comes from you, the people who use it! So please, don’t hesitate and share your ideas with me... :-)

•	Improved interface, with tabbed dialogs, icons, etc.

•	Sort by name or extension (yet only sort by name)

•	Multiple-level undo (in order to allow more than one operation to be undone).

•	Step increment for Reorder Numerals (ie. File00.txt, File10.txt, File20.txt...)

•	Expanding variables for Batch Commands (ie. The <name> or <ext> variables could be inserted anywhere in the prefix or suffix for more complex command lines with repeating file names like copy MyFile.txt MyFile.doc)

•	Option for Batch Commands for enclosing file names containing spaces into double-quotes

•	Option for outputting all FNJ's actions into a batch file instead of performing them right away.

•	And many other features!!! (I’ll keep the most interesting features confidential until the release of version 2.00, because there’s lot of competition around! ;-)


Uninstalling FNJ

No...  You’re not cruel enough for completely uninstalling FNJ from your computer, are you??? ;-)

Well...  Here’s how to do it :

•	Delete all files from the FNJ directory and the directory itself.

•	Remove these two values/keys from your registry (use REGEDIT.EXE) :

•	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Help\JUGGLER.HLP

•	HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Antares Productions\File Name Juggler

•	Put the original File Name Juggler archive in a safe location, so when you gain back your lucidity you can reinstall it without much ado... ;-)


The Design

Being an applications and games developer, I often have to deal with lots of files at the same time, and they often have numerals in their names.  In my ol'DOS days, I was using XTreeGold's "batch" feature to deal with such situations, or even one-by-one file renaming methods. But now that I turned to WinNT/95, I was lacking some simple application to perform similar tasks and to automate my manual renaming headaches.  I decided to devise my own application that would encapsulate all the utilities I felt I needed.  I focused on making the interface as user-friendly as possible. I thought that I should impose myself headaches only once : while designing it for ease of use, and then never feel pain again while renaming batches of files, and avoid similar problems to other people.

This application has been developed using Watcom C/C++ 10.6, and no code generator.  This was my third real application for Windows NT/95, the first being a CD grabber, and the second a phone book/dialer (Email-me for more info).  If you can think of any improvements to the interface/utilities or of new utilities to add to the application, I'd be glad and grateful to hear from you via Email.


The Author

My name is Mathieu Frenette and my nickname is MidKnight.  I’m 20, my main jobs are application programmer, game developer, designer/artist for my own company, Antares Productions. Shortly, I’ll have my cool adventure/puzzle game named Clone published all over the world (Email-me for more info).  I enjoy software/game design, fantasy and sci-fi stories/drawings/movies, 2D and 3D artwork, movie soundtracks, chatting, hiking and much more...  For a chat, just Email-me! :-)  You can contact me at the addresses below :

Email : 	juggler@interlinx.qc.ca

File Name Juggler's Web Page : 	http://www.interlinx.qc.ca/~midk/juggler

MidKnight's Lair : 	http://www.interlinx.qc.ca/~midk

Fax line : 	514-532-4129


Copyright and distribution rights

The only rights you, the user, are granted is the right to use and redistribute the shareware version of this software, as described in the next paragraph.  All other rights are exclusively reserved to Antares Prod.

It is strictly forbidden to sell or resell the shareware version of this software, except for the cost of the media on which it is distributed.  In order to redistribute the shareware version of this software, all original files must be included without any changes to the original archive.  Please copy the shareware version to all of your friends and to all local BBSes.

Thanks! :-)


Disclaimer

Antares Productions may not be held responsible for any damages or loss of profits resulting of the use of this software.  Use it at your own risk.  This software is provided as is and is not guaranteed to fit for any particular purpose.


File List This is the listing of directories and files in the current directory.  You can select one single file by simply clicking one it.  To select a range of files, select the first file of the range, and then hold Shift while clicking on the last file of the range.  To add files to the current selection on an individual basis, just hold Ctrl while clicking on each of them.  Note: Try right-clicking on the files from this list : FNJ will pop-up a floating menu with quick filters and other useful commands.


Filter This is the place for selecting what type of files you want to display in the file list.  Just  type filters like *.exe or file*.txt.  Or, much easier, select a quick filter by right-clicking on a file from the file list.  This group of controls also allows you to rapidly change the selection of files, either Select All to have all of them selected, or Invert to get the “negative” of the current selection (those that are selected get unselected, and vice-versa).  If you have changed the contents of the current directory from the explorer or another file manager, just click Refresh to get the display synchronized.


Undo If you just renamed a bunch of files incorrectly, there’s no problem.  Just click this button to get your files back to their original names.  But if you need undoing changes, do it immediately!  This command will only restore files to the state they were before the last command.


Options This button pops-up a dialog for customizing some of FNJ’s options.  In this version, the only available options are the ones for displaying/hiding files with the system/read-only/hidden attributes.  Expect more options in next version! :-)


About Shows the application informations, copyright notice and other info.


Help Displays this help file, starting at the Welcome topic.


Quit Prompts you for terminating FNJ.


Status bar (box 1) This box displays the current working directory.


Status bar (box 2) This box displays two values.  The first is the number of files selected, and the second is the number of files in this directory.


Status bar (box 3) This box displays a tip regarding the utility your mouse cursor is over.


The Email address for anything regarding FNJ is juggler@interlinx.qc.ca