Add-Ons - File Renamer

Introduction

It is sometimes necessary to renumber or rename a range of Image files. This may arise if files have been scanned with the wrong number range or where they have the numbers which they were given in a different imaging system.

File Renamer offers two different approaches. One is strictly concerned with image files with a name in the standard Openlaw format 1.tif, 180.doc and so on. You can pick a range of such files and give them a new start point from which they will be renumbered.

The other involves a two-column database allowing you to enter the present name and a new name for each file whose name you wish to change. The names can be anything acceptable to the Windows file system.

In this application, as elsewhere in Openlaw, the word "image" includes any electronic data file capable of being opened on your PC.

Location and Licensing

See Add-Ons - Introduction for instructions about the default location of Add-Ons.

Like any Openlaw Add-On which requires its own licence, it will not start without permission in the Case's own licence.

Running File Renamer

If File Renamer is located in the sub-folder \Add-Ons, it can be run from the button <Launch an Add-On> on the Case Setup screen. If it is located elsewhere, navigate to it and double-click on it to run it.

The Renamer screen is shown below, positioned on the Tab for the first of these options.

Enter Instructions

First pick a Source Folder, that is, the folder containing images to be renamed. In the right hand window will appear a list of all the files in that folder. Then pick a Destination Folder, that is, a place into which the renamed images will go. That folder must exist before you start and be empty.

Next enter the First Number and the Last Number of the file range to be processed. This will be all or a selection of the files whose names appear in the right-hand pane.

The "Amount by which to increment each file name" is the number you want to add to the present numbering pattern. The picture shows a range from 1.tif to 19.tif (with some non-.tiff files amongst them). If you enter 1000 as the "Amount by which to increment each file name" then the first file will be renamed as 1001.tif and so on.

You can only handle one file type at a time and must define that type by entering its extension (e.g. "tif" without the full-stop) in the last box. When you have processed one file type, you can pick another without re-picking the Source or Destination Folders.

A log file is written which records what has been done.

You can opt to delete the source files and to over-write the existing log file.

Use Database Instructions

This is a more sophisticated tool which requires that details of the present and proposed new file names be stored in an Access database called Instructions for renaming file.mdb (which is provided to licenced users of File Renamer). This database must be in the Source folder - the present location of the files to be renamed.

The database must have a single table in it called "Instructions for renaming files" and the required columns in this table are ID - a unique number, SourceFileOldName and DestinationFileNewName which are self-explanatory.

The files can have any name which is acceptable to the Windows file system. They do not have to be numbers (although the destination file name will be if it is to be used as a regular Openlaw file).

Note: we can help you build the table if necessary. This can sometimes be done programmatically instead of by typing in all the entries.

Other Ways to Rename Files

The Add-On called Exporter allows you to copy and rename files to match the List Number of the Case from which the export is made.

There is a function on the Bundles screen called Make a Bundle Image Set which you can use to make a copy of the Images and to rename them either by using the List Number or by adding a prefix to the file name.