How can I rename long file names

magick · 6 Aug 2009 at 22:39

I just downloaded some files that have very long file names but I need to make the names shorter to burn onto a dvd but when I right click to rename them there's no option to rename them. The other files that are slightly shorter can be renames ok. It's as though XP disables the rename setting on file names over sent a number of characters.

Anyone have any ideas?

Ratbag · 6 Aug 2009 at 22:51

Try this.

waxapple · 6 Aug 2009 at 22:51

start --> run --> cmd

cd to the path of the file.

if the file has a really long name, you can call it in DOS with the first 6 characters, a tilda, then the number 1, and the file extention.

so m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00m00.mp3
would become m00m00~1.mp3

so you can type

Code:

move m00m00~1.mp3 newfilename.mp3

tntcoder · 6 Aug 2009 at 22:52

press F2 on the file?

Or open up cmd and:

cd c:\mydir\
rename longfile.txt shortfile.txt

Edit: as above

modo77 · 6 Aug 2009 at 22:52

Do it from dos since it will be changed to a 8.3 filename

chaosophy · 7 Aug 2009 at 00:49

Also if it is a few folders down you can try moving it to the root of the drive as windows will take the full path and file name as the limit, 256 chars or there abouts I believe. If on a network drive you can also map to that level.

magick · 7 Aug 2009 at 00:59

thanks,

tried all the above but none of them work

This is the full filename i'm trying to change :-

Gregg Braden - Speaking The Lost Language Of God - Disc 6 of 10 - 07 - The most important find of the 20th century.flac.mp3

can anyone tell me the exact command i'd type to rename it to new.mp3

thanks

magick · 7 Aug 2009 at 01:02

chaosophy said:
Also if it is a few folders down you can try moving it to the root of the drive as windows will take the full path and file name as the limit, 256 chars or there abouts I believe. If on a network drive you can also map to that level.

I can't even move it out of the directory ??

magick · 7 Aug 2009 at 01:05

Ah I moved the full directory to the root of c drive and now i can right click and rename it.

thanks chaosphy and everyon else

magick · 7 Aug 2009 at 01:07

Ratbag said:
Try this.

very useful app i've been looking for something like that

thanks

bledd · 7 Aug 2009 at 02:29

another thing you could do..

install 7zip, and use the file manager with that, I used to use that in my old job for fixing files that people had somehow created.

it's limit is far greater than the windows one