Comments on: Rename group of files bug in Vista

By: Kathy S

Kathy S — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:59:52 +0000

Hi, I have a new Dell w/ XP SP3. Anyhow, Windows has been taking over and screwing things up when I rename files. The scenario is when I copy a group of files to a folder and I begin to manually rename them, by choice and my preference. Windows takes the group of just copied files and assumes they are a sequence… even though the names were totally unique. There was no F2 Key involved on my part – In this case the files were maps named after locations, and to organize for the web directory – I wanted to add “map” to the beginning of the name. After 2 times all the maps are named ie.. mapLosAngeles(1)… (13) This is really screwy and scarey and irresponsible and really ticks me off. Does anyone know of a way I can turn off auto-renaming in Windows? At least Graphics programs that are familiar w/ auto-sequencing have the decency to ASK if this is what you want to do! (I was only able to undo about 9 of the files)

By: VS (Vista Sucks)

VS (Vista Sucks) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:33:17 +0000

karo’s solution above works for me. I just don’t understand why do we have to get around to assist the computer to do its job. Bill Gate is a dork.

By: sad loss

sad loss — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:03:37 +0000

I was struggling with the rename feature in Vista. In an effort to rename 300 pictures and ending up with random orders 2 times, I almost gave up. My last attempt resulted in complete loss of 299 pictures in that file. It appears from the suggestion at the top that I must have clicked edit- redo, but here’s the unbelievable part. They didn’t even go in to the recycle basket. It completely disappeared from the computer period!!! Imagine how many hours I spent to download my pictures from various sources and put them into the right order. Man, I am speechless. Why is there not a patch for this xxxxxx problem!?

By: dude

dude — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:52:33 +0000

Yes, this is one of the few things that causes trouble for me. They really did drop the ball on this feature in Vista.

I don’t know why they use the parenthesis either. But I am beginning to think it has to do with the ascending number ordering, meaning there is no need for zeros, not sure. Image all the annoying zeros if you have 100,000 files.

So I turned to relying on a rename feature of a photo-editor named XnView but I found another batch photo editor named Photoscape that has much better qualities.

Here is something you can test; after you select the files. If you use “right click” or “context-menu”, then you need to have your mouse on the uppermost file highlighted when you select “rename” if you want to numbers to change from the top down. Stated another way; the numbering will start from where you mouse happens to be if you “right-click”. Instead of the “context menu” use the “F2″ key and this won’t be a problem.

As most people probably mouse window from the top-down and start to rename with the mouse on the last or bottom-most file; that would explain why the last file ends up on top; the auto-alphabetizer puts it there.

By: Tearing Hair Out with VISTA

Tearing Hair Out with VISTA — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:07:34 +0000

VISTA is driving me crazy!!!!! HOW on earth could any business create such a piece of cr*p software, unless MICROSNOT is being deliberately DEMONIC and delights in tormenting & torturing its end-users?

By: Darren

Darren — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:19:21 +0000

It’s actually far worse than that. I like my files to be names in order of the date taken. Try this little trick — order by date taken, then highlight that list and try to rename the series from 1 to xxx. It names all the files in some nonsensical RANDOM order.

I HATE WINDOWS VISTA — AND BILL GATES. HE’S A DORK AND I WISH I HAD BOUGHT A MAC

By: karo

karo — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:34:36 +0000

I had the same problem, but found a trick
I drag the first file which I want to become (1) to the end of the sequence and then when I rename the files I assign (1) to the second file which is now at the first position.

Now Vista makes the same mistake in renaming it (2), (3), (4), (5), (1), but this time this is exactly what I want

By: Liz Clarkeson

Liz Clarkeson — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:17:57 +0000

Basically Vista is an absolutely terrible piece of software and Microsoft have obviously given no thought to develop this software properly. Advice: Wipe PC of this disgusting software!!!

By: harold

harold — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:52:47 +0000

I have encountered a recurring problem when renaming a series of photos in Windows Vista.

I select the photos I want to rename, right click ‘rename’ and type in the name giving the first photo in the series the new name followed by (1), and hit enter. When the window refreshes itself, I find that the first photo in the series which I renamed (1) has become (2), and the last photo in the series has become (1). The order remains the same, but if there are 5 photos in the series, for example, they end up being renamed (2), (3), (4), (5), (1), instead of (1), (2), (3), (4), (5).

Why is this and how do I fix it?