Faster File/Dir Renaming

[Sander Bouwhuis]

I have been using Directory Opus (it's a file manager like Xyplorer) and there the renaming of multiple files/dirs is very fast. What you can do is use the cursor keys UP and DOWN to go to the next and previous file while renaming them.
In Xyplorer you have to press TAB or SHIFT-TAB, which is inconvenient. Further, your current position (e.g., your caret is at the 8th letter) is lost and it selects part of the filename.

I saw there is now a 'Rename Special: Edit Item Names...' option, but it's really unwieldy. I hope you can change it to be more user-friendly by implementing it like Directory Opus does.

Thank you in advance.

[admin]

UP and DOWN have other functionality in XY's rename boxes.
UP: go to beginning of selection and unselect.
DOWN: go to end of selection and unselect.

But I like the idea you describe there. I think about it...

[Sander Bouwhuis]

That would be wonderful, as I often do a lot of renaming.

Especially the option where the caret position is maintained (e.g., going from 4th letter in the current file name to the 4th letter of the next/previous file name) is intuitive and fast.

[j_c_hallgren]

UP and DOWN have other functionality in XY's rename boxes.
UP: go to beginning of selection and unselect.
DOWN: go to end of selection and unselect.

But I like the idea you describe there. I think about it...

While I do like the idea of being able to maintain the caret pos, I'm also used to being able to do the existing Up/Down functionality so not sure how both could be handled...and not sure how many other users would prefer the current XY style to the DO style or vice-versa if it had to be one or the other.

[admin]

UP and DOWN have other functionality in XY's rename boxes.
UP: go to beginning of selection and unselect.
DOWN: go to end of selection and unselect.

But I like the idea you describe there. I think about it...

While I do like the idea of being able to maintain the caret pos, I'm also used to being able to do the existing Up/Down functionality so not sure how both could be handled...and not sure how many other users would prefer the current XY style to the DO style or vice-versa if it had to be one or the other.

My idea is that you put the list into a special "Edit Mode" (or so) where the font turns to Edit Text Font (as defined by the user; should be monospace), and then you can move around with the arrow keys and edit the names.

[grindax]

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[grindax]

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[Sander Bouwhuis]

That sounds fine, as long as you can quickly edit the file names like they are in a text editor.
(Temporarily) changing the font to fixed width is a great idea. CTRL-UP / CTRL-DOWN is NOT a good idea, because you'd still be having trouble with slow/difficult key combinations.

[admin]

That sounds fine, as long as you can quickly edit the file names like they are in a text editor.
(Temporarily) changing the font to fixed width is a great idea. CTRL-UP / CTRL-DOWN is NOT a good idea, because you'd still be having trouble with slow/difficult key combinations.

It will not be 100% like moving around in a multiline text, but coming close. Note that everytime you change a line the previous line's changes will be realized (=item will be renamed). (I have no idea how it is done in DO, but I assume similar?)

[Sander Bouwhuis]

Yes, of course. Whenever you change the position vertically the changes will be committed.
This for me would be a killer feature.

[admin]

Yes, of course. Whenever you change the position vertically the changes will be committed.
This for me would be a killer feature.

Next beta will have it.

(A lite version w/out my idea of Edit Mode + monospace font)

[admin]

No comment on this killer feature?? I think it's awesome!

[jjk]

I think so ! so handy...

Though I wonder : I thought the cursor should return to the initial position before renaming, instead of keeping the position after renaming ?
What do you think ?

[lukescammell]

I think I'm going to like this, I certainly like the idea of it. I'm just going to have to retrain my muscle memory to not just hit F2, DOWN when I want to append something to the filename. Now I have to press F2, RIGHT, LEFT... not so great. Better solutions welcomed

[jjk]

I like very much this new feature.
But as I said in my last post, "I thought the cursor should return to the initial position before renaming, instead of keeping the position after renaming ?"