[Solved] Can't get DOS rename call to work

[Garp99HasSpoken]

I've been trying for hours now and can't figure out why this simple thing won't work.

I checked the forums but nothing really works, including this recent thread.

Sometimes I temporarily prefix file names with xx | yy | zz when using mkvmerge to split files.

I then want to be able to simply right-click on 1+ files and click MyRename script.

It will then take that file(s) and strip out the leading characters to rename to the new filename.

Error message in command box is: The system cannot find the file specified.

which seems to be because parameters enclosed in "" and needed because of spaces.

The command prompt is in the correct directory where I right-clicked.

expandcollapse popup

#include <File.au3>
#include <Process.au3>

Dim $file, $newFile, $dir

If ($CmdLine[0] = "0") Then
    MsgBox(0, "No file passed", "File expected to be passed by Context Menu.")
    Exit
EndIf

$file = FileGetLongName($CmdLine[1])

If Not FileExists($file) Then
    MsgBox(4096, "No file found", "No file passed in to script or file no longer exists."  & @CRLF & $file)
    Exit
EndIf

Dim $szDrive, $szDir, $szFName, $szExt, $result
_PathSplit($file, $szDrive, $szDir, $szFName, $szExt)

$file = $szFName

;; check for: xx* | yy* | zz* for temporary MKVMerge files created
If StringRegExp($file, "^[x|y|z]{2}", 0) Then
    $newFile = StringRegExpReplace($file, "^[x|y|z]{2}", "", 1)
    If @error Then
        MsgBox(0, "Pattern Error", "Error - " & @Extended)
    EndIf
Else
    $newFile = ""
EndIf

If StringLen($newFile) Then
    $file = $file & $szExt
    $newFile = $newFile & $szExt

    $result = MsgBox(4+32, "Success", " File: " & $file & @CRLF & "New: " & $newFile _
            & @CRLF & @CRLF & "Path: " & $szDrive & $szDir _
            & @CRLF & @CRLF & "Go ahead and rename this file?" & @CRLF, 15)
    if ($result = 6) Then

;; this is the drive letter + directory taken from split $file -- should also = @WorkingDir
$dir = $szDrive & $szDir

;;;;;; various attempts

;; $result = _RunDOS("ren '" & $dir & $file & "' '" & $dir & $newFile & "'")

;; $result = ShellExecute("cmd /k", "rename", $file, $newFile, @WorkingDir)

        MsgBox(0, "Rename", "ren " & $dir & $file & @CRLF & $dir & $newFile)
;; $result = _RunDOS('ren "' & $dir & $file & '" "' & $dir & $newFile & '"')

;; $result = RunWait(@ComSpec & ' /K REN "' & $dir & '\' & $file & '" "' & $dir & '\' & $newFile & '"', $dir)

;; $result = RunWait(@ComSpec & ' /K REN "' & $file & '" "' & $newFile & '"', $dir)

;;; using /K instead of /C to keep window open for error, /S is supposed to process double-quotes
$result = RunWait(@ComSpec & ' /C REN "' & $file & '" "' & $newFile & '"', $dir, @SW_HIDE)

        If Not $result Then
            MsgBox(0, "Bad Rename", "Could not perform rename: error is " & @error)
        EndIf
    EndIf
Else
    MsgBox(0, "Nothing to do", " File: " & $file & @CRLF & @CRLF & "No changes to make.", 15)
EndIf

Exit

Edited October 6, 2008 by Garp99HasSpoken

[martin]

I've been trying for hours now and can't figure out why this simple thing won't work.

I checked the forums but nothing really works, including this recent thread.

Sometimes I temporarily prefix file names with xx | yy | zz when using mkvmerge to split files.

I then want to be able to simply right-click on 1+ files and click MyRename script.

It will then take that file(s) and strip out the leading characters to rename to the new filename.

Error message in command box is: The system cannot find the file specified.

which seems to be because parameters enclosed in "" and needed because of spaces.

The command prompt is in the correct directory where I right-clicked.

expandcollapse popup

#include <File.au3>
#include <Process.au3>

Dim $file, $newFile, $dir

If ($CmdLine[0] = "0") Then
    MsgBox(0, "No file passed", "File expected to be passed by Context Menu.")
    Exit
EndIf

$file = FileGetLongName($CmdLine[1])

If Not FileExists($file) Then
    MsgBox(4096, "No file found", "No file passed in to script or file no longer exists."  & @CRLF & $file)
    Exit
EndIf

Dim $szDrive, $szDir, $szFName, $szExt, $result
_PathSplit($file, $szDrive, $szDir, $szFName, $szExt)

;; remove dots, if any
$file = StringReplace($szFName, ".", " ")

;; check for: xx* | yy* | zz* for temporary MKVMerge files created
If StringRegExp($file, "^[x|y|z]{2}", 0) Then
    $newFile = StringRegExpReplace($file, "^[x|y|z]{2}", "", 1)
    If @error Then
        MsgBox(0, "Pattern Error", "Error - " & @Extended)
    EndIf
Else
    $newFile = ""
EndIf

If StringLen($newFile) Then
    $result = MsgBox(4+32, "Success", " File: " & $file & @CRLF & "New: " & $newFile _
            & @CRLF & @CRLF & "Path: " & $szDrive & $szDir _
            & @CRLF & @CRLF & "Go ahead and rename this file?" & @CRLF, 15)
    if ($result = 6) Then

;; this is the drive letter + directory taken from split $file -- should also = @WorkingDir
$dir = $szDrive & $szDir

;;;;;; various attempts

;; $result = _RunDOS("ren '" & $dir & $file & "' '" & $dir & $newFile & "'")

;; $result = ShellExecute("cmd /k", "rename", $file, $newFile, @WorkingDir)

        MsgBox(0, "Rename", "ren " & $dir & $file & @CRLF & $dir & $newFile)
;; $result = _RunDOS('ren "' & $dir & $file & '" "' & $dir & $newFile & '"')

;; $result = RunWait(@ComSpec & ' /K REN "' & $dir & '\' & $file & '" "' & $dir & '\' & $newFile & '"', $dir)

;; $result = RunWait(@ComSpec & ' /K REN "' & $file & '" "' & $newFile & '"', $dir)

;;; using /K instead of /C to keep window open for error, /S is supposed to process double-quotes
$result = RunWait(@ComSpec & ' /S /K REN "' & $file & '" "' & $newFile & '"', $dir);; , @SW_HIDE)

        If Not $result Then
            MsgBox(0, "Bad Rename", "Could not perform rename: error is " & @error)
        EndIf
    EndIf
Else
    MsgBox(0, "Nothing to do", " File: " & $file & @CRLF & @CRLF & "No changes to make.", 15)
EndIf

Exit

Wouldn't it be easier to use FileMove?

But your msgbox should give you some of the reason for your commands not working. You have 2 mistakes.

First you have left off the file extension, second you have used the REN command incorrectly I think. The syntax is

REN $FileFullPath $NewFileName

where $NewFileName does not include the path.

You could have found the problem by trying the same thing at the command prompt.

This should work

_RunDos('ren "' & $dir & $file & $szExt & '" "' & $newFile & $szExt & '"')

Edited October 6, 2008 by martin

[Garp99HasSpoken]

Yes, I figured out the missing extension.

Because of that, even FileMove wasn't working

$result = RunWait(@ComSpec & ' /C REN "' & $file & '" "' & $newFile & '"', $dir, @SW_HIDE)

because it uses the $dir as a parameter, the rename is performed on local files.

So thanks, I got it working now... updated first post.

Edited October 6, 2008 by Garp99HasSpoken