Rename Multiple files at once in dos

Question

I have a large data set that all starts with VDC_ and followed with 5 digits. ex: VDC_21556 , VDC_21580 and so on. ( 10000 files)

I'd like to remove the VDC_ from the filenames just leaving it with numbers

Any tip ?

Are you really using MS-DOS or are you referring to the command line in Windows? — , May 26 '21 at 10:08
These are invalid filenames for DOS, so it definitively is `cmd`. Edited the tags. — Stephan, May 26 '21 at 15:17
Did you search before asking? Looks similar to https://stackoverflow.com/a/26602633/6607497 — U. Windl, May 27 '21 at 10:18

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered May 26 '21 at 10:30

0

If you can use powershell then the following line should do it:

dir | rename-item -NewName {$.name -replace "VDC",""}

Cheers,

Neil

answered May 26 '21 at 10:30

Neil Benn

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or even "VDC_", "" – Neil Benn May 26 '21 at 11:21

K J · Answer 2 · 2021-05-27T13:49:34.630

~~Save the following as RASPfile.cmd in the same folder as the vlc_#####'s then double click it~~

There is a way simpler method, see my second attempt below.

1st attempt

@echo off
:: Rename And Shorten Placement of file names
:: Not all are essential, but if you don't know, play failsafe
SetLocal EnableDelayedExpansion EnableExtensions

:: Extension.less files are difficult to handle thus make them all.eXt@end
Ren VDC_????? VDC_?????.X

:: FORFILES cmd /c is logical to use but reputedly throttles incrementally towards 10,000 files !!
:: so KISS (Keep It Stupidly Simples) a 1 liner
FOR %%F IN ("*.X") DO set name=%%F&ren %%F !name:~4,5!& echo !name:~4,5!

2nd attempt

Simply in each folder just run

ren "VDC_*.*" "////*.*"

based on https://superuser.com/a/871799

Rename Multiple files at once in dos

2 Answers2