Batch Renaming for Multiple files

[noband]

I have an old database application that stored files as Word documents. Each
file has the same layout, with an asset number in the same field. I was able
to pull the Word files off to a share and now I want to change the file name
to the asset number without having to open each file, looking at the number,
and then changing it. Does anyone know of a utility that can do this?

Thanks

 

[Jay Freedman]

There is no existing utility that will be able to locate the asset number
within your files. It will take a custom-written macro, which will have to
be instructed on where to look in the file for that number. The macro will
open each file, locate the number, and do a Save As with the proper name.
This is not a rename, it's a Save As that leaves the original file
unchanged. Later you can delete the original files if everything went as
planned.

The general idea of a macro for opening each file and processing it is shown
at http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/BatchFR.htm. If you don't know
the VBA macro language, ask and someone may write the code for you -- but
*you* will have to supply the information about how to locate the asset
number in the text of the document.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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