Batch rename with individual names?

Question

I have (repeatedly) 180 individual PDFs named with student names. I need to replace the student name with the student username. I downloaded Creative Cloud and Bridge hoping that I could do this, but have been unsuccessful. Can I do this with Bridge?

Thanks, Deb

Stephen Marsh · Accepted Answer

This is not a task for Bridge’s Batch Rename tool.

There are likely OS based scripting/programming methods to do what you wish. For a more user friendly approach, I would look into third party file rename tools or the PDF programs or scripting options listed in the links in my blogposts mentioned in post #3.

Try a web search using the search term:

rename files from spreadsheet

Which returns a result such as this one for MS Windows and MS Excel:

https://benholland.me/tutorials/2011/11/11/rename-multiple-files-using-excel-in-windows.html

or a utility such as:

https://www.advancedrenamer.com/user_guide/csvimport

I would be surprised if there were not equivalent approaches on the Mac OS.

When I said:

This is not a task for Bridge’s Batch Rename tool.

It is of course possible, but is it practical, particularly so for 180 student names? The following presumes an ongoing need to do this which would make the task of the setup worthwhile. I don’t even know if there is a limit to the number of items one can string together in the Batch Rename GUI…

P.S. One would still need to take care if two or more students had exactly the same spelling for their names.

Stephen Marsh · Answer

It may not be possible in Bridge, however that is currently unknown as the forum has no idea of what the student name is and what their username is.

For example:

Darth Vader.pdf (student name)

Sith-Lord.pdf (student username)

But how would you inform Bridge of where the username should come from? Is it in the PDF as metadata? As text content? ???

Please provide more detailed information so that the forum can help you.

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