rename texture files but keep mappings in 3DS Max

[RadioRahim]

Hi, im dealing with a importing models that need all of their texture files renamed to a specific file naming system and wondered if there is a way to preserve the material mapping in 3ds max so that I dont have to reassign all the newly named textures to the materials?

Example:
r112_candlestand01.dds----->renamed to----> 0000.dds
r112_candlestand02.dds----->renamed to----> 0001.dds
r112_candlestand03.dds----->renamed to----> 0002.dds

Thanks!

Your post subject line has been edited by @hagen.deloss for clarity: possible to rename texture files cut keep mappings

[hagen.deloss]

Hi @RadioRahim,

Great to hear from you on the forums! Aaaaah yes the bane of my existence, naming convention changes mid project. Hahah, seriously though pipeline is so important, and asset management can get bogged down quickly.

I'm not sure that it can be done in program natively, but I found this tool in the Autodesk app store that looks promising. Please let me know if this doesn't work for you and we can do some more digging!

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[RadioRahim]

thanks for your reply, but Im not sure this is supposed to do what I am after. 
If the original texture is: st_107kabe_a but I have renamed it to 0001.dds, I need a way to preserve (or restore) the symbolic link between the material in 3ds Max. 

What I am seeing with this app you suggested is a program that looks for missing textures with their original names. So what happens when I need to rename all my textures? There is nothing to find I presume as how would this know what I renamed it to? 

Essentially I am looking for a way to rename all my texture files but keep the links with the Materials. This way I don't have to manually re import thousands of textures. 

[RadioRahim]

any chance there is way to do this?

[hagen.deloss]

Hello @RadioRahim

Great to hear from you, sorry that last tool wasn't what you are looking for! I searched around some more and came across this post that looked promising, What you are looking for is a custom script that batch renames material bitmap paths, I'm sure it's buried around on the internet somewhere. 

I also chatted with a coworker who is looking into this further, i will update you on anything else we find out. Thanks for being so easy to troubleshoot with!

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[hagen.deloss · Accepted solution]

Hey @RadioRahim

My colleague Jon Bell was super helpful and tracked down this great max script called the interactive universal renamer, you can download it here.

We also made a test scene for you and tested the tool out, here are the settings you will need to set in order to rename the images and repath them correctly.

Additionally, you will need to make sure all the texture files are in the same location (old and new) and be sure that the pathing is correct ( you can do so by using the asset tracking toggle).
I hope this works for you! You will probably have to rename them in batches due to your naming conventions, but it sure beats re-linking them manually.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[RadioRahim]

Hey thanks for putting so much time into this! I really appreciate the awesome help folks have for us. I cant wait to try it out. I ill let you know how it pans out. 

Cheers

[hagen.deloss]

@RadioRahim

We are here to help! Looking forward to hearing how the project goes, and yes, would love to hear if this works for you 😄

[hagen.deloss]

Hi @RadioRahim

I wanted to check back and see if my post helped you with your problem. It would be super helpful if you could add a post with how you decide to proceed, and your results. That way other Community members can benefit from your process

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if a post or posts solves your issue or answers your question.

[ViperAleks]

You could use nameManager script from SoulburnScripts

[RadioRahim]

this looks promising, but im not sure it actually works.. I was able to rename the files in teh utility window, but when looked into the directory where the files are stored I saw that the file names had not actually changed =(



Is this supposed to actually rename the files? The issue here is that I need to change all the actual file names too 0000, 0001, 0002.. etc

It very easy to rename the files with  the 'Bulk Rename Utility' program I have, but then the symbolic link with 3Ds Max is lost. 

Ideas?

[RadioRahim]

Hi thanks for your reply. Even after installing the package correctly nothing happens when I run the scripts. There seems to be no documentation ether on how to use, but if it doesn't even load that's the least of my worries 😉

It says that it is compatible with 2018 3DsMax (which Im running). Not sure why these wont wok. 

[hagen.deloss]

Hello @RadioRahim

Sorry for not responding sooner! with my understanding of how the interactive universal renamer works, it will repath your files if the original files are in the same folder as the renamed ones.

• Your folder structure will have "candlestick001" file and also the new file "001" in the same folder. 
• You can still use your Bulk Rename Utility program, just as long as you keep the old, duplicate files with the original naming convention in the same folder

You can then use the file rename plugin to relink those paths in mass. Did you get a chance to try it out on the sample scene previously attached?

If my understanding of the issue is incorrect, lets clarify and continue troubleshooting the issue. Thanks for being so patient 😄

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[ViperAleks]

Something is wrong. All scripts work fine in any version of 3ds Max I have installed - 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018.

[RadioRahim]

SOrry for the late reply. I got very deep into my work anbd couldnt chnage my workflow half way through.I am at teh point now where I would like to try this again, but really need a walkthough.. 

Is there any way you could make a short video of this process. Here's what I need:

I have a whole lot of files that are used by materials in my scene with names something like this:
 
I would like to be able to rename the files without having to reapply the textures to the materials in my scene. The new file names always look like this:


THanks!

[dm.tr.y]

Hi! Please give a link to the script. The existing link does not work.

[hagen.deloss]

@dm.tr.y

Thanks for catching that, I updated the script link above. Seems like the website it linked to is gone. 

Here it is again.

Hope this helps!

[RadioRahim]

ok so I had some success in renaming the files, but again, after renaming them when i I looked at the materials and the textures attached in the material editor, the names of the textures the material editor were not changed, I tried exporting but when there are warnings that textures are missing. 

I tired to turn on esset trackings you mentioned but i dont see the same thing in the File menu. I actually get a big pop up menu:














Here the files are still using their old names. 
Wondering if you could do a step by step again on this, explaining how the textures are supposed to stay attached to their materials after being renamed?

Perhaps you could elaborate (step by step) on how having the original and the newly named files works., I found that a bit confusing. 

Thanks!

[hagen.deloss]

Hi @RadioRahim

It looks like the Scriptspot version of this tool isn't available for download any more! Do you happen to have the Universal renamer tool already downloaded on your machine? If you can send it to me I can try to do a walkthrough (as soon as I understand it myself).

I hope we can figure this out together!

[RadioRahim]

hi yes, I have uploaded the InteractiveRenamer_2014-04-17_2.01.mzp file HERE

I had some success too. Here's what I remember doing:
I renamed the ASSETS first with the script in the dialogue window, then renamed the FILES the same way. This preserved the link to the files. The idea was to be able to change file names after the files materials had been assigned textures with the old names but keep the link to the files after their names hgad been changed.  

Cheers
and THANK YOU