Renaming mass amounts of files

[pedcarson]

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to copy a whole assembly over to another folder but rename part of the files. As you can see from the attached picture, I want to remove the number assigned originally to each file (67675) to 00001. It won't let me rename, only add before or after to the name.

I know I can rename using design assistant but for large assemblies such as this it gets tedious. Is there a way to mass copy and rename, like a replace this with that type of command for quickly renaming files like this in Inventor?

Edit: Added Picture

[Mark.Lancaster]

@pedcarson

There's no attached picture or image...

I also assume you don't have Vault based on your description.  Inventor iLogic Design Copy may be a possibility but it sounds like it will not work due to your new naming convention.

Update:  Now that your image shows you are using iLogic Design Copy...  With that interface you can only add a prefix and/or suffix to the original file name.  You are unable to rename it to something else.

[pedcarson]

Sorry just added the picture. Yes you're right I don't use Vault so I'm fairly limited.

Would using Vault allow this?

[Mark.Lancaster]

@pedcarson

The paid version of Vault gives you "design copy" and would simplify this workflow dramatically. 

[pedcarson]

Where I work we don't have Vault set up. We are on a paid subscription with Inventor but not sure about Vault.

If I rename files with a third party application after copying them over will they lose all ties to the assembly?

[Curtis_Waguespack · Accepted solution]

Hi pedcarson,

First, please visit this link and give this idea vote (kudo):

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/string-replace-for-ilogic-design-copy/idi-p/3821399

Secondly, I think your best bet since you don't have Vault, is to use the Design Assistant. It's clunky and slow, but it will allow you to rename without breaking links:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcartic...

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2017...

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[MechMachineMan · Accepted solution]

Someone had once posted an Excel Spreadsheet that was loaded with macros that renames assemblies/components, so you could try finding that!

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-customization/batch-renaming-program/td-p/6298702

It's there, I guess it just has some issues that need sorting out.

I also have my own version, so it's definitely possible to get it fixed and working well.

Not too long ago, there was also the discussion for the code for a different variation. 

(https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-customization/rule-ilogic-o-vba-in-inventor-2015-to-subtitut...)

So with some coding experience/help from a willing person experience in programming you could use those 2 links to make a beautifully working excel spreadsheet.

[mflayler]

Free Vault also offers that functionality and if you own Inventor you already have free Vault.  You just need to understand and implement it.  Its a server/client interaction so you have one piece on a server and your client will talk to it to perform Vault actions including Copy Design, Rename, Replace, essentially what Design Assistant really evolved into since DA hasn't been upgraded for over a decade.

[MechMachineMan · Accepted solution]

I'm feeling generous today, and I made the quick tweak that I needed to to make it slightly more fool proof.

Attached is my batch renamer. Any questions on it's operation, feel free to ask.

Might want to play around with some test copies first too, although it does create a brand new set of files anyways.

* Only use the buttons, the three fields up top of file locations, the Skip field on the second page (to skip CC files), and the Part Number field.

Whatever you put in the part number field is what the file gets renamed to, in the target dir.

Only files listed on the excel sheet get renamed, so delete anything you don't want renamed.

Also note that all instances of files in the list have their old version replaced with the new version for every file in the list.

[mslosar]

You can use windows powershell to rename the files as well. This is basically a manual method though you can do all the files at once with it.

After the rename, you have to open your assemblies and they'll fail to find what they were looking for (looking for the old name) and you can point them at the new name. If you're under a 100 files, it's do-able, but if you've got a 1000 part assembly it'll take forever.

It's not the ideal way, but without vault there's not much else that can be done that i'm aware of....oh, and it'll need to be vault2016 as well (possibly 2015R2) as prior to that, i don't think the mass rename option was really available.

[Anonymous]

I was surprised by using BatchRenameFiles Tool.
Search google  BatchRenameFiles Tool

[Anonymous]

Rename Folder with BatchRenameFiles Tool is very easy You can find this by google search - BatchRenameFiles Tool

[mflayler]

How does that fix the problem of re-linking the files internally.  It doesn't.  Use Design Assistant or Vault, or even Copy Components in an Assembly.

[Anonymous]

Hi, I've tryed your excel sheet. At first view, it as exaclty what I need for a batch renaming purpose. But I can't make it work, all links to macro seems not included in the speadsheet? (yes, macros are all enabled). Manually input the files path for all files or trying with the buttons leads me to "impossible to execute marco"

Any idea what I'm missing here?

[ralfmja]

Hello,

I think your solution is what I am looking for.

Unfortunately, when downloading the Rename Macro v1.zip file, I have an error because the links do not work.

Can you send this file again so that I can check if this tool will be useful to me 🙂 ??

Below you can see what error I have when I click the select project button

Thanks in advance,

Best regards,

ralfmj

[MechMachineMan]

hi @ralfmja 

I believe it should be good to go. You might have to hit "Clear Sheet" to get rid of the current lines I have there and then it should work.

Also, please review the other tabs in the file (if they exist, I can't recall) and verify that the typed in links work for the file you want and your server set up.

As it appears in your photo, you still need to change the PROJECT, ASSEMBLY, and TARGET FOLDER fields to match what you are trying to accomplish.

[ralfmja]

@MechMachineMan,

OK - I mastered it. Works perfectly for me.

I see only one serious problem, which is copying linked drawing.

Is it possible to add drawing copying tools to this ??

Thanks for your time,

Cheers,

ralfmj

[inventor4578]

Hi ! Thank you very much for the macro. Is it possible to ad fonctionnality for not copy unnecessary files into the assembly? Thank you again