Renaming multiselection by F2 call Batch Rename-Plugin

[ino]

Hello,

I want to support one old idea about renaming supposed by .me in thread SS & Renamer-Plugin Enhancements

if I select more then one file and press [F2] in SS, the renamer plugin should start

That idea was replayed by Jan Rysavy:

F2 on selected files for Batch Rename.
F3 on directory for Calculate Directory Size.
etc.

Such "optimizations" will lead to more complicated user interface. Imagine the menu items, toolbar buttons, bottom toolbar items, documentation, beginning users. Plugins are optional components which can, but don't have to be installed and Batch Renamer is a plugin.

We don't think this is a good idea.

Now let me think a bit about it.
At this time when I select more than one item in the panel and press F2 for renaming there occures renaming window which give me the first non-selected item. Yes it is because there is active cursor on it.
That way are selected items ignored.

My idea is:
In this case of more items are highlighted (red) and I press F2 there should occure a question saying "You are trying to rename multiple selection. Do you want to use Batch Rename plug-in?" with option never ask again. Of course only if that plug-in is installed. And that's it.

Do you think it is still much complicate? So what about hotkey Shift+F2 for calling Batch Renamer - that hot key is still available.

[Ether]

Yeah, I thought someone would re-present this idea after my post in the other thread.

F2 on selected files for Batch Rename.
F3 on directory for Calculate Directory Size.
etc.

Such "optimizations" will lead to more complicated user interface. Imagine the menu items, toolbar buttons, bottom toolbar items, documentation, beginning users. Plugins are optional components which can, but don't have to be installed and Batch Renamer is a plugin.

We don't think this is a good idea.

Now let me think a bit about it.
At this time when I select more than one item in the panel and press F2 for renaming there occures renaming window which give me the first non-selected item. Yes it is because there is active cursor on it.
That way are selected items ignored.

Though I don't disagree with assigning some function to F3 on directories, becase nothing happens when you press F3 on a directory so far; I am against batch renaming with F2. F2 has its function regardless of any selections. I use F2 quite often, even when I have some files selected, and I expect Quick Rename everytime.

My idea is:
In this case of more items are highlighted (red) and I press F2 there should occure a question saying "You are trying to rename multiple selection. Do you want to use Batch Rename plug-in?" with option never ask again. Of course only if that plug-in is installed. And that's it.

That's not right. F2 is 'Quick Rename', not just some rename. Quick Rename renames only 1 item. You can't rename any selection with F2, so the logic presented in your hypothetical dialog is wrong. It would work with F6, because it works with current selection and it can rename. However, I doubt someone will be happy with F6 for batch renaming instead of moving.

Do you think it is still much complicate? So what about hotkey Shift+F2 for calling Batch Renamer - that hot key is still available.

Try Plugins->Plugins Manager...->Renamer->Keyboard->Batch Rename...->Shift+F2->Assign.

[zarevak]

I like the idea to be able to lunch Batch Renamer from F2 - it would even help to promote Batch Renamer But I'm against adding another dialog with questions or automatically/magically opening Batch Renamer when multiple files are selected.

I have easier proposal: Add a Batch Rename button to Quick Rename (F2) dialog. The Quick Rename dialog would behave the same way it does now (renaming the focused file), but clicking the button would open the Batch Renamer with all the selected files.

There is one small caveat which should be taken care of:
- when no file is selected, F2 automatically preselects the focused file and everything is working as expected
- when some files are selected and cursor/focus is on one of the selected files, the F2 renames the focused file and Batch Rename can rename all the selected files
- when some files are selected, but cursor is on unselected file, there is a small usability problem, because F2 renames file which is not be available in the Batch Rename....

[Ether]

Add a Batch Rename button to Quick Rename (F2) dialog. The Quick Rename dialog would behave the same way it does now (renaming the focused file), but clicking the button would open the Batch Renamer with all the selected files.

And what would happen, if the Batch Renamer plugin hadn't been installed?

when some files are selected, but cursor is on unselected file, there is a small usability problem, because F2 renames file which is not be available in the Batch Rename....

That won't be a problem, because Quick Rename (always works with only one item - the focused one, like Unpack) isn't related to Batch Rename (works with a selection of file(s), like Copy/Move/...) in that matter.

[zarevak]

And what would happen, if the Batch Renamer plugin hadn't been installed?

The button wouldn't be displayed

when some files are selected, but cursor is on unselected file, there is a small usability problem, because F2 renames file which is not be available in the Batch Rename....

That won't be a problem, because Quick Rename (always works with only one item - the focused one, like Unpack) isn't related to Batch Rename (works with a selection of file(s), like Copy/Move/...) in that matter.

This is where I have the problem. Sometimes I press Space on some directory to check its size. After a while I may want to rename a file in the same panel using F2. The selected directory may not be visible anymore and after clicking Batch Rename button I'm renaming the directory not the file. (Batch Rename is useful for renaming even just one file because of the variables feature)

This hidden selection problem is more general - today I've incidentally deleted one folder instead of the focused file God bless for the Undelete plugin (there were some posts about this problem, but I cannot find them now)

[Ether]

And what would happen, if the Batch Renamer plugin hadn't been installed?

The button wouldn't be displayed

I just wanted to point out the fact that this behavior is against the idea that plugins are separated from the main application, which is independent of them.

To achieve this while not interfering with the independence of the main application, someone would have to program an interface for adding a button to the rename dialog, so the button existence, label and function would be programmed in the plugin itself.

But such an interface would corrupt the dialog, unless someone had programmed an algorithm rearranging the dialog in a manner that, even with a lot of new buttons, the dialog would be still readable and usable. It wouldn't be a bunch of buttons by that time, anyway, I'd guess there'd be a listbox with the possible commands.

And now, that's a lot of work, if one wants to preserve the concepts for which AS is so liked.

[Stefan]

What's about pressing F2 two times to calling Batch Renamer ?

* press F2 --> Quick Rename Dialog
* press F2 second time --> switch to Batch Renamer

.
or

IF you are in "Quick Rename Dialog"
AND press here F2
THEN switch to Batch Renamer

[Ether]

I'd like to see Altap's opinion on this topic.

@Stefan] As I stated before, an essential feature of AS is its independence of plugins. Therefore there aren't easy ways to incorporate Batch Rename (plugin) into Quick Rename (main application). How would you like if you (not) accidentally pressed for example F5 twice and a dialog appeared that you don't have the right plugin to perform the operation assigned to twice-F5 (some Extended Copy feature)? IMHO I'd hate that.

[Stefan]

Therefore there aren't easy ways to incorporate Batch Rename (plugin) into Quick Rename (main application).

The AS developers know an way to launch an plugin.
They could do this from menu and they could do the same from an dialog.

How would you like if you (not) accidentally pressed for example F5 twice and a dialog appeared that you don't have the right plugin to perform the operation assigned to twice-F5 (some Extended Copy feature)?

If the assigned plugin is missed the hotkey will be unavailable automatically.
Or an dialog appears telling me about the missfunction... yes, why not?

[Ether]

Or an dialog appears telling me about the missfunction... yes, why not?

I think user's reactions would be mostly negative.

It all comes down to interface for adding such behavior to dialogs of main application. If such thing was possible, it might lead to incompatibility between third-party plugins.

The AS developers know an way to launch an plugin.
They could do this from menu and they could do the same from an dialog.

It is possible that AS will eventually have such API, but IMHO it involves quite a lot of coding.

[Guest]

- I would like to completely remove the rename dialog when F2 is pressed, I would like to rename just in the place where directory name is, you know? The same way like you slowly double clik on the name, but when F2 pressed.

- I am against a batch rename on F2 (or double hit F2), I would like a batch rename on F6 or better on CTRL+F2 instead of file attributes, which could be anywhere else, who uses attributes anyway?

[Ether]

I am against a batch rename on F2 (or double hit F2), I would like a batch rename on F6 or better on CTRL+F2 instead of file attributes, which could be anywhere else, who uses attributes anyway?

I use attributes (and there are surely other people using it). And F6 is for Moving.