Over the years, I've used Get Info command a lot mainly to rename files. Maybe I'm losing my patience. There has to be a better way. Any ideas?

I'd like to be able to drop a folder onto a blank window (of a program) which would then allow me to rename the files. Changing a list of files, even one at a time, is better than having to hit Get Info repeatedly.

I find this esp. annoying lately in Column View. Unless I've got my settings wrong, I repeateadly have to adjust column widths to be able to read the name of a file. If one file has a long file name, the column shoots out to the right. Then if I want to highlight a file in a further left column, I have to resize again. I use double-click often, but I'm not sure if that makes things easier. Resizing is still a regular task.

Much time is wasted doing these fiddly things.

The App Store catalogs 57 file rename utilities. Perhaps one of those would meet your requirements.

When a file name is too long to be read in column view I hit command-2 and switch to list view for a few seconds...much easier than sizing and resizing.

deniro refuses to update past OS X 10.6.7 and, so, cannot access the App Store.

I'll bet that this is not enough of an impetus to move him.

Yes, I can access the Apple Store using 10.6.7.

I googled rename utilities and found a few free programs. I'll tinker with these: Free File Renamer, Name Changer, and Rename.

Ahhh... I just learned that the App Store came in 10.6.6, not 10.6.8, as I thought.

With a file selected in the Finder, instead of using Get Info why not just hit Return? You can then simply type the new name right there in the Finder window.

I'm not all that impressed by the Apple Store. Not well organized. Not as much software as I expected. The explanations of the programs are skimpy and inchoate. I'll stick with MacUpdate.

I have renamed files in the Finder, but it means placing the cursor at the exact position and then waiting until the Finder responds. Granted, it's not long, but it's long enough to annoy me. I can use Get Info faster. But for a group of files hitting Get Info repeatedly gets tedious.

Reminds me of constantly shortening names of bookmarks. Still haven't solved that one. A ridiculous waste of time.

I usually get by in terminal personally whenI need to bulk rename things. But that can get a little hairy. The safest route to go with that is to simply have it dump a list of all the commands it's going to execute. Then you can look over the list, and if it looks good, copy and paste it back into terminal to execute.

harkens me back to having to fix home folder permissions for 1500 students because the backup software failed to update ownership on restore... "I'm NOT doing that by hand."

Over 1,000,000 apps are not enough for you! Boy you are a tough audience!

What you describe that you would like to be able to do is exactly what A Better Finder Rename actually does. This is a quality, venerable Mac company and product. Whether or not it will still run in 10.6.8 I don't know, but I'm sure the developer can tell you.

Thanks. I'll download the demo. There's a 10.6 version.

Free File Renamer also looks interesting and easy to use.

I take a related but different view. In many cases, when I search for something, I find MORE hits than I know what to do with. I want a ping tool. OK there's 85 to choose from. It's like being on a car lot looking for a car. They all look so similar, and when you get in and inspect they all have such radically different features, it makes comparing them quite a bother.

I usually just download 5-6 of the most promising ones based on reviews, try them, and keep the one I prefer. Obviously not an option for paid apps though, and can run into the same problem there.

deniro,

I just joined FineTunedMac today and was browsing around and saw this post and decided to throw my two cents in, especially for others who might also be looking for advice on renaming files--which I had to work my way through a couple of years ago. As you well know, batch renaming is not especially easy on native OS X. Thus, utility apps are the way to go. But as others have said there are hundreds out there and most of them are awful and overpriced.

If you ever decide to update your hardware (I presume the reason why you're running an OS that's more than 4 years old now is because nothing beyond Snow Leopard will run on your hardware), I suggest checking out Many Trick's "Name Mangler" product. Unfortunately, you won't be able to use the latest version of Name Mangler (as of the date I'm writing this, ver. 3.3) until you're running 10.7 or greater. But maybe you can get your hands on an earlier version that would run on 10.6.x. The app is excellent in every way, and comes with a modest price tag of $19. I tried dozens, several of which I paid for because I have the need to rename files in batch mode almost every day.

As with all purchases of the sort where a Mac App Store and a direct-from-developer version are available, I suggest buying from the developer directly given that it puts a little more money in their pocket and often comes with the added benefit of greater capabilities because the app won't be sandboxed. Plus, most small developers also extend the license for as many Macs as one owns.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Welcome to FineTunedMac

I have RENAME 1.6.2 and it is working with El Capitan.

Really simple app to use.

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/33659/rename