I came across a situation where a client of mine needed a whole batch of pictures renamed to display “underscores” instead of “dashes”. For example, I needed the following to be changed:
W-Lawther-4311-1263.jpg W_Lawther_4311_1263.jpg
Going through each individual file and manually changing each dash to an underscore would be painstaking. I did some research and found a very simple solution to this problem.
ren ?-???????-????-????.jpg ?_???????_????_????.jpg
Open up the Command Prompt (Start->Run->Type: cmd)
Navigate to your directory using the ‘cd’ command and display the contents of your directory using the ‘dir’ command. Here is an example of the process I went through.
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\Chris>dir
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is BC3E-4FC9
Directory of C:\Users\Chris
01/24/2011 08:22 AM <DIR> .
01/24/2011 08:22 AM <DIR> ..
01/24/2011 03:03 PM <DIR> Contacts
01/31/2011 05:54 PM <DIR> Desktop
01/28/2011 02:27 PM <DIR> Documents
01/31/2011 04:02 AM <DIR> Downloads
01/24/2011 03:03 PM <DIR> Favorites
01/24/2011 03:03 PM <DIR> Links
01/24/2011 03:03 PM <DIR> Music
02/01/2011 09:56 AM <DIR> Pictures
01/24/2011 03:03 PM <DIR> Saved Games
01/24/2011 03:03 PM <DIR> Searches
01/24/2011 03:03 PM <DIR> Videos
0 File(s) 0 bytes
13 Dir(s) 66,118,414,336 bytes free
C:\Users\Chris>cd Pictures
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures>dir
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is BC3E-4FC9
Directory of C:\Users\Chris\Pictures
02/01/2011 09:56 AM <DIR> .
02/01/2011 09:56 AM <DIR> ..
02/01/2011 10:11 AM <DIR> 4311 W Lawther 550
09/18/2010 11:13 AM 242,056 Earth.jpg
1 File(s) 242,056 bytes
3 Dir(s) 66,118,414,336 bytes free
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures>cd "4311 W Lawther 550"
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550>dir
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is BC3E-4FC9
Directory of C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550
02/01/2011 10:11 AM <DIR> .
02/01/2011 10:11 AM <DIR> ..
02/01/2011 10:11 AM <DIR> JPEG
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 190,939 W-Lawther-4311-1003.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 229,187 W-Lawther-4311-1011.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 362,945 W-Lawther-4311-1019.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 315,891 W-Lawther-4311-1025.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 324,793 W-Lawther-4311-1037.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 298,915 W-Lawther-4311-1054.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 311,920 W-Lawther-4311-1062.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 218,105 W-Lawther-4311-1069.jpg
01/20/2011 02:30 PM 284,679 W-Lawther-4311-1092.jpg
01/24/2011 03:50 PM 179,684 W-Lawther-4311-1097.jpg
01/24/2011 03:55 PM 215,851 W-Lawther-4311-1132.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 119,409 W-Lawther-4311-1183.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 121,753 W-Lawther-4311-1192.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 130,715 W-Lawther-4311-1201.jpg
01/24/2011 03:50 PM 191,201 W-Lawther-4311-1216.jpg
01/24/2011 03:50 PM 188,831 W-Lawther-4311-1225.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 163,884 W-Lawther-4311-1242.jpg
01/24/2011 03:51 PM 215,726 W-Lawther-4311-1251A.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 174,017 W-Lawther-4311-1263.jpg
01/24/2011 03:54 PM 170,680 W-Lawther-4311-1273.jpg
01/24/2011 03:54 PM 150,399 W-Lawther-4311-1283.jpg
01/24/2011 03:51 PM 189,790 W-Lawther-4311-1289.jpg
01/24/2011 03:51 PM 169,936 W-Lawther-4311-1307.jpg
01/24/2011 03:51 PM 171,228 W-Lawther-4311-1321.jpg
01/24/2011 03:54 PM 155,343 W-Lawther-4311-1333.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 319,921 W-Lawther-4311-2048.jpg
01/20/2011 02:30 PM 227,850 W-Lawther-4311-2081.jpg
01/24/2011 03:55 PM 168,058 W-Lawther-4311-2144.jpg
28 File(s) 5,961,650 bytes
3 Dir(s) 66,118,414,336 bytes free
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550>ren ?-???????-????-????.jpg ?_???????
_????_????.jpg
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550>dir
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is BC3E-4FC9
Directory of C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550
02/01/2011 10:35 AM <DIR> .
02/01/2011 10:35 AM <DIR> ..
02/01/2011 10:34 AM <DIR> JPEG
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 190,939 W_Lawther_4311_1003.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 229,187 W_Lawther_4311_1011.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 362,945 W_Lawther_4311_1019.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 315,891 W_Lawther_4311_1025.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 324,793 W_Lawther_4311_1037.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 298,915 W_Lawther_4311_1054.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 311,920 W_Lawther_4311_1062.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 218,105 W_Lawther_4311_1069.jpg
01/20/2011 02:30 PM 284,679 W_Lawther_4311_1092.jpg
01/24/2011 03:50 PM 179,684 W_Lawther_4311_1097.jpg
01/24/2011 03:55 PM 215,851 W_Lawther_4311_1132.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 119,409 W_Lawther_4311_1183.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 121,753 W_Lawther_4311_1192.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 130,715 W_Lawther_4311_1201.jpg
01/24/2011 03:50 PM 191,201 W_Lawther_4311_1216.jpg
01/24/2011 03:50 PM 188,831 W_Lawther_4311_1225.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 163,884 W_Lawther_4311_1242.jpg
01/24/2011 03:51 PM 215,726 W_Lawther_4311_1251.jpg
01/24/2011 03:53 PM 174,017 W_Lawther_4311_1263.jpg
01/24/2011 03:54 PM 170,680 W_Lawther_4311_1273.jpg
01/24/2011 03:54 PM 150,399 W_Lawther_4311_1283.jpg
01/24/2011 03:51 PM 189,790 W_Lawther_4311_1289.jpg
01/24/2011 03:51 PM 169,936 W_Lawther_4311_1307.jpg
01/24/2011 03:51 PM 171,228 W_Lawther_4311_1321.jpg
01/24/2011 03:54 PM 155,343 W_Lawther_4311_1333.jpg
01/20/2011 02:29 PM 319,921 W_Lawther_4311_2048.jpg
01/20/2011 02:30 PM 227,850 W_Lawther_4311_2081.jpg
01/24/2011 03:55 PM 168,058 W_Lawther_4311_2144.jpg
28 File(s) 5,961,650 bytes
3 Dir(s) 66,118,410,240 bytes free
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550>cd JPEG
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550\JPEG>dir
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is BC3E-4FC9
Directory of C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550\JPEG
02/01/2011 10:34 AM <DIR> .
02/01/2011 10:34 AM <DIR> ..
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,673 W-Lawther-4311-1003.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,929 W-Lawther-4311-1011.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 41,485 W-Lawther-4311-1019.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,100 W-Lawther-4311-1025.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,778 W-Lawther-4311-1037.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,511 W-Lawther-4311-1054.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,979 W-Lawther-4311-1062.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,873 W-Lawther-4311-1069.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,101 W-Lawther-4311-1092.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,034 W-Lawther-4311-1097.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,793 W-Lawther-4311-1132.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 34,166 W-Lawther-4311-1183.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 34,872 W-Lawther-4311-1192.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 33,423 W-Lawther-4311-1201.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,824 W-Lawther-4311-1216.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,824 W-Lawther-4311-1225.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,862 W-Lawther-4311-1242.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,910 W-Lawther-4311-1251.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,474 W-Lawther-4311-1263.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 35,538 W-Lawther-4311-1273.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,691 W-Lawther-4311-1283.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 42,598 W-Lawther-4311-1289.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 35,948 W-Lawther-4311-1307.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,512 W-Lawther-4311-1321.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,163 W-Lawther-4311-1333.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,918 W-Lawther-4311-2048.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,907 W-Lawther-4311-2081.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 37,046 W-Lawther-4311-2144.jpg
28 File(s) 1,058,932 bytes
2 Dir(s) 66,118,410,240 bytes free
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550\JPEG>ren ?-???????-????-????.jpg ?_??
?????_????_????.jpg
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550\JPEG>dir
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is BC3E-4FC9
Directory of C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550\JPEG
02/01/2011 10:36 AM <DIR> .
02/01/2011 10:36 AM <DIR> ..
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,673 W_Lawther_4311_1003.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,929 W_Lawther_4311_1011.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 41,485 W_Lawther_4311_1019.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,100 W_Lawther_4311_1025.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,778 W_Lawther_4311_1037.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,511 W_Lawther_4311_1054.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,979 W_Lawther_4311_1062.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,873 W_Lawther_4311_1069.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,101 W_Lawther_4311_1092.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,034 W_Lawther_4311_1097.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,793 W_Lawther_4311_1132.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 34,166 W_Lawther_4311_1183.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 34,872 W_Lawther_4311_1192.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 33,423 W_Lawther_4311_1201.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,824 W_Lawther_4311_1216.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 38,824 W_Lawther_4311_1225.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,862 W_Lawther_4311_1242.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,910 W_Lawther_4311_1251.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,474 W_Lawther_4311_1263.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 35,538 W_Lawther_4311_1273.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,691 W_Lawther_4311_1283.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 42,598 W_Lawther_4311_1289.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 35,948 W_Lawther_4311_1307.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,512 W_Lawther_4311_1321.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,163 W_Lawther_4311_1333.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 39,918 W_Lawther_4311_2048.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 36,907 W_Lawther_4311_2081.jpg
02/01/2011 10:11 AM 37,046 W_Lawther_4311_2144.jpg
28 File(s) 1,058,932 bytes
2 Dir(s) 66,118,402,048 bytes free
C:\Users\Chris\Pictures\4311 W Lawther 550\JPEG>