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rotarypower101

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 28, 2007
264
3
Portland Oregon
Just wondering how everyone here is doing it?
And to reiterate, not tag the metadata, but relabel a show’s file name once ripped from disk and converted.
Right now I am using windows to do this task but would prefer to use OSX if there is an easy and better way to do batch renaming?

The program that I use now is called Bulkrenameutility, it has its cons but for the most part it allows me to label shows exactly how I wish where an episode/file can have its season and episode number proceed the name of the episode.
The program I use now lets me line up tracks and change them all at once while doing the sequential parts in a series so I do not have to do each file separately.
It allows me to do almost anything from capatalize each first letter in a file name to change the file extention and delete small parts in a chain or seach for text strings to modify or exchange, and most importantly see the mock result before initiating the changes.

Anyone have some good resources or sugestions that would be helpful?
Is there anything for macs with this much versatility? It would be great as I don’t use all the features but many of them have come in hand when tough renames are present.

Love free sources, but don’t mind paying for someone’s hard work if it is worth the coin
Thanks
 

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
When I do bulk renaming (like Lost S05E01, Lost S05E02) I just go into list view, and copy "Lost S05E0" and then press enter on the first one, paste then press 1 then enter, press the down arror, enter again then paste and enter 2 and so on.

It isn't automated, but I can rename about 20 files in that sequence in about minute.
 

spice weasel

macrumors 65816
Jul 25, 2003
1,255
9
You could probably set up an Automator workflow to do it.

When I rip and encode episodic content I just make sure to give each title a new, serialized name in Handbrake before I encode the queue. That way I don't have to do it on the other end.
 

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
I just name the file according to the IMDB (e.g., The Fifth Element (1997)) and Plex does all the work for me. Pulls up description, image tile, etc. No hassle, that's for sure.

Needs internet access though ;)

Would be cool if Plex wrote the metadata to the file.
 

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
Yeah, like MetaX does, too. I guess in this day and age, internet access is sort of a given for most of us.

MetaX doesn't. It can search the libraries online for most movies, but for the likes of TV Shows, I have to enter it manually anyway.

MetaX actually writes the tags to the files, Plex doesn't. While Plex is pretty awesome, I'd rather have my files tagged properly so their info appears on any device that takes advantage of tagging.
 

Pomeroy

macrumors 6502
Sep 27, 2008
341
28
Missouri
If you just want a a file renamer try "Name Mangler". Like a lot of Mac apps it doesn't look like much till you start looking around and finding all the features that are out of sight. Works great as a "Find and Replace" app too.
Name Mangler http://www.manytricks.com/namemangler/
If you are new to Macs here is a list of apps I put up for a friend to look over that I find handy. http://web.mac.com/cybercuz2/myapps/myapps.html
 

Tallpaul1510

macrumors newbie
Aug 21, 2008
2
0
MetaX doesn't. It can search the libraries online for most movies, but for the likes of TV Shows, I have to enter it manually anyway.

MetaX actually writes the tags to the files, Plex doesn't. While Plex is pretty awesome, I'd rather have my files tagged properly so their info appears on any device that takes advantage of tagging.


What does iTunes do to the file when I edit/add info? I was under the impression that it did the same as Metax?
 

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
What does iTunes do to the file when I edit/add info? I was under the impression that it did the same as Metax?

No - iTunes only writes tags to music. It doesn't write tags to movies or TV shows. If you removed a movie from your iTunes library and added it again, you'd have to retag it.
 

rotarypower101

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 28, 2007
264
3
Portland Oregon
Thanks for the responses guys.

I did find name mangler by searching other parts of this forum, but I am not sure it will fully replace the program I currently use. Though I have not had any time to fool with it yet.

One of the big features I use is when finished converting a season of TV shows from handbrake, I like the data files names to be correct. In the bulk rename utility, I can go to TV.com and pull a full list of episode names in sequential order and attach those names to the list of raw unnamed .m4v data files that come strait from handbrake.

It’s a fairly simple and fast process, and then I can make sure each episode falls in line with the correct naming conventions and episode numbers, so pilots and extras aren’t mixed in on accident.

To do a full season with my current method takes literally a minute or two (sometimes episodes are not broadcast in order they appear on disk so there are adjustments needed from time to time)

This helps if for some reason one gets misplaced of if I am simply going in to grab a specific file for some reason.

Moreover is just feels much more tidy when everything has a correct title.

Can anyone that has used name mangler tell me if a list of file name changes can be made with that software?

What I would like to do is pull the names of the raw files from handbrake, and copy the names list from TV.com right into that raw list of files, and hit apply name changes, if at all possible.

This is how I currently do it in windows, would love to find a direct mac substitute if possible.
 

datawrangler

macrumors newbie
Mar 24, 2008
7
0
I don't think there is any Mac software that does all the things you ask. I use Media Rage for my bulk tagging/renaming jobs. It works very well but its internet lookups look like rather simple FreeDB queries - dunno, never tried them.

The reason you can't find this kind of software for the Mac is that there is little call for it on the Mac. Who cares what the filenames are? Let the software worry about it.
 
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