Rename File Using Console Command in C#

Introduction

This tip allows us to rename multiple files at a time. This helps us to learn how to use console commands in C# and the basics of background workers. Some of us may spend a lot of time renaming files. This application allows us to rename multiple files at a time.

Background

I must rename many documents in my office. For renaming, it may take too much time to do it. Or I need to depend upon another third-party application. So I decided to create my own application.

Using the Code

Let me explain my application in a step-by-step manner.

Step 1

I have created an empty form. In the form, I have placed a 2 Command buttons, a Background Worker, a FolderBrowserDialog and a GridView as shown below:



Step 2

Create an Excel file that can have an old file name and a new file name, then import the Excel file into the GridView.



Step 3

Call the folderbrowserdialog to choose the file to be renamed.



Step 4

Then, I have entered the file rename code in a renamer method as below:

int datas=dataGridView1.Rows.Count;
for(int i=0;i<=datas-1;i++)
{
   String oldname,newname;
   oldname=dataGridView1.Rows[i].Cells[0].Value.ToString();
   newname=dataGridView1.Rows[i].Cells[1].Value.ToString();
   System.Diagnostics.Process process = new System.Diagnostics.Process();
   System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo();
   startInfo.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
   startInfo.FileName = "cmd.exe";
   startInfo.WorkingDirectory=@""+location+"";
   startInfo.Arguments = "/k Rename "+oldname+" "+newname;
   process.StartInfo = startInfo;
   process.Start();
}

First, I have counted the number of rows available in Excel and then assigned that value to an integer.

int datas=dataGridView1.Rows.Count; // count the number of rows in the gridview

I have used a loop to execute depending on the number of rows available in the GridView. This helps us to execute all the values available in the GridView.

for(int i=0;i<=datas-1;i++)

Then, I have taken the old filename and the new filename from the GridView rows.

String oldname,newname;
oldname=dataGridView1.Rows[i].Cells[0].Value.ToString();
newname=dataGridView1.Rows[i].Cells[1].Value.ToString();

Then, I created an object for the process and startinfo.

System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo();
System.Diagnostics.Process process = new System.Diagnostics.Process();

Open the command prompt using the following code:

startInfo.FileName = "cmd.exe";

Set the working directory:

startInfo.WorkingDirectory=@""+location+"";

Send the Argument to rename the file using the following line:

startInfo.Arguments = "/k Rename "+oldname+" "+newname;

I have explained only the Rename code.

References 

• Stackoverflow
• https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library
• c-sharpcorner