batch renaming files from a spreadsheet

Probably a question for the assistant editors in here but welcome any advice please

I'm helping with the ingest of a lot of footage for a documentary that before it can come into the editor it must be renamed according to a naming key. Basically - i need to input a bunch of metadata into a spreadsheet which generates a filename which I need to overwrite the original filename with. Then it can come into fcp.

Does anyone have any experience with coding on a mac that would allow for this to be done non-manually?

thank you!

Marco

If you have metadata and original filename entries in columns in a spreadsheet, you might be able to use string (and other) operations to form the new filename in an additional column. Depending on the application, you could then export a text file containing the original and new filenames.

Something like "A Better Finder Rename" can use a text file with old and new filenames to change the filenames.

Many other ways to do this, of course...

Hope this helps.

I think it'll help a lot thank you DaveM!

Also have a look at  apps.apple.com/au/app/mass-rename/id1175416599?mt=12

I use this app for many years. 

I've set ABF to rename via many different components (EXIF data then date/time/camera/folder variables) at the same time but I'm not certain it can pull values from a spreadsheet.

Yes, entirely possible, I do this all the time. The app you need is called RENAMER and it is an amazing time saver.

I can change things with spreadsheets for hundreds of files in seconds. It is a bit daunting to set up, but once you have it you can save a little RENAMERLET in the app that will make it simple next time.

Another really useful thing is ingesting H4n files. You can capture the time stamp data from the original files and add that incorporated into the filename. This will save you from hunting around for which boom mic goes with which camera clip. You can see the times of both, it has saved me many times!

I have renamed over 20,000 video clips with this program, each one has a sequential number, clear naming system, and keywords. I edit around 300 videos per year, this is an essential bit of software.

Another really useful thing is ingesting H4n files.

Since you're a Wiz at figuring out complicated matters like that how about a suggestion why my H4n always has the creation date 12/31/69? Modification date's always correct but never the creation date or time. Must use ABF to copy mod date to creation date to correct this mind stumping oddity.

Hi all,

As a close out I've successfully used A Better Finder Rename (ABFR) - it's great!

My workflow is to export a 2 column tab delimited file from google spreadsheets which feeds into the app and does the rest!

As a side note.. I'm new to assistant editing and when one of the assistant editors in the company im contracting into told me theyre doing this process manually i was like.... "there HAS to be a better way!" and you guys proved that right!

THank you!

Marco

Marco, thanks for the follow-up note. Glad we could help...

As a side note.. I'm new to assistant editing and when one of the assistant editors in the company im contracting into told me theyre doing this process manually i was like.... "there HAS to be a better way!" and you guys proved that right!

That should be worth a Christmas bonus.

i couldnt believe my ears! surely this is pretty rare to do manually?