Windows 11 How Can I Replace First Hyphen in a Folder's Name but Leave All Other Hyphens in it Unchanged?

[tatihulot]

Hello and Happy New Year.

I’d like some advice and suggestions on how to perform a specific task involving batch renaming a large group of folders.

I want to rename over 5,000 folders a certain way. I don’t have to rename them all at once. They are all in one central folder, at least for now.

(That folder is C:\MUSIC2025.)

I want to replace the first hyphen in each folder’s name with an equals sign (=).

However, I do not want any other hyphens in the folder’s name replaced at all.

Please take a look at the example below.



38 Special - Strength In Numbers

38 Special - The Very Best Of The A&M Years (1977-1988)

38 Special - Tour De Force

38 Special - Wild-Eyed Southern Boys

1910 Fruitgum Company - 1968-1970

ABBA - Complete Studio Recordings

ACDC - Back in Black



38 Special = Strength In Numbers

38 Special = Very Best Of The A&M Years (1977-1988)

38 Special = Tour De Force

38 Special = Wild-Eyed Southern Boys

1910 Fruitgum Company = 1968-1970

ABBA = Complete Studio Recordings

ACDC = Back in Black

I’m not really an experienced programmer, so I might need a lot of hand holding with this.

I’m assuming either a batch file or a Python program would be the most practical way of doing this, but if there’s an easier way, I’m obviously receptive.

I’m sincerely grateful for any assistance you can provide. Thank you very much.

Jd

 

[ChatGPT]

Hello and Happy New Year to you too, Jd! What a fun way to start 2025, diving into organizing your music collection. It's a great challenge and not too difficult if broken down properly. Since you're working with over 5,000 folders in C:\MUSIC2025 that need renaming—replacing the first hyphen with an equals sign (=) only—let’s explore your options carefully.

Solution Options​

From what you've described, both a Batch File and Python Script would work splendidly for your case. Here's a breakdown of each:

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Option 1: Python Script​

Python is a versatile tool, especially for tasks like this. Here’s a simple script that will handle the renaming for you.

Necessary Steps​

• Make sure you have Python installed, ideally version 3.9 or newer.
• Install the required library: [B]os[/B] (this is part of the Python standard library, so no separate installation is needed).
• Save the following script as rename_folders.py.

Script Code:​

import os

# Change this to your target folder
music_folder = r"C:\MUSIC2025"

# Loop through every folder in the provided directory
for folder_name in os.listdir(music_folder):
    folder_path = os.path.join(music_folder, folder_name)
    # Ensure we're only working with directories
    if os.path.isdir(folder_path):
        # Replace only the first hyphen
        new_folder_name = folder_name.replace(" - ", " = ", 1)
        new_folder_path = os.path.join(music_folder, new_folder_name)

        # Only rename if the new_folder_name differs
        if folder_name != new_folder_name:
            try:
                os.rename(folder_path, new_folder_path)
                print(f"Renamed: '{folder_name}' -> '{new_folder_name}'")
            except Exception as e:
                print(f"Failed to rename '{folder_name}': {e}")

Script Explanation:​

• os.listdir fetches all folders in C:\MUSIC2025.
• folder_name.replace(" - ", " = ", 1) replaces the first instance of [ICODE]" - "[/ICODE] with [ICODE]" = "[/ICODE].
• os.rename renames the folder to its new name.
• It checks first if the name differs (if folder_name != new_folder_name) to avoid pointless operations.

Running the Script:​

• Save the script as a .py file (e.g., rename_folders.py).
• Open a terminal or command prompt.
• Run it using:
  

  python rename_folders.py

• It will process the folder names and display the changes made.

---

Option 2: Batch File​

If you’re not too comfortable with Python, a batch script can also accomplish this task efficiently, especially on a Windows PC.

Necessary Steps:​

• Open a text editor like Notepad and paste the code below.
• Save it as rename_folders.bat.

Batch Code:​

@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion

:: Target folder
set "music_folder=C:\MUSIC2025"
cd /d "%music_folder%"

:: Loop through directories
for /d %%F in (*) do (
    set "folder_name=%%F"
    call set "new_folder_name=%%F"
    set "new_folder_name=!new_folder_name: - = = !"
    if not "!folder_name!"=="!new_folder_name!" (
        ren "!folder_name!" "!new_folder_name!"
        echo Renamed: "!folder_name!" -> "!new_folder_name!"
    )
)

Script Explanation:​

• %music_folder% is the target folder. Update it as required.
• for /d %%F in (*) loops through folders only.
• set "new_folder_name=!new_folder_name: - = = !" replaces [ICODE]" - "[/ICODE] with [ICODE]" = "[/ICODE] in folder names.
• ren is the rename command to apply the new name.

Running the Batch File:​

• Save the above code as rename_folders.bat.
• Double-click the file to run it.
• It will process all folders under C:\MUSIC2025 and replace the first hyphen.

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Things to Keep in Mind:​

• Backup Your Data: Before running any script, always backup your folders in case something goes amiss.
• Test First: Test the script or batch file on a smaller dummy directory to verify results before applying it to all 5,000+ folders.
• Subfolders (if any): These scripts handle just the top-level folder names in C:\MUSIC2025. If you want to handle deeper levels, additional adjustments are needed.
• Customization:
• If you have unusual folder name patterns, share them, and I can tweak the script further.
• Be cautious of folder names with conflicting characters (e.g., reserved symbols).

---

Let me know if you’d like further guidance or if you encounter any issues while setting this up!

 

[Mike]

Hmm, fixed a bug with the Markdown Processor that caused issues with the BBCode tags. If you are wondering, this is GPT-4o and not o1, so be advised about its potential for coding inaccuracies and careful about such utilization. If you need to summon the AI again you can still use @ChatGPT or reply directly to him in this thread.