Renaming Files

Learn how to batch rename audio files using metadata patterns in Audexis.

Opening the Rename Modal

To rename a file or multiple files: Right-click selected files → Rename

How Pattern Renaming Works

Audexis uses placeholder patterns to generate new filenames based on metadata.

For example, the pattern:

{artist} - {title}.{ext}

Would rename a file from track01.mp3 to John Doe - My Song.mp3

Available Placeholders

Use these placeholders in your patterns:

Common Fields

• {title} — Song title
• {artist} — Artist name
• {album} — Album name
• {trackNumber} — Track number
• {year} — Release year
• {genre} — Music genre
• {ext} — File extension (mp3, m4a, etc.)

Additional Fields

• {albumArtist} — Album artist
• {composer} — Composer
• {conductor} — Conductor
• {contentGroup} — Content grouping
• {encodedBy} — Encoder info
• {beatsPerMinute} — BPM
• {language} — Language code

Special

• {path} — Current full path (usually not used in patterns)

Note: Any field visible in your columns can be used as a placeholder. Just use the field name in lowercase within curly braces.

For all available placeholders, see the Pattern Variables.

Pattern Examples

Basic Artist - Title

{artist} - {title}.{ext}

Result: YoungBoy Never Broke Again - Gravity.mp3

Track Number + Title

{trackNumber} - {title}.{ext}

Result: 06 - Gravity.mp3

Result: 38 Baby/06 Gravity.mp3

Note: Audexis renames files, not folders. This example would fail if the folder doesn’t exist.

Year + Artist + Album + Track

{year} - {artist} - {album} - {trackNumber} - {title}.{ext}

Result: 2016 - YoungBoy Never Broke Again - 38 Baby - 06 - Gravity.mp3

DJ Format (BPM + Artist)

{beatsPerMinute}bpm - {artist} - {title}.{ext}

Result: 148bpm - YoungBoy Never Broke Again - Gravity.mp3

Using the Rename Modal

Step 1: Select Files

Choose which files to rename:

• Click individual files
• ⌘+Click for multiple selections
• Shift+Click for ranges
• ⌘+A for all files

Step 2: Enter Pattern

1. Open the rename modal (Right-click → Rename using pattern…)
2. Type your pattern in the input field
3. Use placeholder syntax: {fieldName}

Step 3: Preview Results

The preview table shows:

• Current — Existing filename
• New name — What the file will become

Yellow highlighting indicates duplicate names (warning!)

Step 4: Execute Rename

1. Review the preview carefully
2. Check for duplicates (yellow)
3. Click Rename to apply
4. Cancel to abort

Tips

Avoid Duplicates

Patterns that might create duplicates:

• {artist}.{ext} — All songs by same artist get same name
• {album}.{ext} — All songs on same album get same name

Always include unique fields:

• {trackNumber} — If tracks are numbered
• {title} — Usually unique per artist/album

Use Valid Characters

Avoid these characters in patterns (they’ll be replaced with _):

• / \ : * ? " < > |

These are invalid in filenames on most systems.

Character Sanitization

Audexis automatically sanitizes filenames:

• Invalid characters → Replaced with _
• Leading/trailing spaces → Removed
• Multiple spaces → Collapsed to single space
• Leading/trailing dots → Removed

This ensures compatibility across operating systems.

Handling Errors

Some Files Failed to Rename

After renaming, you’ll see a result summary:

• X renamed — Successful renames
• Y failed — Failed renames with error messages

Common failure causes:

1. Duplicate target name — Two files want the same name
2. File in use — File open in another app
3. Permission denied — Insufficient file permissions
4. Invalid characters — Despite sanitization, some names may fail

Solution:

• Note which files failed
• Fix the issue (close apps, adjust pattern)
• Retry just those files

Undo Renames

Currently, Audexis doesn’t support undo for renames.

Best practice:

1. Preview carefully before applying
2. Test on copies of files
3. Keep backups of important files

A rename history/undo feature is planned for future releases.

Advanced Patterns

Conditional Logic (Future)

While not yet supported, planned features include:

• If/else conditions
• Default values for empty fields
• Custom separators

For now, ensure your metadata is complete before renaming.

Multiple Patterns

You can’t apply multiple patterns at once. To apply different patterns to different groups:

1. Select first group
2. Apply first pattern
3. Select second group
4. Apply second pattern

Keyboard Shortcuts

While in the Rename modal:

• Enter — Execute rename (when focused on pattern input)
• Esc — Close modal without renaming
• Tab — Navigate between input and buttons

Real-World Examples

Organize Music Library

{albumArtist} - {album} - {trackNumber} - {title}.{ext}

DJ Collection

{beatsPerMinute} - {genre} - {artist} - {title}.{ext}