About namefix.pl

namefix.pl is a comprehensive file renaming utility originally created and shared on IRC in 2000, then officially published on SourceForge on May 30, 2006. This makes namefix one of the earliest and most powerful file renaming tools available, with over 25 years of evolution and refinement. Designed to provide an advanced and customizable solution for renaming and organizing files, particularly media collections, it supports both command-line interface (CLI) and graphical user interface (GUI) functionalities.

With over 60+ specialized renaming options, including batch renaming, regex-based renaming, MP3 tag integration, filesystem-aware processing, and platform independence, namefix.pl has been trusted by technical users for over two decades. Its flexibility and comprehensive feature set have made it the definitive solution for complex file organization and filename fixing tasks.

One standout feature in the GUI is block renaming, which simplifies bulk renaming tasks. Users can copy and paste a multiline text of new filenames into a "destination" text window, while a "source" text window displays the original filenames. This feature also allows users to selectively remove files from the renaming list, providing unprecedented control over batch operations.

namefix.pl is the original and most comprehensive namefix solution available, establishing the standard for advanced file renaming tools since 2000. With over 25 years of continuous development and feature expansion, namefix has evolved into the most trusted namefix utility for professional file management, offering unmatched depth and reliability for file name fixing operations across all major platforms.

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Installation

Quick Start

Linux/macOS

Option 1: Standalone PAR Files (Recommended - No Dependencies!)

# Download and extract namefix-linux.tar.gz
tar -zxvf namefix-linux.tar.gz
cd namefix-linux/

# Run immediately - no installation needed!
./namefix-gui.par              # GUI version
./namefix-cli.par --help       # CLI version

Option 2: From Source (Full Installation)

# Download the source
wget https://github.com/jacob-jarick/namefix/archive/refs/heads/master.zip
unzip master.zip && cd namefix-master

# Install Perl dependencies (only needed for .pl files)
sudo ./extra/install-modules.sh

# Install system-wide (optional)
sudo ./extra/install.sh

# Run from source
perl namefix.pl               # GUI
perl namefix-cli.pl --help    # CLI

Windows

1. Download and run namefix.pl_install.exe from the releases
2. Run namefix-gui.exe for GUI or namefix.exe for command line

Standalone (No Dependencies Required)

Pre-compiled PAR executables work on any system with basic Perl: - namefix-gui.par - GUI version (all modules bundled) - namefix-cli.par - CLI version (all modules bundled)

# Linux/macOS - No module installation needed!
chmod +x namefix-gui.par namefix-cli.par
./namefix-gui.par              # Launch GUI
./namefix-cli.par --help       # CLI usage

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Features

Core Functionality

• Batch Processing: Handle thousands of files simultaneously
• Dual Interface: Full-featured GUI and comprehensive CLI
• Cross-Platform: Linux, macOS, Windows support
• Safe Operations: Preview mode by default, undo functionality
• Media-Aware: Special handling for MP3, video, image files

Text Processing

• Case Conversion: Upper/lower case, smart capitalization
• Space Handling: Convert underscores, dots, normalize spacing
• Character Cleanup: Remove/convert international characters, nasty characters
• Custom Replacements: Remove/replace strings with regex support
• Truncation: Multiple patterns - from start (default), middle with custom insertion, or end

Advanced Renaming

• Enumeration: Multiple numbering styles with zero-padding
• Pattern Matching: Powerful regex-based transformations
• Scene/Unscene: Convert between scene naming conventions
• Custom Word Lists: Remove unwanted words, special casing rules
• Digit Processing: Remove/pad numbers, format episode numbering

Media File Support

• MP3 Tag Integration: Guess tags from filenames, manipulate ID3 data
• Multi-Format: JPEG, MP3, MPC, MPG, AVI, WMV, OGG, MKV, and more
• Filesystem Awareness: Handle case-insensitive filesystems (FAT32/NTFS)

Power User Features

• Block Renaming (GUI Only): Visual bulk renaming with source/destination panels
• Recursive Processing: Handle entire directory trees
• Directory Renaming: Rename folders as well as files
• Custom Filters: Process only files matching specific patterns
• Configuration Management: Save/load preset configurations

Safety & Recovery

• Preview Mode: See changes before applying
• Undo Functionality: Reverse the last renaming operation
• Overwrite Protection: Prevent accidental file overwrites
• Backup Integration: Works with version control systems

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Usage Examples

GUI Mode

# Launch GUI in current directory
perl namefix.pl

# Launch GUI for specific directory  
perl namefix.pl /path/to/media/files

CLI Examples

Basic Cleanup

# General cleanup (recommended starting point)
namefix-cli.pl --clean --rename /path/to/files

# Fix case and convert underscores to spaces
namefix-cli.pl --case --spaces --rename /path/to/music/

# Remove unwanted strings  
namefix-cli.pl --remove="[HDTV]" --clean --rename /path/to/videos/

Advanced Operations

# Scene naming with custom patterns
namefix-cli.pl --scene --pad-num --clean --rename /path/to/TV_Shows/

# MP3 tag manipulation
namefix-cli.pl --id3-guess --id3-art="Various Artists" --rename /path/to/music/

# Enumeration Options - Multiple styles available
namefix-cli.pl --enum --enum-style=0 --enum-zero-pad=3 --rename /path/to/Photos/     # Numbers only (001, 002, 003...)
namefix-cli.pl --enum --enum-style=1 --enum-zero-pad=2 --rename /path/to/Files/      # Insert at start (01 - filename)
namefix-cli.pl --enum --enum-style=2 --rename /path/to/Documents/                    # Insert at end (filename - 1)

# Recursive processing with multiple options
namefix-cli.pl --recr --clean --case --spaces --rename /path/to/MediaLibrary/

Power User Features

# Custom regex patterns with special casing
namefix-cli.pl --regexp --remove="(19|20)\d{2}" --case-sp --rename /path/to/Movies/

# Truncate Options - Multiple patterns available  
namefix-cli.pl --trunc=50 --trunc-pat=0 --rename /path/to/Documents/           # Truncate from start (default)
namefix-cli.pl --trunc=50 --trunc-pat=1 --trunc-ins="..." --rename /path/to/   # Truncate from middle with insertion
namefix-cli.pl --trunc=50 --trunc-pat=2 --rename /path/to/Files/               # Truncate from end

# Digit Processing Options
namefix-cli.pl --rm-starting-digits --clean --rename /path/to/Files/           # Remove digits from start
namefix-cli.pl --rm-all-digits --rename /path/to/Documents/                    # Remove all digits (keep extension)
namefix-cli.pl --pad-num --clean --rename /path/to/Music/                      # Pad track numbers with hyphens
namefix-cli.pl --pad-num-w0 --rename /path/to/TV/                              # Zero-pad season/episode (2x12 → 02x12)
namefix-cli.pl --pad-nnnn-wx --rename /path/to/Shows/                          # Format episode numbers (0104 → 01x04)

# Character & Case Processing
namefix-cli.pl --int --clean --rename /path/to/International/                  # Convert international chars to English
namefix-cli.pl --rm-nc --spaces --case --rename /path/to/Downloads/            # Remove nasty characters
namefix-cli.pl --uc --rename /path/to/UPPERCASE/                               # Convert to uppercase
namefix-cli.pl --lc --clean --rename /path/to/lowercase/                       # Convert to lowercase

# Advanced Filtering & Processing
namefix-cli.pl --all-files --filt="vacation" --clean --rename /path/to/Files/  # Process all files containing "vacation"
namefix-cli.pl --filt-regexp --filt="IMG_\d+" --enum --rename /path/to/Photos/ # Regex filtering with enumeration
namefix-cli.pl --media-types="mp4|mkv|avi" --clean --rename /path/to/Videos/   # Process only specific video types

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Notable Mentions & Recognition

• FreeBSD FreshPorts - Included in FreeBSD's official ports collection
• FSF Directory - Listed in the Free Software Directory
• Unix.com Community - Recognized as essential tool

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Architecture & Technical Details

Components

• namefix.pl - Main GUI application (Perl/Tk)
• namefix-cli.pl - Command-line interface
• libs/ - Modular Perl libraries for core functionality
• data/ - Configuration files, word lists, patterns

Requirements

Bundled Executables (Recommended)

• Windows Installer: No requirements - all dependencies bundled
• PAR Files (Linux/macOS): Basic Perl interpreter only (usually pre-installed)

Source Installation (Development)

• Perl 5.x (5.14+ recommended)
• Tk module (for GUI functionality)
• MP3::Tag (for MP3 tag manipulation)
• Additional CPAN modules listed in extra/install-modules.sh

Note: PAR (Perl Archive) files bundle ALL dependencies using pp (PAR Packager), making them standalone executables that require only a basic Perl interpreter.

Block Renaming (GUI Exclusive)

The block renaming feature provides a unique visual interface for complex bulk operations: - Source Panel: Display current filenames - Destination Panel: Enter/paste new filenames - Selective Processing: Remove files from operation - Visual Feedback: See exactly what will change

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Development & Future Plans

Current Status

• ✅ Stable 4.1.6 release with 60+ CLI options
• ✅ Full GUI feature parity (except block renaming)
• ✅ PAR executable distribution
• ✅ Cross-platform compatibility

Roadmap

• ✅ PAR File Distribution: Completed - standalone executables now available for easier deployment
• 🔄 Automated Testing Suite: Build out comprehensive test units to avoid regression (previously done manually with files containing common problems addressed by features)
• 🎯 C# Port Consideration: Considering a rebuild in C# while maintaining that Perl is still the king of regex
• 🧪 Extended Test Coverage: Automate the testing process for better reliability

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Getting Help

Documentation

namefix-cli.pl --help        # Complete option reference
namefix-cli.pl --about       # About information  
namefix-cli.pl --changelog   # Version history
namefix-cli.pl --todo        # Development roadmap

Configuration

namefix-cli.pl --ed-config   # Edit main configuration
namefix-cli.pl --ed-spcase   # Edit special casing rules
namefix-cli.pl --ed-rmwords  # Edit word removal lists

Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Email: mem.namefix@gmail.com
• Legacy: Original SourceForge page
• Blog: namefix.blogspot.com

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License & Credits

Released under the GPL License. Created by Jacob Jarick with contributions from the open-source community.

Special thanks to Dave 'Zoid' Kirsch whose Quake 2 skin renamer inspired the original concept.

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Technical Notes

Windows Compatibility

The Windows installer (namefix.pl_install.exe) provides a complete installation including all dependencies. For development from source, Strawberry Perl 5.14.4.1 is recommended due to Tk module compatibility with the GUI components.

Performance

Designed to handle large media collections efficiently, with optimizations for: - Recursive directory processing - Large file batch operations
- Memory-efficient string processing - Filesystem-aware operations