Can't use the DOS ren command unless the wildcard before and after is the same number of characters. All modern DOS commands will handle long file names, so no problem there. In fact, the new batch commands starting with NT are much slicker than the old days, but not as good as Unix.
What I do is drop to command line window (a couple clicks with my nifty batch file).
I make a batch file with all the file names in the directory by doing this: dir /b *.jpg > zit.bat
Edit zit.bat with a text editor that has macros and make each line look like this: ren DSC00098.JPG Thanksgiving00098.JPG The key to making this workable is creating a macro to modify each line.
Run the batch file and all the files will be renamed.
Now, for my nifty way of using "Send To" to drop you in a command line window in the proper directory in a few clicks. This uses the newer batch commands that were available since NT. Create the following
4-line batch file. I named mine DosStart.bat .@echo off %~d1 cd %~p1 cmd
Put DosStart.zip in a directory that's in your searchable path. I stick all my handy batch files in my Tools directory, but you could put this in your system32 directory.
Make a shortcut in your SendTo directory (C:\\Documents and Settings\\UserName\\SendTo) which points to DosStart.zip. To see the SendTo directory, you need to set Hidden Files and Folders to visible in Explorer (Tools|Folder Options|View).
To use this handy batch file, in Explorer, navigate to the desired directory. Right click on any file, select Send To, and click on the DosStart icon. Presto, a command line window opens and you're sitting in the directory that Explorer is sitting in.
-- Mark