Batch File Search and Renaming with VBA
If it is necessary to rename a batch of files, where both the existing and new file names exist in an Excel spreadsheet, VBA can be used to automate the renaming process.
In the example below, a spreadsheet called “Documents to rename.xlsx” contains the file name information. Column ‘A’ contains the existing file name, without the file extension, column ‘B’ contains the new file name, if available, without the extension, and column ‘C’ is for notes to be added during the renaming process.
Existing File Name | New File Name | Notes |
OldFileName1 | NewFileName1 | |
OldFileName2 | ||
OldFileName3 | NewFileName3 | |
OldFileName4 | NewFileName4 |
First of all, the path to the above document, as well as to the files to be renamed, is set and a check is made to see if they exist. If they do exist, the document containing the file names is opened and the file name information on the first sheet is processed. The last row used in column ‘A’ is obtained and all the rows, from the second to the last are handled one by one. The current and new file names are extracted from columns ‘A’ and ‘B’, using their numerical references, 1 and 2. A check is made to see if the file exists with the current name and if it does the file gets renamed to the new name, providing there is one available. Feedback is added in Column 3 as to whether the file was renamed or not, or, if it had already been renamed. Overall feedback is also given as to the total number of files renamed.
' File names workbook. Dim pathNamesDoc As String pathNamesDoc = "C:\Demo\Rename\Documents to rename.xlsx" Dim wbNamesDoc As Workbook ' Path to documents to rename. Dim pathDocsRename As String pathDocsRename = "C:\Demo\" ' Check if the file and folder paths exist. If Dir(pathNamesDoc) <> "" And Dir(pathDocsRename, vbDirectory) <> "" Then ' Open the file names workbook and assign to a variable. Set wbNamesDoc = Workbooks.Open(Filename:=pathNamesDoc) ' Last row and file name variables. Dim lastRow As Long Dim currentFileName As String Dim newFileName As String ' Renamed file count. Dim filesRenamed As Integer filesRenamed = 0 ' First sheet. With wbNamesDoc.Sheets(1) ' Find the last row used in column A. lastRow = .Cells(.Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row ' Check if there are any files to rename. If lastRow <= 1 Then ' Message stating no files to rename. MsgBox ("There are no files to rename.") ' Close file names workbook without saving and exit. wbNamesDoc.Close SaveChanges:=False Exit Sub End If ' Process the rows, from second row to the last used. For Row = 2 To lastRow ' Extract the current and new file name. currentFileName = .Cells(Row, 1).Value newFileName = .Cells(Row, 2).Value ' Check if the file exists. If Dir(pathDocsRename & currentFileName & ".docx") <> "" Then ' Check if a new file name has been provided. If newFileName <> "" Then ' Rename file. Name pathDocsRename & currentFileName & ".docx" _ As pathDocsRename & newFileName & ".docx" ' Add message to column three stating file has been renamed. .Cells(Row, 3).Value = "File has been renamed." ' Increment the files renamed count. filesRenamed = filesRenamed + 1 Else ' Add message in column three stating no new name provided. .Cells(Row, 3).Value = "No new file name provided." End If Else ' Check if file has already been renamed. If Dir(pathDocsRename & newFileName & ".docx") <> "" Then ' Add message in column three stating file has already been renamed. .Cells(Row, 3).Value = "File has already been renamed." Else ' Add message in column three stating file does not exist. .Cells(Row, 3).Value = "File does not exist." End If End If Next End With ' Save and close file names workbook. wbNamesDoc.Close SaveChanges:=True ' Feedback on renamed files. If filesRenamed = 0 Then MsgBox ("No files were renamed.") ElseIf filesRenamed = 1 Then MsgBox (filesRenamed & " file renamed successfully.") Else MsgBox (filesRenamed & " files renamed successfully.") End If Else If Dir(pathNamesDoc) = "" Then ' Error message if file names workbook doesn't exist. MsgBox ("The document containing the file names does not exist.") Else ' Error if folder path for documents to be renamed doesn't exist. MsgBox ("The location of the files to rename does not exist.") End If End If