How to rename JPEGs, BMPS?

and keep original file format

Published on August 3, 2005 By starkers In Personal Computing

I have found some wallpapers with the same name and want to store in the same folder, but the new additions always want to replace the originals and I'm unable to rename them. When I try to rename a wallpaper, I get a warning message that the file will become unstable and it changes format if I proceed. Can I rename these files within Windows somehow, so they maintain stability and format, or do I need a 3rd party program?

Thanks for any help offered

Comments (Page 1)

Bichur

on Aug 03, 2005

3rd party - can use paint or my favorite free Irfanview.
open it and then save as - choose your format

mswaim

on Aug 03, 2005

If you only need to change the name of the file and not the file type, simply leave the extension alone when renaming. My guess from what I read in your post is that you have something like this:

mypicture.jpg

and when you rename, you are altering the extension (meaning the three letters to the right of the dot). Those three letters tell the computer/software how to handle the file, if they are altered, Windows will throw that error about the file becoming unstable at you. SO the result would be:

newpicturename.jpg

You may know this already, so please excuse me if my interpretation of what you are asking is incorrect. If you do need to change format, Irfanview is very nice for doing that, I agree with Bichur.

starkers

on Aug 03, 2005

Thanks people....will give Irfanview a try.

BTW: some JPEGS displayed only a name and no suffix but still became unstable whan changing just the title...Irfanview, hopefully, will resolve this for me

Bichur

on Aug 03, 2005

BTW: some JPEGS displayed only a name and no suffix but still became unstable when changing just the title...

either you have extensions hid or possibly you're not really noticing until you right click and choose rename - when I do that the extension drops in the highlighted name but I learned to hit the right arrow key 1st then back over to where i want to change the name

Don't forget the plugins for Irfanview - and for gosh sakes don't select it to be the default for all file types - I think it even asks you if you're really really sure.

pookah

on Aug 03, 2005

If you open the bmp file in paint shop pro and then save it as a jpg it will be saved in the jpg format and both files may reside in the same file. I have done this many times since first using paint shop pro as a shareware program back in the days of MS Windows 3.11 and still do since purchasing the full program a year later.

WebGizmos

on Aug 03, 2005

Starkers...unless I'm missing something here...this is really easy to do...and you don't need any programs other than your pc to do this. Simply go to "Folder Options" uncheck "Hide extensions for know file types"...then go to the folder where your images are...right click...choose rename...and rename it. I do it this way all the time with no problems whatsoever. If you have images with the same name just name them image1.jpg...image2.jpg and so on.

If you want to change it from a BMP to JPG...open it in MSpaint and the just "save as" whatever you want.

Bichur

on Aug 04, 2005

I think you're right WebGizmos.. the more time I read it, more it seems ext are hid
when I first read it with the title I thought Starkers was trying to change a jpg to bmp by renaming.

starkers

on Aug 04, 2005

Thanks WebGizmos, that did the trick....knew there was a way of doing it somehow or another....either Ive lost my thinking cap or a constant lack of sleep has gotten to me and forgot to put it on

Such a simple solutiom....Dur, Freddy!

Also thanks to you Bichur, Irfanview is just the thing for viewing and conversions, so your tip is much appreciated. ThemeManager doesn't handle some formats and now I can use it to manage some fav walls it didn't like before.

Thanks to all for your suggestions

Bichur

on Aug 04, 2005

glad it's all good

WebGizmos

on Aug 04, 2005

No problem starkers...When I first got my pc that used to drive me nutz as well. I get those brain farts from time to time as well.

I need to turn that dang spellchecker on too.

Its also good to have the extensions showing so that if you download a cursor thats in .zip format you can easily rename it. Plus I'm always putting stuff in folders and forgetting what format they are in, and this way there is no questioning or guessing.

starkers

on Aug 04, 2005

Webgizmos...it's not so much that I need a spell checker...more like engaging my brain before putting my typing finger into gear, and I mean finger (as in non-plural) cos using more than one gets confusing.

BTW...no brain farts here, just an old fart/dog trying to learn new tricks....quite slowly, I might add.

Yep, having extensions showing has made things so much simpler for me, been able to sort a few things since your tip, so TY again

WebGizmos

on Aug 04, 2005

I meant the spellchecker was for me! Yours was fine.

But my brain tends to get ahead of my fingers and I miss words here and there.

starkers

on Aug 04, 2005

What I need is a mindmeter to see iof its up and running, something like a CPU meter...just haven't found a download for it yet

WebGizmos

on Aug 04, 2005

Hey...if ya find one send me a link!

starkers

on Aug 05, 2005

Webgizmos...shall do....hopefully an updated version that includes tweaking tools as well

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