Batch file rename (based on file content, possibly AI related)

jro11 · Monday at 4:30 PM

I have a slew of files CoPilot-generated files relating to questions I posed this AI engine. They are all named:

CopilotAnswers-unique number,docx

I brought up one of these files in Word and asked Copilot if it could rename the file based on its content. It replied it could do so (even provided example names...not bad, not bad at all). However, I want to do this as a batch process and CoPilot can't open or rename files. I understand there are Python routines and downloadable apps that can do this, as a Batch process.
I'm hoping the file can be renamed based on the content of the file, not just some numbering/date/... scheme independent of the file's content--a process AI seems particularly adept at.
Have you had any experience doing this? What has your experience been? What recommendations do you have?
Thanks

hsehestedt · Monday at 5:53 PM

Do you have some examples of what kind of content you want to identify? If you are going to do this via program, then you need to be able to tell the program something precise to look for in the contents of the file otherwise how will it know what criteria you want to use to perform a certain type of rename?

Of course, if you are talking about something as broad as determining if it is a Word doc, or a spreadsheet, etc. then you could simply look at the file extension. But beyond that, you would simply have to parse the contents of the file and look for something that will tell it what that file is.

jro11 · Monday at 6:24 PM

hsehestedt said:
If you are going to do this via program, then you need to be able to tell the program something precise to look for in the contents of the file otherwise how will it know what criteria you want to use to perform a certain type of rename?

AI generated over 90% of each file; when I asked ChatGPT, it looked at the document from which I addressed it (you can open CoPilot within Word) and provided me with a number of possible alternative names; If I bring up CoPilot I see a list of names it's already given to our 'conversations'--so in essence it's already done the hard work.

Figuring out a name is the least I can expect of AI. Where it seems to have a problem is in a) opening a document, and, b) renaming it.
(Instead Copilot (aka Microsoft) picked the most inane way of naming these documents...

hsehestedt said:
But beyond that, you would simply have to parse the contents of the file and look for something that will tell it what that file is.

For 200+ documents?

hsehestedt · Monday at 6:32 PM

jro11 said:
AI generated over 90% of each file; when I asked ChatGPT, it looked at the document from which I addressed it (you can open CoPilot within Word) and provided me with a number of possible alternative names; If I bring up CoPilot I see a list of names it's already given to our 'conversations'--so in essence it's already done the hard work.

Figuring out a name is the least I can expect of AI. Where it seems to have a problem is in a) opening a document, and, b) renaming it.
(Instead Copilot (aka Microsoft) picked the most inane way of naming these documents...

For 200+ documents?

Sure, a program could parse thousands or tens of thousands of files rapidly.

Berton · Monday at 6:49 PM

I've bulk-renamed files using one of the third-party file managers such as Free Commander, Multi Commander, Total Commander, etc. [many are free] to change file names, mostly to remove extraneous characters with nothing, only take out what is designated. The key was all the files had the same characters where the rest of the file name was different. I put the paid version of Total Commander on my computers plus on USB Thumb drives with other diagnostics. An example is in a list of songs for a single performer whose name was on all the files, removed instances of that name leaving the song title intact [replaced the name with nothing]. I've also use the program to bulk change the Attributes of files such as date of creation.

Download File Managers Tools for Windows - MajorGeeks

Manage the files on your drive better

www.majorgeeks.com

jro11 · Monday at 6:56 PM

hsehestedt said:
Sure, a program could parse thousands or tens of thousands of files rapidly.

And the name of that program is???

hsehestedt · Tuesday at 10:13 PM

jro11 said:
And the name of that program is???

It is whatever you name it after you write it

. Seriously, it would be super easy to write in a few minutes once you know what you are specifically looking for.

jro11 · Tuesday at 1:31 AM

hsehestedt said:
Seriously, it would be super easy to write in a few minutes once you know what you are specifically looking for.

Seriously,

Batch file rename (based on file content, possibly AI related)

jro11 said:
I have a slew of files CoPilot-generated files relating to questions I posed this AI engine. They are all named:
[]CopilotAnswers-unique number,docx[/]I brought up one of these files in Word and asked Copilot if it could rename the file based on its content. It replied it could do so (even provided example names...not bad, not bad at all). However, I want to do this as a batch process and CoPilot can't open or rename files. I understand there are Python routines and downloadable apps that can do this, as a Batch process.
I'm hoping the file can be renamed based on the content of the file, not just some numbering/date/... scheme independent of the file's content--a process AI seems particularly adept at.
Have you had any experience doing this? What has your experience been? What recommendations do you have?

jro11 said:
Thanks

antspants · Tuesday at 4:04 AM

jro11 said:
Seriously,

Batch file rename (based on file content, possibly AI related)

Seriously…

Taking a guess here:

You copied the text from one of the document files into Co-Pilot (or uploaded it?) You’re basing your request on the fact AI can read the document so surmise a title. If you can upload multiple documents, maybe this could be possible.

Do you have an AI app on your PC that can surmise files? I’d guess not.

If the docx files have an entry in the “Subject” properties metadata (Apparently there is such a field that I don’t know anything about) then you could possibly do it with a Powershell Script

PowerShell script to rename all `.docx` files in a specified folder based on the "Subject" property of each file's metadata:

Powershell:

# Specify the folder containing the .docx files
$folderPath = "C:\Path\To\Your\Folder"

# Check if the folder exists
if (!(Test-Path $folderPath)) {
    Write-Host "Folder not found: $folderPath"
    exit
}

# Get all .docx files in the folder
$docxFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $folderPath -Filter *.docx

# Loop through each .docx file
foreach ($file in $docxFiles) {
    try {
        # Open the document as a ComObject
        $word = New-Object -ComObject Word.Application
        $doc = $word.Documents.Open($file.FullName)

        # Extract the Subject property
        $subject = $doc.BuiltInDocumentProperties.Item("Subject").Value

        # Close the document and quit Word
        $doc.Close()
        $word.Quit()

        # Check if the Subject is not empty or null
        if (![string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($subject)) {
            # Define the new file name using the Subject property
            $newFileName = "$subject.docx"

            # Rename the file
            Rename-Item -Path $file.FullName -NewName $newFileName -ErrorAction Stop
            Write-Host "Renamed '$($file.Name)' to '$newFileName'"
        } else {
            Write-Host "Subject property is empty for '$($file.Name)'"
        }
    } catch {
        Write-Host "Error processing '$($file.Name)': $_"
    }
}

Modify the `$folderPath` variable to the path where your `.docx` files are located.
Copy and paste the script** into a `.ps1` file (e.g., `RenameDocxFiles.ps1`). Save it in the folder where the documents are.
Run the script in PowerShell:
- Open PowerShell as Administrator.
- Navigate to the folder where the `.ps1` file is saved.
- Execute the script by typing: `.\RenameDocxFiles.ps1`.

The script uses the Microsoft Word COM object to extract the metadata (`Subject`) from each `.docx` file. As long as you have Word installed on your system. (You do)
If a file’s "Subject" property is empty, the script will skip renaming that file.

If you’re going to try, I’d make backups.

As the likelihood of you having an AI program installed on your system is ZERO, Python is apparently an option.

Renaming `.docx` files based on the subject matter they contain requires analyzing the content of each file to determine its primary focus. You could apparently use a Python script to utilise the `python-docx` library to extract text and rename files based on a simple keyword analysis. This script also integrates Copilot-like reasoning to infer the document's subject.

You would first need to have Python setup/installed:

Code:

import os
import re
from collections import Counter
from docx import Document

def infer_subject(text):
    """
    Analyze text content to determine the main subject.
    """
    # Basic word frequency analysis
    words = re.findall(r'\b\w+\b', text.lower())
    common_words = ["the", "and", "to", "of", "in", "a", "is", "for", "on", "that", "with", "as", "by", "at", "an"]
    keywords = [word for word in words if word not in common_words]
    most_common = Counter(keywords).most_common(3)  # Top 3 keywords
    return "_".join([item[0] for item in most_common])  # Combine keywords as the "subject"

def rename_files_in_folder(folder_path):
    """
    Rename all .docx files in a folder based on their inferred subject.
    """
    if not os.path.exists(folder_path):
        print(f"Folder not found: {folder_path}")
        return

    for file_name in os.listdir(folder_path):
        if file_name.endswith(".docx"):
            file_path = os.path.join(folder_path, file_name)
            try:
                # Extract text from the .docx file
                doc = Document(file_path)
                text = " ".join([para.text for para in doc.paragraphs])

                # Infer the subject of the document
                subject = infer_subject(text)
                if subject:
                    # Generate new file name based on the subject
                    new_file_name = f"{subject}.docx"
                    new_file_path = os.path.join(folder_path, new_file_name)

                    # Rename the file
                    os.rename(file_path, new_file_path)
                    print(f"Renamed '{file_name}' to '{new_file_name}'")
                else:
                    print(f"Could not infer subject for '{file_name}'")
            except Exception as e:
                print(f"Error processing '{file_name}': {e}")

# Specify the folder containing the .docx files
folder_path = r"C:\Path\To\Your\Folder"
rename_files_in_folder(folder_path)

Reads `.docx` Content: Extracts text from each `.docx` file in the folder.
Analyzes Text: Uses basic keyword frequency analysis to infer the subject matter (removing common filler words).
Renames Files: Generates a new name based on the top 3 keywords (e.g., `project_plan_review.docx`).

File `Document1.docx` contains the text: *"This document discusses project plans and reviews regarding marketing."*
The script renames the file to `project_plans_reviews.docx`.

Notes: Apparently

You can enhance the script by using more advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques (e.g., libraries like `spaCy` or `transformers`).

At the emd of the day, I can’t see how you couldn’t of been aware that you were saving files without a descriptive title. Learn how to give a document a filename “before” you click the save or save as button

jro11 · 2025-04-11T02:41:26-0400

antspants said:
At the emd of the day, I can’t see how you couldn’t of been aware that you were saving files without a descriptive title. Learn how to give a document a filename “before” you click the save or save as button

I wasn't saving files without a descriptive title. COPILOT WAS SAVING EACH 'CONSERVATION' AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT ME KNOWING IT (and, by the way was saving it to the cloud...another matter) and was naming these conversations with unique but totally undescriptive titles. I can't believe no one, including you Ants has never encountered this. (Unless, of course, you don't use CoPilot.

Let me illustrate:
This is the (annoyingly non-resizeable) window CoPilot provides when I bring it up via its app. As you see, in the Left Column there are a number of Titles of conversations I've had with CoPilot. These would make perfect File names and have already been capably generated by CoPilot. Clicking on any one of these brings up the appropriate conversation (sometimes what CoPilot sees to be a conversation isn't exactly what I saw to be one, but that's another another matter).

Each of these conservations was also relegated to a file which CoPilot named thusly:

Each of these TOTALLY NONDESCRIPTIVELY NAMED documents contains the conversations CoPilot already titled and provided to me vis-a-vis its Copilot app. But these documents are MS Word (.docx) documents. I would like to use these documents for annotation and extension purposes, but prefer not to go through 200+ documents in order to find the one I happen to want to annotate. (I also would prefer not having to manually do all the document title renaming when, essentially, it's already been done by CoPilot (incidentally I would prefer the names be the same as those CoPilot has ALREADY ASSIGNED THESE CONVERSATIONS.

Presumably, any other mundane AI app should be able to scan a document and come up with a similar title B U T you would think CoPilot would be able to
a) simply find and
b) copy its preassigned Title from the contents of the document in question, and
c) assign this title to the document name, taking the place of the innane (CopilotAnswers-xxxxxxxx-xxxxxx) part of the existing document name and, if it were just a tad more helpful be able to append a date/time stamp to the title to distinguish it from any other title if the new title happened to coincidentally match a previous title assigned to a previous conversation by CoPilot.
(Why CoPilot didn't do this in the first place, is another, another, another matter.)

Yes, it is possibly possible for a Python script to Open, Scan, Uniquely name, Save, and Close these 200+ documents but it is unlikely it would retitle them with the same, perfectly acceptable titles that CoPilot named them thusly making it just as annoyingly difficult to associate any of these AI generated conversation docx records with the original AI conversation they relate to.

antspants · 2025-04-11T04:24:26-0400

As I mentioned. Allegedly a Python script could do that by summarising the content and choosing a repeated theme in the conversation as the title.

I also added a powershell script to rename files based on the embedded subject. Did you try it?

Nothing I found states that conversations are automatically saved anywhere. How did you do this? What did you change? Have you actually opened one of those docx files?

No, I don’t have a Co-Pilot subscription, I searched Co-Pilot and this is what I found as the top response in Google:

Microsoft Copilot does not automatically save conversation history as .docx files. It does not offer a way to export the entire conversation, but you can save individual prompts and responses

How to save parts of a Copilot conversation:

Save prompts and responses:
You can manually copy and paste individual prompts and the corresponding responses from the chat interface.
Use screen capture:
You can use screen capture tools to save a visual record of the conversation.
Consider a text editor or notebook:
You can copy the conversation content into a text editor or a notebook to create a document with the prompts and responses.

From this page I found that if your docx files are saved to one drive, Co-Pilot can summarise a document. (You can also attach a document, I believe individually.
I would suggest to try asking Co-Pilot to summarise all docx files saved to a folder in OneDrive, and renaming/saving them according to a common summarised theme found within each document?

Create a summary of your document with Copilot in Word - Microsoft Support

Summarize a long document using the power of AI in Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word.

support.microsoft.com

Another reference to Co-Pilot history

Export, Save, Share, or Print Chat History in Copilot on Web, Windows 11, and Windows 10

This tutorial will show you how to export, save, share, and/or print your chat history conversations in Copilot on Web, Windows 11, and Windows 10. Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered digital assistant designed to help you with a range of tasks and activities. When you sign in to Copilot with...

www.elevenforum.com

jro11 · 2025-04-11T14:23:18-0400

v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g...

I have not tried the Python approach. Although I have always been interested in learning Python, I haven't had the time to pursue this interest.

antspants said:
I also added a powershell script to rename files based on the embedded subject. Did you try it?

Thank you. I'll have to try it. (However I have reservations, as I noted.) Even more reservations considering that the text in the document does not contain the 'subject' CoPilot assigned that conversation.

antspants said:
Nothing I found states that conversations are automatically saved anywhere. How did you do this? What did you change? Have you actually opened one of those docx files?

Now let's see... I use CoPilot a lot. Primarily because it is so convenient in Edge and because I was under the impression this was an avenue to CoPilot that didn't record everything said as a 'conversation' and didn't (as I presumed) then save it as a Word document...
I also placed the CoPilot app (after, I believe, logging in...something I did not do when accessing CoPilot in Edge or Word) on my taskbar because it allowed me to 'save' 'conversations' as accessible 'CoPilot conversations' vis-a-vis the CoPilot interface (as pictured in #10 above).

antspants said:
No, I don’t have a Co-Pilot subscription, I searched Co-Pilot and this is what I found as the top response in Google:

Neither do I. So you can imagine my surprise, my double surprise,, to learn that:
1) Documents, Word documents no less, were saved about all my CoPilot conversations.
2) These documents were saved in an entity titled OneDrive. My 3+ year nemesis that I'm apparently still crawling my way out of. (It was later made clear to me that this 'thing' called OneDrive was a 'flavor' of the insinuous OneDrive that merely reflected OneDrive on the web and might function as a portal to the cloud support I initially expected OneDrive to be, before it raised its ugly talons by trying to take control of all my important files and folders.)
Nonetheless, discovering this was very disquieting and disturbing.

antspants said:
Microsoft Copilot does not automatically save conversation history as .docx files. It does not offer a way to export the entire conversation, but you can save individual prompts and responses

I only found this out quite by accident, when I was doing an 'Everything' search for 'copilot'.

Here's an example of one of those files:

Copilot

To access Google with a one-time security key, you'll need to have 2-Step Verification enabled and a security key set up. Here are the general steps1:

Enable 2-Step Verification: Go to your Google Account > Security > 2-Step Verification and follow the steps to enable it1.

Set Up a Security Key: Go to Manage your account > Security > 2FA > Security Key and follow the steps to connect your security key to your account3.

Sign In with Your Key: When signing in, on the verification page, click "Try Another way" > "Security key" and plug in the security key3.

If you're using your phone's built-in security key, make sure Bluetooth is turned on for both devices. Check your phone for a notification and follow the instructions to confirm it's you signing in1.

If you're using a security key you purchased, connect your key to the USB port in your computer. If you see a message from "Google Play services," select OK. Then, activate your key1.

Remember, each security key or backup code can only be used once. If you lose your security key or run out of backup codes, you can create a new set in your Google Account settings2.

Please note that the exact steps may vary depending on your device and browser. If you encounter any issues, refer to Google's support documentation or contact their customer service1 2 3. I hope this helps! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Source(s) live links
1. Use a security key for 2-Step Verification - Computer - Google Help

2. How to Login to Google Account without Verification Code

3. Sign in with backup codes - Computer - Google Account Help

4. Use a security key for 2-Step Verification - Android - Google Help

The .docx is actually better than the original conversation because it so neatly provided references at the end of the conversation, something I've found I need to repeatedly ask Copilot for when it assumes it's the final word about everything (no reference to the program Everything).

I can only imagine Google had the response it did because it was jealous.

antspants said:
How to save parts of a Copilot conversation:

Save prompts and responses:
You can manually copy and paste individual prompts and the corresponding responses from the chat interface.

Use screen capture:
You can use screen capture tools to save a visual record of the conversation.

Consider a text editor or notebook:
You can copy the conversation content into a text editor or a notebook to create a document with the prompts and responses.

These suggestions are as inapplicable and useless as some of the useless, and in some cases inapplicable, answers I was proffered in my last thread (which I'm still trying to solve, maybe by contacting the isp in question).

antspants said:
Create a summary of your document with Copilot in Word - Microsoft Support

Summarize a long document using the power of AI in Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word.

support.microsoft.com

Another reference to Co-Pilot history

Export, Save, Share, or Print Chat History in Copilot on Web, Windows 11, and Windows 10

This tutorial will show you how to export, save, share, and/or print your chat history conversations in Copilot on Web, Windows 11, and Windows 10. Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered digital assistant designed to help you with a range of tasks and activities. When you sign in to Copilot with...

www.elevenforum.com

From this page I found that if your docx files are saved to one drive, Co-Pilot can summarise a document. (You can also attach a document, I believe individually.)
By "one drive" I presume you mean "a single drive" not OneDrive. I immediately removed all the .docx documents in question from OneDrive and placed them in a single folder on my drive.

antspants said:
I would suggest to try asking Co-Pilot to summarise all docx files saved to a folder in OneDrive, and renaming/saving them according to a common summarised theme found within each document?

Sounds reasonable (???) maybe...
After putting them (all the docx files) back into 'OneDrive', how would you suggest I ask "CoPilot to summarise all docx files" and 'rename/save' them "according to a common summarised theme found within each document" when CoPilot admits it can't open, rename, or close files?

btw, this trick naming, viz., OneDrive vs OneDrive, is not a deception MS is new to. You yourself have derided the (new) Outlook compared to the (classic) Outlook.

One might think it reasonable that I merely open each one of these two-hundred-plus files and resave them under a sensible name. Not so...considering that every time I use CoPilot it's going to continue to create cryptic .docx documents and place them on the web.

Batch file rename (based on file content, possibly AI related)

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