looking for a registry hack or gp tweak to change XP's format for duplicate filenames. If you copy and paste the same file you get: filename.ext filename (0).ext filename (1).ext ... etc. What I am looking to do is figure out a way so that the dupelicate filename format is say: filename_0.ext filename_1.ext filename_2.ext .... etc. Anyone have any ideas? I know there are excellent file renaming programs out there, but my interest is really do do this both natively and permanently within xp whenever there is a duplicate filename and without the use of an additional app. XPuser, Sabertooth, anyone? I have googled quite extensively on this and would very much appreciate any potential direction/answers on this. Thanks! Michael Live, Love & Google!

I would suspect that the format for renaming multiple files is within the source code. Even IF you knew which OS file controled that behavior and IF you could decompile it, make the changes, and recompile it; you would probably have issues with Windows System File Checker. Windows does not, and should not, do evrything. If it was to allow people to change the renaming behavior then the functionality would have to increase in order to verify that the format would not create invalid formats. By increasing functionality you also increase complexity and the possibilities for bugs. Good luck on finding a solution, but I think (IMHO) your best bet is to find a good 3rd paty utility. Michael J

well I am not sure where the behavior is sourced from (i.e. registry, gpedit, dll, etc.) which is the reason for this post. The end result is to, again NATIVELY within windows, mass rename a bunch of files to a more friendlier name (i.e. without spaces and parenthesis), but it sounds like scripting a bat file may be the only way to do that. I am completely comfortable with installing and using 3rd party apps, but the process here is to develope a convention that will work on ANY windows XP natively without any special program installs. Any additional help would be appreciated. Live, Love & Google!

I'm not sure you can do that natively with XP, you may be able to with the aid of a script, but I am not aware of one at the moment and maybe someone that does will come along and hopefully suggest one.

Yes, I understood what your intent was. I'm just pointing out the fact that some things are simply not configurable. Again, I wish you good luck with your search. I just believe it is a red herring. I did do some searching of my own before making that first response - it wasn't just done out of a knee jerk reaction. Michael J

My guess it's in Shell32.dll [first place to look for, for these things] and I strongly suspect the string resource 262 as it has a line that says 4178,"Copy [] of". String resource 263 contains the line 4193, Copy of %s which would indicate the first copy. A Resource Editor [plenty available nowadays such as Exescope and ResHacker] can change these things but not for the faint-hearted and system files cannot be directly changed while in use. Even a Hex Editor could do this as well but trickier. I've used Resource Editors for changing dialog boxes, string text, menus, icons, images and lots of stuff in Shell32, Explore.exe, most of the browser files and many other files for years without a problem but ...I'm not faint-hearted.

trdj, There you have it, you should give Ronnie's tip a whirl - you never know. The String resource 263 reference could very well unlock the solution to your predicament. Just make sure you have whatever file you are modifying backed up first before using ResHack. Goodluck!