Cannot Copy File Names to Paste into Other File Names

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Level 1

11 points

Cannot Copy File Names to Paste into Other File Names

I've been having a problem copying and pasting file names for the past few days. Before that, I was able to name a file, copy part of that name, and paste it into the name of another file. For example, let's say I have 2 of the same mp4s, both with just the numerical name "12.mp4." One is in my Movies folder and one is in my iTunes folder, and I want to keep both and rename both. So I'd label the one in Movies "SoAndSo12.mp4" and then copy the "SoAndSo" (to avoid extra typing) and paste it into the name of the file in iTunes. I did this with at least 20 movie files in the past week. Then all of a sudden, I couldn't copy from a file name. The option is greyed-out. The only way I can do it is by opening "Get Info" and copying from the "Rename" section. This defeats the timesaving step; I'd rather just retype. But I've always been able to copy and paste file names before! This seems just crazy. Even the option to cut is greyed-out. I feel like something must be amiss. Can anyone help me out?

I've already just removed my com.apple.recentitems.plist, and I read some discussion topics here and I've tried removing the com.apple.finder.plist and com.apple.sidebarlists.plist from the User/Library/Preferences folder, and then I even tried removing the Preferences folder altogether, then I tried removing the Caches folder (restarted after these attempts) and no dice any time. I did notice, though, that there were simply new Preferences and Caches folders in there after I tried that, and I don't know how to avoid that.

Is there something else I could try? Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro 2.33GHz Intel Core Duo Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Posted on May 20, 2007 8:50 AM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

May 20, 2007 9:00 AM in response to nyblueblue

Are you sure the files you are editing aren't open by another program? I.e. is iMovie in the command-tab, or iTunes in the command-tab?

Also when you you select a file to rename, does the block around the whole name change to the same color, or is the outline around the name there in a different color from the block around the name? If not the latter, you can't rename, and have to click inside the block to get the outline to appear, thus allowing you to rename.

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Answer 2

May 20, 2007 9:08 AM in response to nyblueblue

Save yourself some work by using the option-command-i keystroke. This brings up the persistent infowindow and makes file renaming drastically easier.

What is causing your problem may be an old Finder bug that pops up occasionally. See these posts for more info:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3284954
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3916488
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3041420

The simple solution when this happens is to restart Finder.

Also, if you need to change filenames in bulk there is an Applescript that does it already on your Mac.

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Answer 3

nyblueblue Author

Level 1

11 points

May 25, 2007 11:40 AM in response to a brody

No, the files aren't opened in another program. I'm not sure what the last bit of what you're saying is, but it does the normal thing it does when you rename a file: highlights the text, and pops the whole title into a highlighted outline. I've renamed a million files, and it actually is letting me rename them, it's just not letting me copy portions of the name to paste to another file (although it lets me type in the new name there fine).

MacBook Pro 2.33GHz Intel Core Duo Mac OS X (10.4.9)

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Answer 4

nyblueblue Author

Level 1

11 points

May 25, 2007 11:51 AM in response to Gnarlodious

Thank you for the command-option-i shortcut. But like with a brody's reply above, I think my situation has gotten misinterpreted somewhere along the way here. (I think this after checking the links you recommended.) I can rename files. And they stick, and everything is fine. The only think I can't do is cut or copy from within (and therefore paste from one to another) file names. I can sit in that file name and delete part of it just fine, or add to it, and I can go to another file and type the same thing I typed in the first one. And I wouldn't want to use a script for renaming files, because they all have different (descriptive) names and need to. I wouldn't want "Andy's birthday, blowing out candles" to become "Andy's birthday 12." I just thought it would be nice if I only had to type each title once and then copy it, versus typing it twice. That's what I'm used to.

MacBook Pro 2.33GHz Intel Core Duo Mac OS X (10.4.9)

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