Rename Files Easily with rename-file

The rename-file command in Indexly introduces a powerful way to rename files or entire directories using customizable naming patterns.
This feature helps you maintain consistent file structures, improve searchability, and keep your indexed content perfectly organized.

Key Features

• 🧠 Pattern-based renaming — define your own structure using {date}, {title}, and {counter} placeholders
• 📅 Flexible date formatting — choose your preferred timestamp format via --date-format
• 🔢 Counter formatting — pad numeric counters (e.g., 01, 002) with --counter-format
• 🧮 Duplicate handling — automatically increments counters to prevent filename collisions
• 📂 Directory and recursive mode — apply renaming to entire folders, optionally with --recursive
• 💾 Database sync — instantly update your Indexly database with new filenames using --update-db
• 🧪 Dry-run preview — simulate all renames safely before applying them

Overview: How It Works

You can define a custom pattern to standardize filenames.
Indexly automatically replaces placeholders with actual values extracted from the file.

Available Placeholders

Basic Rename Example

To rename all files in the current directory to a date-title format:

indexly rename-file --pattern "{date}-{title}" --date-format "%Y%m%d" --dry-run .

Output:

[Dry-run] Would rename:
  ./notes/2023-10-05-meeting.md → ./notes/20231005-meeting.md

👉 The --dry-run flag shows a preview without changing any files. When satisfied, run the same command without it to apply changes:

indexly rename-file --pattern "{date}-{title}" --date-format "%Y%m%d" .

Adding Counters for Uniqueness

If multiple files share the same date or title, {counter} keeps filenames unique:

indexly rename-file --pattern "{date}-{counter}-{title}" --date-format "%Y%m%d" .

Example Output:

✅ Renamed and synced: ./data/20250101-report.md → ./data/20250101-01-report.md
✅ Renamed and synced: ./data/20250101-summary.md → ./data/20250101-02-summary.md

💡 Indexly automatically increments the counter (01, 02, 03, …) to prevent overwrites.

Custom Counter Format

Customize counter appearance with --counter-format. For instance, three-digit padded numbers (001, 002, etc.):

indexly rename-file --pattern "{date}-{counter}-{title}" --date-format "%Y%m%d" --counter-format "03d" .

Result:

✅ Renamed: ./project-plan.md → ./20250101-001-project-plan.md
✅ Renamed: ./proposal.md → ./20250101-002-proposal.md

Renaming Folders Recursively

To rename all files in subfolders as well, simply add --recursive:

indexly rename-file --pattern "{date}-{title}" --date-format "%Y%m%d" --recursive .

All files inside subdirectories will also be processed, following the same pattern rules.

Full Dry-Run Before Applying Changes

You can safely preview everything before committing:

indexly rename-file --pattern "{date}-{counter}-{title}" --date-format "%Y%m%d" --counter-format "02d" --dry-run --recursive .

Output:

[Dry-run] Would rename:
  ./articles/2024-08-15-overview.md → ./articles/20240815-01-overview.md
  ./articles/2024-08-15-summary.md → ./articles/20240815-02-summary.md

Once you confirm the preview, rerun the same command without --dry-run to execute.

Flexible Pattern Composition

You can freely mix placeholders and separators in your pattern. Here are a few examples:

Use this flexibility to fit your naming conventions — from content creation to data pipelines.

Syncing Renames to Database

Keep your Indexly database up to date automatically by using:

indexly rename-file --pattern "{date}-{title}" --update-db .

This ensures all renamed files are reflected in your search index or metadata views.

Need More Options?

Run the help command for a full overview of flags and usage examples:

indexly rename-file --help

In Summary

The new rename-file feature helps you:

• Keep filenames consistent and meaningful
• Prevent duplication and collisions automatically
• Control how dates and counters appear
• Preview safely before applying changes
• Update your database in sync with new filenames

It’s a simple yet powerful way to keep your file system clean, structured, and ready for indexing.