File Name Converter4.1

A computer in an office environment is most likely equipped with a whole lot of text documents that are difficult to sort out. Windows explorer lets you view and sort according to various criteria, but you can't gather or save any data unless manually writing it down. This is where applications like File Name Converter come in handy for creating lists of file names to generate different reports.

Lightweight and straightforward

The overall process is easy enough and only takes a little while. All you have to do is select a heap of files lying around in a folder or your desktop, drag them over the main window, and before you know it, four panels display different info related to them, with no other button to press or function to call. However, it's a little more than that and all info displayed depends on your configurations.All you need to know and manage is found in the options menu. A new window pops up and displays a set of options for each panel specialized in gathering a certain type of info, except for the last two which are identical by default.The main window is fitted with short descriptions above each panel and instructions in the status bar. As you quickly notice, the application displays source file path, name, as well as file name and edits, which uses two of the four fields.

Poor set of features to work with

With the options menu up, you can fully configure how path is displayed, with several presets to choose from, as well as an additional field for adding a website. The second panel is the most abundant in variety of customization. Amongst others, displayed info can mean the whole name and extension, date modified, file size and a few more that also indicate number of characters or path.The last two panels are created to display only the file name. No other details can be extracted from the file, with the only options being to add custom text strings before and after the name. Sadly enough, there's no support for commands or special functions to add at least a counter, thus cutting off a great deal of flexibility.You need to be careful what you add, not because you risk losing or having files corrupt, but if you're interested in the content of a folder don't just add the directory, because the application doesn't distinguish files from folders and adds it as one item on your list. What's more, exporting data is only done manually by copying delivered results to an external text editor.

To sum it up

All things considered, we come to the conclusion that File Name Converter is a pretty straightforward application, with little variety in its poor set of features. It's easy enough to use by anyone, but for what it's worth, it's a shame there's no option to have lists automatically exported, or at least a function to count files you add.