Format Conversion Rules
File names inconsistent in format? Chinese characters incompatible on certain systems? Want to batch-adjust complex formats using regex? Format conversion rules help you handle it all in bulk.
Rules Overview
| Rule | Function | Example | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character Conversion | Character encoding and language conversion | 重要文档.pdf → zhongyao-wendang.pdf | Chinese to Pinyin, Simplified/Traditional conversion, URL-friendly formatting |
| Regular Expression | Advanced text matching and replacement | IMG_2024_001.jpg → photo_2024_001.jpg | Complex pattern handling, batch formatting |
Multi-Rule Pipeline
Renamio supports executing multiple rules in sequence, completing complex processing in one step.
Common Combinations:
- Clean → Pinyin Conversion: First remove garbled characters from
??重要文档.pdf, then convert Chinese tozhongyao-wendang.pdf - Pinyin Conversion → Regex Replace: Convert
报告.docxtobaogao.docx, then use regex to change spaces to underscores - Regex Extract → Case Conversion: Use regex to extract key parts
IMG_001→img_001, then convert to camel caseimgFile001.jpg
💡 Why use pipelines? Because single-step conversion may not be enough - for example, Pinyin conversion may still need format adjustments. Pipelines ensure every file goes through complete processing, avoiding omissions.
Operation Tips
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⚠️ Preview before applying Confirm the conversion effect meets expectations before clicking "Apply", especially since Pinyin conversion is irreversible
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🌐 Note encoding compatibility If files will be uploaded to web servers or used cross-platform, consider converting to ASCII-compatible formats (like Pinyin, removing special characters)
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🎯 Test regex first Complex regex should be tested on a few files first to ensure matching rules are correct. You can validate using online regex tools (regex101.com)
FAQ
Q: Can I change Pinyin back to Chinese? A: No. Pinyin conversion is irreversible because polyphonic characters cannot be restored, and the conversion process loses original Chinese character information. Back up important files before converting.
Q: Regex is too complex - are there simpler alternatives? A: If it's just simple find-and-replace, the "Find & Replace" rule is sufficient. Regular expressions are for complex patterns like:
- Extracting text at specific positions:
IMG_(\d+)_photo→$1 - Batch format adjustments: changing
20241225to2024-12-25If unsure, try simple rules first, then consider regex if those don't work.
Q: Does Traditional/Simplified conversion affect file contents? A: No. All rules only modify file names and will never read or modify actual file contents. Your file content is completely safe.
Q: What if converted file names show garbled characters? A: Common causes:
- Incorrect encoding settings: Check system language settings to ensure target charset is supported
- Special character issues: Some characters aren't supported on specific systems - use the "Clean Invalid Characters" rule first
- Pinyin conversion issues: May be due to polyphonic character handling or tone marks - try adjusting conversion options
💡 Click rule names to view detailed usage and more examples for each rule.