Command: ren
REN renames a file/directory or files/directories.
Syntax:
REN [drive][path][directoryname1 | filename1]
[directoryname2 | filename2]
drive The drive letter, e.g. C:
path The directory, e.g. \example\ , complete:
"C:\example\"
directoryname1 The name of the old subdirectory,
e.g. \dir_old , complete: "C:\example\dir_old"
directoryname2 The name of the new subdirectory,
e.g. dir_new , complete: "dir_new"
filename1 The old filename, e.g. \old_file.txt
complete: "C:\example\old_file.txt"
filename2 The new filename, e.g. new_file.txt
complete: "new_file.txt"
Options:
- none -
Comments:
You can also use RENAME instead of REN.
Note that you cannot specify a new drive or path for your destination.
Use the MOVE command for that purpose.
You can use wildcards (* and ?) to specify a set of files. If you use
wildcards in filename1, you must use wildcards in the same position
in filename2.
In pure DOS the directory name must not be longer than 8 letters.
Filenames use 8.3 means: 8 letters for the name, 3 letters for
ending, e.g. example1.txt.
REN is a command internal to command.com and needs no other file
in order to work.
Examples:
ren C:\example\dir_old dir_new
ren C:\example\old_file.txt new_file.txt
See also:
move
rename
Copyright © 1998 Jim Hall, updated 2007 by W. Spiegl.
This file is derived from the FreeDOS Spec Command HOWTO.
See the file H2Cpying for copying conditions.