Setup multiple variables for a file renaming script

A little more info about the workflow you want to achieve is needed.

• Are you looking to rename files that reside in a folder or are you looking to rename audio / tracks within a pro Tools session? The script would be different depending on the scenario. Renaming files in a folder would be easiest.
• If you're renaming files in a folder what naming convention is being used for the original file names? If you could supply a couple examples that would be very helpful.

Hi Chris,
Thanks for reaching out so quickly.
I’m looking to rename files in the audio files folder of a Protools session.
Track number would be the track name in Protools
Instrument name would be the comment fiels of the specific track.

Thanks a lot

Rob

Hi Chris,
I'll try to describe an example.
We would typically record 128 audio tracks during a live show. There is normally no time to rename all of the tracks & fill in the instrument name in the comments before we go into record (and usually channel layout is not entirely clear before the show starts anyway).
We would rename tracks & fill in comments fields during the recording, or otherwise after the recording is finished.
This results in the audio files just being named Audio 1 > Audio 128.

Once all of the information is final, I would like to run the workflow.
We would have the following variables:

1. festival name > this is the same for all to be renamed audio files, preferably filled in via a popup window
2. festival year > this is the same for all to be renamed audio files, preferably filled in via a popup window
3. artist name > this is the same for all to be renamed audio files, preferably filled in via a popup window
4. used DAW/workstation > this is the same for all to be renamed audio files, preferably filled in via a popup window
5. recording date (YYYYMMDD) > this is the same for all to be renamed audio files, preferably filled in via a popup window
6. track number > to be copied from the Protools session's currently selected track's "track name"
7. instrument name > to be copied from the Protools session's currently selected track's "track comment"
8. audio sample rate & bit depth > this is the same for all to be renamed audio files, preferably filled in via a popup window

In addition to that, the popup window would need a field where I can fill in how many times the workflow needs to be repeated (in this case 128 times since we have 128 audio files to relabel)

The workflow would rename the audiofile called
"audio 01.wav"
into
"wacken_2024-iron_maiden-20230807-rm14_main-track_01-kick-48k24b.wav"
and then move on to the next track in Protools.

I would think the variables pop-up window would have to be visible once to fill in variables 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 8. Variables 6 & 7 can be copied from the specific track's name & comment field as the workflow progresses.

Hopefully this makes sense.

Bests,

Rob

Here's my first try.
A few things to note:

• This script assumes that every track has only a single clip that is a complete file.
• If you're running PT 2023.6 or higher it should be pretty quick. If an earlier version of PT is used it will still do its thing but renaming the clips will take longer.
• there's no need to enter the number of tracks that are to be renamed, just selected the tracks and the script will take care of the rest.
• You'll be asked for the needed values via dialog boxes. The sample rate and bit depth will be automatically detected from the session setup window.
• after entering the needed info, the info will be stored to disk (on the first run there will be generic values for the default answers). The next time you run the script the default values in the dialog boxes will use the values stored to disk. I figured it'd be handy if you're doing this after every show with the same band.
• if you make a mistake with one of the values fill out the rest of them and click 'Cancel' at the first confirmation box and start again. When you run the script again you'll only have to change the entries that were incorrect.
• I formatted the track number to be three digits long for the reason I asked in my previous posts

I would try this script on a test session first to confirm it works.
Let me know if there are any changes you need.

function formatExtractedNumber(str) {
    // Extract the first number found in the string
    const match = str.match(/\d+/);
    if (!match) {
        throw new Error("No number found in the string");
    }
    const num = match[0];
    // Convert the extracted number to a string and pad it
    return num.toString().padStart(3, '0');
}

function getPTVersion() {
    const versNumberArray = sf.ui.proTools.appVersion.split(".")
    let [year, month, increment] = versNumberArray
    month = "0" + month.slice(-2)
    increment = "0" + increment.slice(-2)
    let versionNumber = Number(year + month + increment)
    return versionNumber
}

const PACKAGE_DIRECTORY = sf.soundflow.thisPackage.getDirectory().path;
const previousValuesPath = `${PACKAGE_DIRECTORY}/Previous_Entries.json`


//          ////////////////
//          ///// MAIN /////
//          ////////////////

sf.ui.proTools.appActivateMainWindow()

// Check for and load previous entries
let prevFestivalName, prevFestivalYear, prevArtist, prevdawName, prevRecordingDate;
if (sf.file.exists({ path: previousValuesPath }).exists) {
    let previousEntries = sf.file.readJson({ path: previousValuesPath }).json;
    ({
        prevFestivalName,
        prevFestivalYear,
        prevArtist,
        prevdawName,
        prevRecordingDate
    } = previousEntries)
}

// Instruct user to select tracks to be renamed
sf.interaction.displayDialog({
    prompt: "Select tracks in sessionto be renamed and click OK",
    buttons: ["Cancel", "OK"],
    defaultButton: "OK"
}).text

// Get Festival name from user
let festivalName = sf.interaction.displayDialog({
    prompt: "Enter festival name:",
    defaultAnswer: prevFestivalName ? prevFestivalName : "<festival name>",
    buttons: ["Cancel", "OK"],
    defaultButton: "OK"
}).text

// get festival year from user
const festivalYear = sf.interaction.displayDialog({
    prompt: "Enter festival year:",
    defaultAnswer: prevFestivalYear ? prevFestivalYear : "<2024>",
    buttons: ["Cancel", "OK"],
    defaultButton: "OK"
}).text

// get artist name from user
const artist = sf.interaction.displayDialog({
    prompt: "Enter artist name:",
    defaultAnswer: prevArtist ? prevArtist : "<Band Name>",
    buttons: ["Cancel", "OK"],
    defaultButton: "OK"
}).text

// get DAW name from user
const dawName = sf.interaction.displayDialog({
    prompt: "Enter DAW / workstation name:",
    defaultAnswer: prevdawName ? prevdawName : "Pro-Tools",
    buttons: ["Cancel", "OK"],
    defaultButton: "OK"
}).text

// Get recording date from user
const recordingDate = sf.interaction.displayDialog({
    prompt: "Enter recording date:",
    defaultAnswer: prevRecordingDate ? prevRecordingDate : "<YYYYMMDD>",
    buttons: ["Cancel", "OK"],
    defaultButton: "OK"
}).text

// Get sample rate and bit depth from Session Setup window
//      Open Session Setup if neccessary
const sessionSetupWin = sf.ui.proTools.windows.whoseTitle.is("Session Setup").first

if (!sessionSetupWin.exists) {
    sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({ menuPath: ["Setup", "Session"] })
    sessionSetupWin.elementWaitFor()
}
//      Get sample rate
const sampleRate = sessionSetupWin.groups.whoseTitle.is("Session Format").first
    .children.whoseRole.is("AXStaticText").allItems[2].value.invalidate().value
    .split(" k")[0] + "k"

//      Get bit depth
const bitDepth = sessionSetupWin.groups.whoseTitle.is("Session Format").first.
    popupButtons.allItems[1].value.invalidate().value.split(" B")[0] + "b";

//Close Session Info window
sessionSetupWin.windowClose()
sessionSetupWin.elementWaitFor({ waitType: "Disappear" })

//Construct first part of new track name
const trackNamePart1 = `${festivalName}_${festivalYear}-${artist}-${recordingDate}-${dawName}_main-track_`

//Save entries to disk to reuse on next run
const previousEntries = {
    prevFestivalName: festivalName,
    prevFestivalYear: festivalYear,
    prevArtist: artist,
    prevdawName: dawName,
    prevRecordingDate: recordingDate,
}
sf.file.writeJson({ json: previousEntries, path: previousValuesPath })

// Have user confirm entries
sf.interaction.displayDialog({
    title: "Confirm Rename Tracks",
    prompt: `Confirm entries before proceeding.

(Cancel to start over)

Festival Name: ${festivalName}

Festival Year: ${festivalYear}

Artist: ${artist}

DAW: ${dawName}

Recording Date: ${recordingDate}

Sample Rate: ${sampleRate}

Bit Depth: ${bitDepth}
-----------
Sample Track Name = ${trackNamePart1}015-kick-${sampleRate}${bitDepth}`,
    buttons: ["Cancel", "OK"],
    defaultButton: "OK"
});
// Ensure time line and edit selection are linked
const linkeTimeLineAndEditBtn = sf.ui.proTools.mainWindow.cursorToolCluster.buttons
    .whoseTitle.is("Link Track and Edit Selection").first
if (linkeTimeLineAndEditBtn.value.invalidate().value !== "Selected") linkeTimeLineAndEditBtn.elementClick();

// Show only selected tracks
const trackListPopupBtn = sf.ui.proTools.mainWindow.trackListPopupButton
trackListPopupBtn.popupMenuSelect({ menuPath: ["Show Only Selected Tracks"] });

// Get visible track headers
let selectedTrackHeaders = sf.ui.proTools.visibleTrackHeaders;

// Ensure comments are visible
const commentsMenuItem = sf.ui.proTools.getMenuItem("View", "Edit Window Views", "Comments")
if (!commentsMenuItem.isMenuChecked) commentsMenuItem.elementClick()

//Scroll to view first track
sf.ui.proTools.trackSelectByName({ names: [selectedTrackHeaders[0].normalizedTrackName] })
sf.ui.proTools.selectedTrack.trackScrollToView()

// Open rename window
selectedTrackHeaders[0].popupButtons.first.mouseClickElement({ clickCount: 2 })

// Wait for rename window
sf.ui.proTools.windows.whoseTitle.is(selectedTrackHeaders[0].popupButtons.first.value.invalidate().value).first.elementWaitFor();

//Get the elements of text fields and buttons  from rename window
const [trackName, comments] = sf.ui.proTools.focusedWindow.invalidate().textFields.map(x => x)
const [ok, cncl, pr, next] = sf.ui.proTools.focusedWindow.buttons.map(x => x)

//Rename Tracks
selectedTrackHeaders.forEach(track => {
    //Check if comments field is not empty before proceeding
    if (comments.value.invalidate().value.trim().length !== 0) {
        // Construct track name
        const trackNumber = formatExtractedNumber(trackName.value.invalidate().value);
        const instrumentName = comments.value.invalidate().value;
        const fulltrackName = `${trackNamePart1}_${trackNumber}-${instrumentName}-${sampleRate}${bitDepth}`

        // Set track name from comments
        if (comments.value.invalidate().value.trim().length !== 0) {
            // Set new track name
            while (true) {
                if (trackName.value.invalidate().value != fulltrackName) {
                    trackName.elementSetTextFieldWithAreaValue({
                        value: fulltrackName,
                    });
                    sf.wait({ intervalMs: 5 })
                } else {
                    break;
                }
            };
        }
    };
    // If it's the last track press ok, else press next
    if (selectedTrackHeaders.indexOf(track) === selectedTrackHeaders.length - 1) {
        ok.elementClick()
    } else {
        next.elementClick()
    };
})

// ask user to confirm new track names before proceeding
const confirmTrackNames = sf.interaction.displayDialog({
    title: "Confirm Rename Audio Files",
    prompt: `Please review and confirm track names before proceeding to renaming audio files.

(You may need to make the track list wider to see full track names.)

You can revert to the last saved version of the session if you would like to start again.

You may also manually rename any mislabeled tracks before clicking "Proceed"`,
    buttons: ["Cancel", "Revert", "Proceed"]
}).button;

// Revert to saved if requested
if (confirmTrackNames == "Revert") {
    sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({ menuPath: ["File", "Revert"], looseMatch: true })
    throw 0
}

// Rename Audio Files
sf.ui.proTools.mainWindow.invalidate();

// refresh track headers
selectedTrackHeaders = sf.ui.proTools.visibleTrackHeaders

if (getPTVersion() < 230600) {

    // If running older version of proTools run the following:

    const refreshMenus = () => sf.keyboard.press({ keys: "n", repetitions: 2, fast: true })
    selectedTrackHeaders.forEach(track => {

        sf.ui.proTools.trackSelectByName({ names: [track.normalizedTrackName] })
        refreshMenus()
        sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({ menuPath: ["Edit", "Select All"] })
        refreshMenus()
        sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({ menuPath: ["Clip", "Rename..."] })

        const clipNameWindow = sf.ui.proTools.windows.whoseTitle.is("Name").first
        clipNameWindow.elementWaitFor()

        //Define clip rename window elements
        const nameGroup = clipNameWindow.groups.whoseTitle.is("Name").first
        const clipNameField = nameGroup.textFields.first;
        const clipAndDiskBtn = nameGroup.radioButtons.whoseTitle.is("name clip and disk file").first;
        const nameOkBtn = clipNameWindow.buttons.whoseTitle.is("OK").first

        while (true) {
            // log(clipNameField.value.invalidate().value)
            if (clipNameField.value.invalidate().value !== track.normalizedTrackName) {
                clipNameField.elementClick()
                sf.keyboard.press({
                    keys: "backspace",
                    repetitions: 2
                });

                sf.wait({ intervalMs: 25 })
                clipNameField.elementSetTextFieldWithAreaValue({ value: track.normalizedTrackName, useMouseKeyboard: true })
                sf.wait({ intervalMs: 300 })
                clipAndDiskBtn.elementClick()
                // log(clipNameField.value.invalidate().value)

            } else { break; }
        }
        nameOkBtn.elementClick()
    })
} else {
    // If new version of PT run this
    selectedTrackHeaders.forEach(track => {
        sf.app.proTools.selectAllClipsOnTrack({ trackName: track.normalizedTrackName });
        sf.app.proTools.renameSelectedClip({ newName: track.normalizedTrackName, renameFile: true })
    })
    sf.app.proTools.refreshAllModifiedAudioFiles()
}
// Show previously selected tracks
trackListPopupBtn.popupMenuSelect({ menuPath: ["Restore Previously Shown Tracks"] });

sf.interaction.notify({ title: "Rename track and clips complete!" })

Hi Chris,

although I like the idea of what you showed me in the video, I think the list would get way to long and therefore more confusing then helpful during festival days. There is so much lastminute stuff going on, that I think the way you have it now makes more sense. The popups show you what you've filled in before, that's great to avoid typo's ect.

Also of the option to be able to select which tracks you need to rename !

Is it easy to pack this into 1 popup dialog and do the checkbox idea for which variables you wish to use or not ?
I can think of occasions where we're only recording 1 show of 1 artist, so there's no need for festival name ect, but we could still use the same script

I gave the script a test run:

• could we do 1 underscore between "track" and the actual number ?
• i see "main" twice, not sure where this comes from

It also seems stuck on renaming the first audio-file. I made a screenrecording on how it looks on my side:
https://backups.robsannen.nl/_Fse08Bg4p9FYER

Thanks again,

Rob

Hi Chris, wanted to pick this up again. The don't use button would also work fine I think.
Bests, Rob