In file archiving and organizing, it is often necessary to remove all characters after a certain text in file names, keeping only the core name and extension. This article uses START as the anchor text to demonstrate how to batch remove content to the right of START in file names using the "Delete text in file names" function of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool . The article includes applicable scenarios, before-and-after effects, detailed steps, and notes, suitable for users who need to organize a large number of office files.
Batch renaming is not just about adding a unified prefix or replacing keywords to files; often, it is more necessary to truncate subsequent content based on a specific marker in the file name. For example, if a material file name contains START, the part before START is the business name that needs to be kept, while the part after START consists of temporary notes, version numbers, export identifiers, or useless suffixes. In such cases, manual modification is both slow and error-prone.
This article introduces a batch renaming technique more suitable for office scenarios: clearing all characters after a certain text segment in file names. In the example, we use START as the boundary, deleting all content to the right of START, ultimately retaining only the "Name_START.extension" format. The operating tool is HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , a type of batch processing software designed for office efficiency, suitable for handling numerous file names, documents, and material organization tasks.
Applicable Scenario: Truncating File Names Based on Boundary Text
If a file name contains fixed text and the content to the right of this fixed text is no longer needed, the method in this article can be adopted. It is especially suited for scenarios where the "right-side content is variable, but the deletion boundary is fixed."
For example, a batch of files may come from different sources but all contain START. The right side of START might be oldPart, sample, rawName, private, batch001, etc. For users, this information is only process markers and does not need to be kept during archiving. In this case, batch truncation based on START can quickly yield concise and consistent file names.
This method is applicable not only to txt files but also for organizing common office material names, such as Word documents doc, docx, Excel spreadsheets xls, xlsx, PDF files, PowerPoint presentations ppt, pptx, as well as images, texts, and other files. As long as the processing target is the file name, and there is a unified positioning text within it, this approach can be referenced.
Pre-processing Preview: Content After START Varied in File Names
The pre-processing screenshot shows there are 10 txt files in the folder. Each file name contains both START and END, but the content between START and END differs, such as oldPart, sample, 2024Draft, alpha, rawName, debugInfo, private, tempData, batch001, removeThis.
Using traditional manual methods requires deleting the content after START one by one; using standard find-and-replace cannot cover all different suffixes at once. Therefore, this type of file name organization is more suitable for using a rule like "delete all content to the right of certain text."
Post-processing Preview: File Names Uniformly Retained Up to START
After processing, all file names become uniformly Archive_START.txt, Data_START.txt, Doc_START.txt, File_START.txt, Image_START.txt, etc. As seen, the originally different text to the right of START has been completely cleared, while the file extension .txt remains.
Such results are very suitable for file archiving. After the names are unified, the list is neater, file meanings are clearer, and subsequent management through search or sorting is easier. For users who need to maintain project materials, contract documents, scans, reports, and log files over the long term, standardizing file names can significantly improve retrieval efficiency.
Step 1: Open the Text Deletion Tool in File Names
First, open HeSoft Doc Batch Tool . On the main interface, select the "File Names" category on the left, because the target of this operation is file names, not file content or folder structure.
After entering the File Names category, select "Delete Text in File Names" from the function cards. In the screenshot, this function is marked as item 10, with the description "Batch delete text in file names." Its purpose is to delete certain characters or segments in file names according to specified rules, very suitable for batch clearing the right-side content of specified text as discussed in this article.
Choosing the correct function is very important. If the goal is to replace old keywords with new ones, use a find-and-replace function; if the goal is to remove all characters after a certain position, enter the text deletion function and then choose the appropriate operation type.
Step 2: Add Files or Import Files from a Folder
After entering the function page, the first step is to select the records to process. In the upper right corner of the interface are the buttons "Add Files" and "Import Files from Folder." For single or few files, click Add Files; for a batch of files in an entire folder, using Import Files from Folder is recommended to build the processing list faster.
After importing, the table will display file information, including sequence number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, etc. The example shows 10 records with the file extension txt. The list allows you to clearly see the current names of each file to be processed, making it easier to check naming patterns before formal processing.
The expected outcome of this step is: all files needing renaming appear in the list, and files not needing processing do not. If mistakes are found, use the operations on the right to delete single records or clear and re-import. After confirming the record count and file names are correct, click "Next" at the bottom.
Step 3: Set Operation Type to All Content to the Right of a Certain Text
Upon reaching "Set Processing Options," select "All content to the right of a certain text" in the operation type. The meaning expressed by this option is clear: using a specified text as a reference, delete all the file name content to its right.
Enter START in the mandatory "Text" input box below. Here, START is the positioning text for this batch job. The software will read each file name, locate START, and delete the file name portion to the right of START. Combined with the post-processing screenshot, it can be seen that START itself will be retained, ultimately forming names like Archive_START.txt, Data_START.txt.
When setting this, it is not advised to casually input overly short or broad text. For example, just entering the letter T might match other Ts in the file name, leading to results that do not meet expectations. Choose text with uniqueness, stability, and clear boundary meaning as the positioning point. In this example, START appears as a fixed marker in every file name, making it a suitable basis for processing.
Step 4: Complete Save Location and Start Processing According to the Wizard
After finishing the rule setup, click "Next." As seen in the interface flow, subsequent steps include "Set Save Location" and "Start Processing." When batch processing file names, the save location setting is used to confirm how the results are finalized. As different software versions or tasks might have different prompts, it is recommended to make selections based on the actual on-screen instructions.
Before entering the final step, reconfirm the processing rule: the operation type is "All content to the right of a certain text," the text box contains START, and the file list consists of files all matching this rule. Start processing after confirmation. Once completed, check the results in the folder and compare them with the pre-processing file names.
Comparison of Operation Purpose and Expected Results
To avoid misunderstandings during batch processing, the operation can be broken down into several clear goals. First, the purpose of importing files is to create the to-be-processed list, ensuring the software knows which file names to modify. Second, the purpose of selecting the operation type is to tell the software the deletion scope, i.e., all content to the right of START. Third, the purpose of entering START is to provide the positioning text. Fourth, the purpose of setting the save location and starting processing is to generate the final result.
The expected result should match the example: Archive_START_oldPart_END.txt becomes Archive_START.txt, Record_START_tempData_END.txt becomes Record_START.txt, Task_START_removeThis_END.txt becomes Task_START.txt. As long as the file name structure is consistent, a batch unified effect will be achieved.
Common Issues and Precautions
1. Is this operation suitable for deleting arbitrary suffixes in file names? It is suitable for deleting suffixes to the "right side of a certain text." If there is no common positioning text in the file names, the naming rules need to be organized first, or other types of batch renaming methods should be considered.
2. Should the positioning text include underscores? It depends on what you wish to retain. In the example, START is entered, and the result retains START. If the positioning text is set differently, the final retention boundary might also differ. It is recommended to verify with a few test files first.
3. Will it affect the file extension? In the post-processing screenshot, .txt is retained, indicating this example operation will not delete the extension. The extension is important for how a file is opened, so spot-check confirmation after processing is recommended.
4. Can it process Chinese file names? This function processes file name text. The options in the screenshot also include types like "all Chinese characters," showing the software supports various rule-based processing of file name text. If there is also a unified positioning text in Chinese file names, the same logic can be attempted.
5. What is the most critical check before batch processing? The most critical checks are whether the correct files are selected, whether the positioning text is entered correctly, and whether the rule direction is correctly chosen. This article uses all content on the right; if mistakenly selected for the left, the results would be completely different.
Summary: Transforming File Name Cleaning from Manual Deletion to One-Click Rule-based Processing
Clearing all characters after a certain text segment in file names is a very practical batch renaming technique in file organization. It does not require the right-side content to be completely consistent, only requiring a common positioning text in the file names, making it suitable for processing system export files, project materials, scanned documents, log texts, and office files like Word and PDF.
When using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , operate according to the procedure in this article: enter the File Names category, select "Delete Text in File Names," import the files to process, select "All content to the right of a certain text" in the operation type, enter START, and then continue to complete the save location and start processing. For those who frequently need to organize large numbers of files, this batch processing method can significantly reduce repetitive work and make file archiving more efficient and standardized.