When a large number of folder names contain temporary numbers, version numbers, draft markers, or intermediate project fields, renaming them one by one is not only time-consuming but also prone to omissions or errors. This article uses the example of "batch deleting all text between two texts in many folder names" to demonstrate how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to retain the two boundary identifiers START and END in folder names while deleting different intermediate text content, helping users quickly complete batch cleanup and standardization of folder names.
In daily office work, project archiving, material handover, and file server organization, you often encounter a batch of folders with similar name structures but different temporary content in between. For example, folder names all contain two fixed identifiers, START and END, but have variable text like tempFiles, debugInfo, 2024Draft, oldVersion, batch001 in the middle. If you only need to keep the fixed parts before and after and uniformly delete the content between the two texts, manual renaming one by one is very inefficient. The method introduced in this article is suitable for batch processing folder names using office software, focusing on solving the repetitive task of "batch deleting all content between two specified texts in folder names."
Applicable Scenarios: Which folder names are suitable for batch deletion between two texts
This type of batch renaming requirement usually has a distinct characteristic: there are identifiable left-boundary text and right-boundary text in the folder name, and the content to be deleted is located between these two boundaries. For example, in Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final, START is the fixed text on the left, _END is the fixed text on the right, and _tempFiles in the middle is the content to be deleted. The desired result after processing is Backup_START_END_Final, which deletes the variable content while preserving the main structure of the original name.
Common scenarios include: deleting temporary markers in project folders, deleting draft numbers in client material folders, deleting old version descriptions in design draft directories, deleting intermediate fields like rawSet in photo archive directories, and deleting alpha or batch numbers in report directories. For enterprise office work, folder names often correspond to projects, clients, dates, statuses, and archive types. Once naming is inconsistent, subsequent retrieval, sorting, and sharing will be affected. Using office software like HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can transform operations that originally required repeated clicking, copying, pasting, and deleting into a batch execution after setting up rules once.
It should be noted that this method processes the "folder name" itself, not deleting files within the folder or clearing folder contents. Its goal is batch renaming, allowing a batch of folder names to have text within a specified range deleted according to the same rule.
Effect Preview: Before processing, folder names contain different intermediate text
From the examples before processing, it can be seen that each folder name contains a structure related to START and END, but the content between START and END is different. For example, Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final, Build_START_debugInfo_END_Release, Client_START_2024Draft_END_Archive, Design_START_oldVersion_END_Approved, etc. These intermediate fields may come from temporary remarks, version markers, fields automatically generated by export systems, or descriptions added during manual sorting.
If only one or two folders need processing, manually deleting the intermediate text is acceptable; but when the number of folders reaches dozens, hundreds, or even more, manual renaming is not only slow but also prone to format inconsistencies. For example, some names might have an extra underscore kept, some might have END deleted by mistake, and some folders might be missed. The value of batch processing lies in: as long as the rules are set correctly, the software will process all selected folders according to the same logic.
Effect Preview: After processing, only the content between two texts is deleted
In the processed folder names, the variable text originally between START and _END has been deleted, and the name structure becomes unified. For example, Backup_START_END_Final, Build_START_END_Release, Client_START_END_Archive, Project_START_END_Report, etc. As can be seen, the key identifiers START and END are still retained, and the trailing business fields like Final, Release, Archive, Report are also unaffected.
This effect is very suitable for directory standardization: it neither destroys the prefixes and suffixes used for classification in folder names, nor clears the useless content sandwiched between two identifiers. For users who need to maintain shared drives, cloud sync directories, project material libraries, and client delivery directories long-term, batch deleting specified text intervals in folder names can significantly reduce repetitive work.
Operation Steps: Using office software to batch delete folder name content between two texts
Step 1: Enter the folder name tool and select delete text in folder names
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select "Folder Name" in the left function category. The main interface will display multiple function cards related to batch processing folder names, such as find and replace, insert text, add prefix/suffix, case conversion, etc. To delete a segment of text in folder names this time, select "Delete Text in Folder Names".
The purpose of this step is to first clarify the processing object and type: the object is the folder name, and the action is deleting text. Different from renaming a single folder, the batch processing tool imports multiple folders as records and then processes them uniformly according to subsequently set rules. Choosing the correct function entry can avoid mistakenly entering other modules like file processing, Word tools, Excel tools, PDF tools, etc.
Step 2: Add the folders to be processed and check the record list
After entering the "Delete Text in Folder Names" function, you can see the step flow at the top of the page, including selecting records to process, setting processing options, setting save location, and starting processing. Click "Add Folder" at the top right of the interface to add the folders to be renamed to the list. After adding, the software will display information such as sequence number, name, path, creation time, and modification time in the table.
In the example, 10 records were added. The pending folder names can be seen in the name column, and the path column shows the locations of these folders. It is recommended to check two points before proceeding to the next step: First, confirm that all folders in the list are the ones to be processed; second, confirm that the names indeed contain the text to be used as boundaries. If a folder does not need processing, it can be removed from the records using the delete icon in the operation column; if added incorrectly, you can also use the "Clear" button on the interface to re-add.
This step seems simple, but it determines the scope of the batch operation. Batch processing folder names is highly efficient, so it is even more important to confirm the processing objects first to avoid including unrelated directories in the rule execution scope.
Step 3: Set deletion rules, select all content between two texts
Click "Next" to enter the set processing options page. Select "All content between two texts" in the "Operation Type". This option means: the software will find the left text and right text in each folder name, and then delete the content between them.
Based on the example folder names, input START in the "Left Text" field and _END in the "Right Text" field. The reason for using _END as the right text here, instead of just END, is to make the deletion result cleaner. Taking Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final as an example, if the left text is START and the right text is _END, the software deletes the content between START and before _END, which is _tempFiles, ultimately resulting in Backup_START_END_Final. This avoids leaving redundant underscores after processing.
You can also see switches for "Include left text" and "Include right text" on the interface. For this requirement, START and END still need to be kept after processing, so keep these switches off. That is, only delete the content between the two, not the boundary text itself. After setting, click "Next" to proceed to the subsequent flow.
Step 4: Set the save location and start batch processing
Following the interface flow, after setting processing options, you will enter "Set Save Location", then go to "Start Processing". Since this is a batch modification operation for folder names, it is recommended to confirm again whether the rules meet expectations before formal execution: whether the left text is input as START, whether the right text is input as _END, and whether the switches for including boundary text are mistakenly turned on. After confirming correctness, proceed to the start processing step to execute the batch operation.
After processing is complete, you can go back to the file explorer to view the results. The 10 folders in the example have changed from names with different intermediate text to a unified START_END structure. This indicates that the rule for batch deleting content between two texts has been correctly applied and effective.
Common Issues and Precautions
1. Why is it recommended to input _END for the right text
Because the folder name structure in the example is START_tempFiles_END. The content to be deleted actually includes the underscore after START and the intermediate variable text. If the right boundary is written as _END, the deletion range ends before _END, ultimately retaining START_END, making the name more natural. If written as END, an extra underscore might be retained, and the result may not meet expectations. In practical use, choose the boundary text based on your own naming structure.
2. What happens if a folder does not have START or _END
Batch deleting content between two texts relies on boundary text matching. To ensure controllable results, it is recommended to review the name list after adding records to confirm that all pending folders conform to the same structure. For folders that do not contain the boundary text, you can remove them from the list first, or separately set up another set of rules for processing.
3. Will files inside the folders be deleted
What is demonstrated in this article is deleting text in folder names, that is, batch renaming folders. It does not delete folder contents or clean up files. User focus should be on whether the folder name rules are correct and whether the processing objects are correctly selected.
4. Can this be used for organizing other office files
Yes. Although the example in this article is about folder names, similar ideas are often used for organizing the naming of Word documents, docx, doc, Excel spreadsheets, PDF files, image assets, and project directories. As long as stable left and right boundaries exist in the name, you can consider using batch rules to reduce repetitive renaming work.
Summary: Replacing repetitive renaming with batch processing rules
Batch deleting content between two specified texts in folder names essentially turns manual identification and deletion into a reusable rule. Through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select "Delete Text in Folder Names" in the "Folder Name" module, add folders, set "All content between two texts", and input START and _END, you can quickly clean up a batch of folder names. For office users who need to organize project materials, client directories, and archive folders long-term, this batch processing method can significantly reduce repetitive labor and lower the probability of operational errors. It is recommended to check the list and boundary text before formal processing, confirm correctness, and then execute the batch operation to make folder naming more standardized and easier to search.