Many office directories generate folder names with fixed identifiers and variable fields during export or collaboration, such as START and _END sandwiching version numbers, draft marks, batch numbers, or temporary notes. This article demonstrates an efficient approach through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool : batch locate and delete content between two specified texts while retaining boundary identifiers, helping users quickly standardize a large number of folder names.
When organizing folders, I often encounter a seemingly simple but time-consuming problem: a large number of folder names contain an unnecessary middle text, but the middle content of each folder is not exactly the same. For example, Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final, Client_START_2024Draft_END_Archive, Invoice_START_batch001_END_Paid. They all share a common pattern: START is the left identifier, _END is the right identifier, and the content in between like tempFiles, 2024Draft, batch001 needs to be deleted.
If you rename them one by one manually, you need to constantly select folders, enter edit mode, locate the text, delete, and confirm. Processing 10 folders might be tolerable, but when handling 100 or more, it's not only inefficient but also prone to errors like over-deletion, under-deletion, or missed modifications. This article will introduce how to use the office software HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch delete all content between two specified texts in folder names, making batch folder renaming more stable and time-saving.
Applicable Scenario: Variable Middle Fields with Fixed Left and Right Identifiers
The method in this article is suitable for processing folder naming structures with "fixed left and right identifiers, variable middle content." It does not require every middle field to be exactly the same; as long as the left and right boundaries are consistent, they can be batch located and deleted.
For example, the following names can all be processed with the same set of rules:
- Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final: Delete tempFiles.
- Build_START_debugInfo_END_Release: Delete debugInfo.
- Client_START_2024Draft_END_Archive: Delete 2024Draft.
- Data_START_sampleChunk_END_Clean: Delete sampleChunk.
- Task_START_removeThis_END_Done: Delete removeThis.
This type of need is common in scenarios like office data cleanup, R&D version directory organization, design draft archiving, invoice batch directory cleanup, and standardizing customer delivery materials. Compared to ordinary find-and-replace, "deleting content between two texts" is more suitable for handling inconsistent middle text, because it doesn't require knowing what each middle field is in advance.
Before Processing Effect: Folder Names Mixed with Different Useless Texts
From the screenshot before processing, you can see that each name in the folder list contains START and _END, but the text between them is not the same. Some are tempFiles, some are debugInfo, some are oldVersion, and others are batch001. This content might have been used to indicate source, version, or temporary status, but it is no longer needed in the archiving phase.
If these middle fields are kept, the folder names will appear inconsistent, making subsequent sorting, searching, and delivery less clear. Especially in multi-person collaboration environments, the more uniform the naming rules, the lower the cost of locating materials.
After Processing Effect: Unified Preservation of START_END Structure
After processing, all content originally located between START and _END is deleted, making the folder names more concise. For example, Backup_START_tempFiles_END_Final becomes Backup_START_END_Final after processing, and Project_START_alpha_END_Report becomes Project_START_END_Report.
From the results, you can see that the left and right boundary texts are not deleted; START and _END are fully preserved. This indicates that the goal of this setup is not to delete the boundaries but to delete the variable characters between them. Such results are suitable for continuing to preserve the naming structure while only cleaning up unnecessary middle information.
Operation Step 1: Select Folder Name Processing on the Tool's Homepage
After launching HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , first confirm the processing target. The object to be modified this time is folder names, so you should select Folder Name in the left navigation, not "File Name" or document tools like Word, Excel, PDF. The software has many categories on the left, covering office processing scenarios like documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDFs, images, audio, and video, but different tasks require entering the corresponding category.
In the Folder Name function area, find and click Delete Text from Folder Names. The description of this function card is to batch delete text from folder names, which aligns with the goal of this batch cleanup of content between START and _END.
The expected result of this step is to enter the operation page for "Delete Text from Folder Names." Once entered, the software will guide the user through a wizard to complete adding folders, setting deletion rules, setting the save location, and starting the processing.
Operation Step 2: Add Folders and Confirm the Pending List
After entering the function page, the first step is "Select records to process." Click the Add Folders button in the upper right corner to add the folders that need to be renamed to the list. The example path in the screenshot is located under D:\test\, and the software has read out 10 records, displaying the name, path, creation time, and modification time in the table.
Before executing the batch renaming, it is recommended not to rush to click next, but to check the list first. Focus on the following points:
- Is the record count correct: The summary at the bottom of the screenshot shows a record count of 10, which should match the actual number of folders to be processed.
- Do the folder names follow the rules: Each name should contain START and _END.
- Are the paths correct: Avoid mistakenly adding folders from other directories into the processing scope.
- Are there records that don't need processing: If so, they can be removed via the delete button in the operation column.
After confirming the list is correct, click Next at the bottom. The purpose of this step is to finalize the processing scope, ensuring that subsequent rules only apply to these target folders.
Operation Step 3: Set the Deletion Rule to Content Between Two Texts
The second step is "Set processing options." The interface shows multiple operation types, including all numbers, all whitespace, the rightmost characters, all Chinese characters, all content, all content to the left of a text, position range, all English letters, all content to the right of a text, etc. For this example, you should select All Content Between Two Texts.
After selecting this option, enter the boundary texts below:
- Left text: START
- Right text: _END
The meaning of this setting is: the software locates START and _END in each folder name and deletes the text between them. Since the switches for "Include left text" and "Include right text" in the screenshot are not turned on, START and _END will be preserved. The final effect is to uniformly process structures like START_tempFiles_END, START_debugInfo_END, START_2024Draft_END into START_END.
Pay special attention to writing the right text here. The example uses _END, including the underscore at the beginning. If you only fill in END, it might match the end identifier, but the underscore structure after deletion might not be as expected. When batch processing, it is recommended to write the boundary text as complete and accurate as possible.
Operation Step 4: Continue to Next, Set Save Location, and Execute
After setting the deletion rules, click the Next button at the bottom of the page. According to the interface flow, subsequent steps include Setting Save Location and Starting Processing. Users just need to follow the software wizard to complete the settings and then execute the processing.
Since batch folder renaming directly affects directory names, it's recommended to double-check before formal execution: whether the left text is START, whether the right text is _END; whether the boundary texts need to be preserved; whether all pending records are correct. Start processing only after confirming everything is correct.
After processing is complete, you can go back to the original folder location to view the results. The screenshot after processing shows that all example folders have been cleaned up according to the rules, the variable middle text has been deleted, and a unified START_END naming structure is preserved.
FAQ: What to Note When Batch Deleting Content Between Two Texts
1. Can it delete content at once even if the middle content varies?
Yes. The advantage of this method is precisely that it does not require specifying the middle content one by one. As long as the left and right boundary texts are consistent, for example, START on the left and _END on the right, the middle content—whether it's a version number, English description, numeric batch, or mixed characters—can be batch deleted using "All Content Between Two Texts."
2. What happens if there is no content between START and _END?
If some folders already have the START_END structure with no content to delete between them, there will usually be no significant change. To avoid repeated processing or mixing in abnormal names, it's still recommended to check the list after adding folders.
3. Is it possible to delete the entire segment including the boundary texts?
The settings page has switches for "Include left text" and "Include right text." To preserve START and _END, they were not turned on in this example. If your requirement is to delete the boundaries together, these switches can be adjusted according to the actual goal. Different settings will directly affect the final folder name, so you should verify with a small sample before operation.
4. What if there are multiple START or multiple _END in a folder name?
If the same boundary appears multiple times in one name, the matching range might become complex. It is recommended to review such special names before batch processing, handle them individually if necessary, or use more precise left and right texts as boundaries. For example, write the right text as a more complete _END_ or another unique fragment to reduce mismatches.
5. What are the advantages of this tool compared to ordinary manual renaming?
Manual renaming is suitable for a small number of folders, but when facing a large number of repetitive rules, it is inefficient and has a high error rate. As an office software, the core value of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool is batch processing of files, folders, and common office materials, reducing repetitive labor. For tasks like batch folder renaming, batch deleting name text, and batch standardizing naming structures, using a tool can significantly shorten the operation time.
Operation Suggestion: Test on a Small Scale First, Then Batch Process All Folders
Although the rules in this example are relatively clear, it is still recommended to follow the principle of "test first, then do the full batch" for batch renaming. You can copy several sample folders to a test directory, follow the steps in this article to set START and _END, confirm the results meet expectations, and then process the official directory. This way, you can leverage the efficiency of batch processing while reducing the risk of operational errors.
If your office scenario also involves batch naming or organizing files like doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, pdf, you should also select the corresponding tool category based on the processing object. Although folder name processing and file name processing are similar, their targets are different, so you need to confirm clearly before choosing.
Summary: Quickly Clean Folder Names Using Fixed Boundaries
The key to batch deleting the variable characters between START and _END in folder names is to find stable left and right boundaries and use office software that supports batch processing to execute automatically. Through HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , users can select "Delete Text from Folder Names" in the Folder Name category, add the folders to be processed, set "All Content Between Two Texts," enter START and _END, and then complete the subsequent processing following the wizard.
This method is especially suitable for processing a large number of folder names with similar structures but different middle fields. It can reduce the time spent on manual repetitive renaming, avoid missed deletions and incorrect deletions, and make project materials, client directories, and archived folders more standardized. If you are facing a batch of folders with chaotic naming but fixed identifiers, you can follow the steps in this article to test with samples first, then apply the batch operation to all directories.