A New Rename Master

Version 3.0 of Rename Master has been released. The most notable changes in this version are as follows:

- Unicode filename support
- new Wide Layout mode for the interface
- revamped File Tags window with video tag support
- revamped Thumbnail Window with more supported files

This is the first official release built with an updated compiler and this makes Unicode support possible. Renaming filenames with Unicode characters is no longer an issue.

The original version of RM was developed at a time when tube monitors were still popular and resolutions were smaller. The new Wide Layout mode takes advantage of modern monitors that are much wider than they are tall. In this optional mode, the Renaming Script and Filelist are placed on the left and right sides of the interface instead of the top and bottom.

Both the File Tags and the Thumbnail windows have been revamped to be much more useful. The File Tags window can now used to see what tags are support in a file (MP3, JPEG, and Video) and to copy the Tag Variables to use in the Renaming Script. The Thumbnail window shows more important information for all files and also supports showing previews for more file formats.

A New Niche Utility - RatTrap

RatTrap is a new utility developed for the Cyborg R.A.T. mouse. It's job is simple. It will switch profiles automatically for the current foreground program. This is one of the features missing from the mouse's software that's found in other brands, like Logitech.

ArsClip Version Jump

The official release of version 4.0 of ArsClip has been uploaded. I've jumped versions because of a major feature change. The change in this version is a completely new popup window. The changelog for this is rather long, so instead of trying to tell you about it, I threw together a video preview.

ArsClip Youtube Video

1 in 1000

For every 1000 downloads I usually receive feedback from 1 users. This is why your feedback is so important. To put this in perspective, the previous version of Rename Master was downloaded about 60,000 times in 8 months -- I'd expect 60 responses. Only a portion of this feedback is about program features or issues.

Each Public Beta may only be download a few dozen times, so the odds of receiving feedback is much lower. This is why I make my beta versions open to everyone.

The good news is that I've been receiving more feedback than normal the paste few months. This is why there have been more beta updates than usual. Each bug fix posted is usually the result of a report and each new feature is at least indirectly related to a specific email received.

Rename Master Fine Tuning

In the new Rename Master v2.9.6, the changes made are subtle.

The emphasis of interface changes is on improved logical placement and visual cues. Buttons that are logically related to scripting have been moved to the Scripting tab. Renaming Steps are now color coded and only display addition text when enabled -- improving recognition and readability. Also, folder operations have been centralized in a new Folder Tools button.

For new users, the initial interface defaults are designed to make learning easier by only showing the more important features of the program. The main window was originally designed when desktop resolutions where smaller, so the default starting size was rather small. Even so, most of the area of the window was wasted with large control areas. These sizes have been adjust for a modern desktop and to utilize the window space more efficiently. The default script has also been updated so that changes in one step are not easily undone by a following step.

Finally, several months worth of small improvements and bug fixes are included with this update. Many sections of the program have been re-visited to smooth out rough spots that have gone unnoticed.