Magic File Renamer Help

Console Mode

Console mode renames (or tags) files from the command line without the graphical UI. Use it for scripts, CI pipelines, or Task Scheduler jobs that apply a saved preset on a schedule.

Magic File Renamer 8 ships a console program named mfrc, separate from the graphical desktop app. Automatic renaming always requires a preset name and one or more source paths or wildcards.

To open the desktop UI with paths (seed the Rename List or browse a folder) without running a preset, see Command Line Parameters. Console mfrc remains the path for scripted rename automation.

Build or save the Filter Chain in the UI first (Save Preset), then call the console with that preset. The console loads presets from the default AppData presets file unless you pass --presets-file.

What it does

  1. Loads configuration (config.json) and optional --set overrides.
  2. Resolves sources into a Rename List (files and/or folders, optional recursion / hidden).
  3. Runs Preview with the preset’s Filter Chain.
  4. If Preview has no errors, commits changes (unless --dry-run).
  5. Optionally writes a JSON results file (--output-file).

If Preview reports any errors, the console aborts without committing. Session logging follows your config (same AppData log area as the UI).

Command-line parameters

Usage

mfrc <SOURCES>… -p|--preset <NAME> [options]

SOURCES are one or more files, directories, or wildcards (space-separated). Quote paths that contain spaces. Run mfrc --help for the built-in summary.

Required

Argument / option Description
<SOURCES> One or more files, directories, or wildcards to process.
-p, --preset <NAME> Preset name from the presets file (required). Save presets in the UI first. See Save Preset.

Options

Option Description
--presets-file <PATH> Override the presets JSON file path (default: AppData finebytes MFR presets).
-o, --output-file <PATH> Write rename results as JSON to this path.
--include-hidden Include hidden and system files when expanding sources.
--files <yes|no> Include files from sources (default: yes).
--folders <yes|no> Include folders from sources (default: no).
-r, --recursive Expand directory sources recursively into subdirectories.
--continue-on-rename-error Continue committing after per-item rename errors instead of stopping at the first failure.
-c, --confirm Prompt for confirmation before applying each rename.
--dry-run Preview and report commit outcomes without changing files on disk.
-l, --log-level <LEVEL> Minimum log level: debug, info, warn, or error (default info).
--config <PATH> Path to config.json (default: AppData). The file must exist when this option is set.
--set <KEY=VALUE> Override a config field (repeatable). Key is section.leaf; the value is everything after the first = (example: log.maxSessionFiles=200).

At least one of --files or --folders must be yes.

Exit codes

Code Meaning
0 Success (including when help/version output was requested).
1 User or configuration error (invalid arguments, missing preset, no matching sources, Preview errors, commit failure when fail-fast applies, and similar).
2 Unexpected application fault.

Examples

mfrc C:\Music\*.mp3 -p clean --dry-run mfrc C:\Music\*.flac -r -p lowercase-extension --log-level debug mfrc C:\Music -p name_from_id3 -r mfrc C:\Music C:\Podcasts -p my_preset --files yes --folders yes --output-file C:\Temp\mfr-results.json mfrc C:\Music -p clean --config C:\Temp\config.json --set log.maxSessionFiles=50

See also: Command Line Parameters (desktop UI), Preset Manager, Rename Log, FAQs — scripting.