Is there an evaluation period?

[JohnFX]

Hello,

I just installed the latest version of FileBot, it seems like it's going to be very useful. As suggested by the Getting Started page, I did not yet purchase a license as I wanted to first evaluate it and make sure its going to work.

Please download and evaluate FileBot before purchasing a license.

However, when I click on "Rename" it says i need a license. I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to actually evaluate FileBot without purchasing a license. Is it possible to have it execute the rename on the files in an evaluation period? Its nice to play around in the GUI and see what it would do, but I'd really like to see it *work* before i purchase a license...

[rednoah]

Well, playing around in the GUI does tell you everything you need to know to make a purchase decision. FileBot either works for your files (i.e. auto-detection, custom formatting, etc) or not.

Actually renaming files isn't particularly interesting for the purpose of evaluating FileBot, because it can't not work. If you can move files from A to B, then so can FileBot, and so can any other generic batch rename tool. Knowing what B is supposed to be, now that's the tricky part.

[Mellokt]

rednoah, I respectifully disagree with your statement. The final product is not represented. I think it is renaming the files in the folder that they exist, but part of what i am looking for is the imdb or tvdb intormation in the proper location which i understand is on the folder although i would expect it to work on the file as well. And what happens if I let it sift though several folders with sub folders or extras? Not to mention that it does have problems identifing some files. I selected 5 folders of animated movies that i set aside for testing. Filebot had no idea what the movie 9 from 2009 was. I have enough of that issue with plex to begin with and have had to add IMDB information on the more picky titles. That is what I understood that filebot rectifies. Yet niether Filebot or Plex really know what that movie is until i add the imdb information.
Additionally, I have made the mistake of letting Itunes look at a folder before and it thrashed every file that didn't have the proper meta data. I tend to keep the extras from movies I'm not sure exactly what Filebot was doing to extra files as it seemed to either ignore them or call them the same name as the main movie.
It would be great if I could just trust that the program does what it claims to do, however, I'm a proof is in the pudding kind of person. It is a shame that your evaluation process is only related to playing around in the gui. It would have more value if it let the user at least complete the process a few times on Movie, TV and Music files to really know what it does. I would buy it right now if I knew it would save me the trouble of adding the iMDB and TVDB information for all of my data. Not to mention that it looks like it can handle music as well which would be over the top for me, but alas I can't see it do it's magic cradle to grave. I do hope you reconsider this evaluation process and add some limited completion capability.

[rednoah]

I think it is renaming the files in the folder that they exist, but part of what i am looking for is the imdb or tvdb intormation in the proper location which i understand is on the folder although

FileBot can indeed move / rename files, if configured to do so. The How do I organize files for Plex? video tutorial will get you started. Please read FAQ #1: Can I move files? Can I rename folders? for details. You can (and should) evaluate this aspect of FileBot before purchasing a license.

• You can evaluate Format Expressions (to make sure that FileBot can generate your preferred destination file structure)
• You can preview how files would be renamed / moved / copied / etc

Here I am using the {plex.id} format and I can see how FileBot would organize / rename the files at hand if I were to click on the Rename button:

Format: Select all

{ drive }/{ plex.id }

Filebot had no idea what the movie 9 from 2009 was. I have enough of that issue with plex to begin with and have had to add IMDB information on the more picky titles. That is what I understood that filebot rectifies. Yet niether Filebot or Plex really know what that movie is until i add the imdb information.

• You can start FileBot and play with FileBot (to make sure that you won't run into any trouble Getting Started with the FileBot Desktop application)
• You can evaluate Episode Mode / Movie Mode / Music Mode / etc (to make sure that FileBot can connect to your preferred 3rd party database and automatically identify your files)

You have evaluated FileBot and found that FileBot cannot fully-automatically identify some of your files. You have learned that FileBot is not magic, and that your mileage may vary if your files are named really badly, or otherwise particularly problematic, e.g. a single-digit file name. Thanks to evaluating FileBot, you can now make an informed purchase decision.

The FileBot Desktop application is particularly suited for those tricky cases where some hands-on manual matching is needed, so you will want to evaluate both automatic matching as well as manual matching. See FAQ #2: How do I fix misidentified files? for details and approaches.

or

You have to enter "9 2009" as search query because "9" (number only) is interpreted as {tmdb-9} for ID lookup.

[rednoah]

[FAQ] How do I evaluate FileBot?