Windows 10: Re: Renaming files: annoying automatic re-selection of entire filename in Windows 8

So I think I've found a workaround that doesn't require a third party program. I simply can't reply to the original thread because it's closed, but I think my two cents may help some people since I'm having this problem on Windows 10 nearly seven years later.


It seems that, because I'm trying to rename something on dropbox, that there's a lag between me choosing to rename the file and dropbox recognizing that I'm trying to rename a file. At first, I would wait a few seconds, hit "Home" or the left arrow key, and then work on renaming the file hoping it doesn't happen again, which sometimes it does.


It seems though, that if I hit backspace when the filename is still initially selected, ctrl+z to undo deleting the file name, and then home to get back to the beginning of the file name, I can use the arrow keys to move to the portion I need to rename unmolested, almost like it forces dropbox to recognize that a file is being renamed.



Original thread: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-files/renaming-files-annoying-automatic-re-selection-of/3e451ce8-282a-4638-88ee-fd9f7cca2536

:)

 

Explorer erratically re-selects entire file name while I'm typing

While looking for a fix for the problem in the title I came across another user with the same description of a problem. - Only that I'm using Win 10 Pro (upgraded from win 8.1).

See citation below for the detailed problem description.

I want to add that I first suspected my mouse or keyboard to cause the problem by doing random clicks/presses, but switching keyboard and mouse did not help.

Also, the problem persists when I'm not touching the mouse but navigate only via keyboard/drop-down-menue-key/arrows->"rename"/enter/...

Upon inspection of the bug I found that, sometimes the cursor is merely reset to a different location within the file/fold-name, instead of selecting the entire name. However, the location of the cursor-insert is not correlated to the mouse-cursor-location
on the screen!

Would love some technically insightful response as to where this might be coming from. Much rather then "plug-unplug"-types of suggestions on how to fix it.

Hope this helps in resolving the problem for Microsoft.

Friendly regards,

SB

"Hi All -

This problem has been bugging me since I switched over to Windows 8 a couple of years ago.

When renaming a file or folder in Windows 8.1 file explorer, I click on the filename (which selects entire name), then click on the part I want to rename (for example, putting the cursor between two words or a place where I want to add a letter or word),
and as I'm typing, Windows automatically re-selects the entire filename, which then deletes the original filename.

Example:

original filename: MyList

I click on filename, which selects entire name in blue: MyList

I click on name again to de-select and put cursor where I want it: My>cursor<List

I start typing "Grocery" to insert it between My & List, then Windows automatically selects the entire original name, then I'm left with "Grocery" which replaced the selection.

Strange - never had this problem with earlier versions of Windows. Seems to do it when I'm renaming quickly - can't seem to get it to do it when I'm slow & trying to see what Windows is up to.

Anybody else with this problem? Is there a fix?"

 

How to make Windows 10 select ONLY the filename when hitting F2

Is there a way to make Windows 10 select only the filename and not the extension under the Windows Explorer when I want to rename the file using F2 key? If not a setting, maybe a Registry edit? This is annoying having to select just the filename when you
just want to rename a video or picture file.

 

Windows Explorer - File Renaming - Double Click to Select Word

When renaming a file in Windows Explorer, the double click selects a "word". The problem I'm having is the "Double Click + Drag". This not only selects the File Name, but also the File Extension. In every text editor I've tried, the dot is a delimiter when
selecting words on the "Double Click + Drag" selection function. In Windows Explorer, this behavior is very clunky and bothersome, because I almost never want to change/copy the File Extension, and only want to change the Filename.

Edit/Copy/Delete the whole Filename is covered with F2, which higlights the whole Filename. The problem arises when trying to select the last "Part" of a Filename.

Is there a way to change this behavior in Windows Explorer?