# Command: ren

      REN renames a file/directory or files/directories.

## Syntax:

      REN [drive][path][directoryname1 | filename1]
          [directoryname2 | filename2]
          drive           The drive letter, e.g. C:
          path            The directory, e.g. \example\ , complete:
                          "C:\example\"
          directoryname1  The name of the old subdirectory, e.g. \dir_old ,
                          complete: "C:\example\dir_old"
          directoryname2  The name of the new subdirectory, e.g. dir_new ,
                          complete: "dir_new"
          filename1       The old filename, e.g. \old_file.txt
                          complete: "C:\example\old_file.txt"
          filename2       The new filename, e.g. new_file.txt
                          complete: "new_file.txt"

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## Options:

      - none -

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## Comments:

      You can also use RENAME instead of REN.
      Note that you cannot specify a new drive or path for your destination.
      Use the MOVE command for that purpose.
      You can use wildcards (* and ?) to specify a set of files. If you use
      wildcards in filename1, you must use wildcards in the same position
      in filename2.
      In pure DOS the directory name must not be longer than 8 letters.
      Filenames use 8.3 means: 8 letters for the name, 3 letters for
      ending, e.g. example1.txt.
      REN is a command internal to command.com and needs no
      other file in order to work.

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## Examples:

      ren C:\example\dir_old dir_new
      ren C:\example\old_file.txt new_file.txt

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## See also:

      move
      rename

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## File:

      Please read this command's lsm file also.
      You will find the updated version (internet) here and
      the version described in this manual page here.
      The lsm file contains information about the name of the programmer,
      the download site, and some other command related information.

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      Copyright © 1998 Jim Hall, updated 2007 by W. Spiegl.

      This file is derived from the FreeDOS Spec Command HOWTO.
      See the file H2Cpying for copying conditions.