Renaming Attachments and PDF Files

EndNote includes two options to rename your attached files from within EndNote:

  • You can rename individual files, including PDFs, with custom names.
  • You can have EndNote rename PDFs with new names based on EndNote fields, either one EndNote reference at a time or or an entire group of references at once.
Renaming Individual Attachments with Custom Names

This method allows renaming any file type, not just PDFs, but must be applied to one attachment at a time. To rename a selected attachment with a name of your choice:

  1. In the Reference Summary or Edit panel, open the drop-down menu for the attached file you want to rename, and then select Rename Attachment… from the menu.
  2. In the Rename field, give the file a new name of less than 50 characters (remember to keep the extension part of the name intact), and then click the OK button to rename the file.

The new file name for the attachment will appear in the EndNote record.

Renaming PDFs Based on EndNote Field Contents

Along with being able to rename PDFs as you do other attachments using the method above, you can also have EndNote rename PDF file attachments based on data in the EndNote records they are attached to. This method can be applied to a single EndNote reference or the PDFs attached to multiple references.

Note: This method will change the name for all PDF files attached to a record. If you have more than one PDF attached to a record, they will have the same name except for a number at the end of the name. The new name is not based on the contents of the PDF; it is based on the data in the EndNote record holding the PDF.

Renaming PDF Documents

  1. In the Reference Summary or Edit panel, open the drop-down menu for an attached PDF file you want to rename, and then select Rename PDFs… from the menu.
  2. Select up to three fields to use in renaming the PDF. EndNote will remember your field choices for future renaming of PDF files. (See below for a list of fields that cannot be used in renaming PDFs.) The format of the PDF filename is First Field, Second Field, Third Field.
    1. Choose First: EndNote uses the selected field as the first field in PDF filename. For example, by Author.
    2. Then: EndNote uses the selected field as the second field in the PDF filename. For example, by Year.
    3. Then: EndNote uses the selected field as the third field in the PDF filename. For example: by Title.
  3. Click the OK button to rename the PDF attachments for the reference.

Note: Data must exist in a selected field in order for renaming to occur. If no data is available, then EndNote inserts a hyphen between selected fields that have data.

Renaming Multiple PDF Documents

You can also rename multiple PDF documents attached to multiple references.

  1. Select one or more references that have attached PDF files.
  2. From the References menu, select File Attachments, and then select Rename PDFs....
  3. You will receive a warning message that this change cannot be undone, with a suggestion to backup the library first. Click OK to continue renaming the PDFs or Cancel to stop the process. See Saving a Compressed Copy of a Library and Saving a Copy of a Library for information on backing up EndNote Libraries.
  4. If you chose OK to continue renaming PDFs, select your field choices for renaming.
  5. Click the OK button to rename the files.

The Rename Options

The Rename Options dialog allows you to select the fields used to rename your PDF attachments. You can select any field from the menu when renaming your PDF documents except the following fields.

  • Figure
  • File Attachments
  • Last Updated
  • Rating
  • Read Status

You may use up to 50 characters to rename your PDF documents. This includes the period (.) and the filename extension. If a PDF that you are renaming exceeds the 50 character limit, then EndNote truncates the name of the PDF to meet the 50 character limit.

See also PDF Handling Preferences.