How Attribute Changer Filters Files for Batch Processing

Attribute Changer uses a tagging step before any batch operation: you define filters by attribute, date/time, file size, or name, and only objects that match those filters are passed to the processing engine. Name filters accept wildcards (* and ?), and wildcard expressions can also carry -T, -D, and -F directives to tag specific object types. This lets you change dates, attributes, or filename casing on a narrow set of files instead of everything in a folder.

The four filter dimensions

Filters are the gate between selecting a folder and applying a change. According to the product documentation, you can tag objects using:

These can be combined in practice: for example, tag only Read-Only files above a certain size, or only files whose names match a pattern and whose dates fall in a given range. The engine then processes only the tagged objects, which is what makes batch runs predictable.

Name filters and wildcards

Name filtering is the most flexible dimension. The documentation gives these examples:

• *.TMP — every file with the .TMP extension
• WRD?????.DOC — files starting with WRD, followed by exactly five characters, ending in .DOC
• *(?)*.TXT — .TXT files containing at least one character inside parentheses

The rules to remember:

• * matches any run of characters, ? matches exactly one character.
• Wildcards work in name filters, so you can target a family of files without listing them.
• In wildcard expressions you can add -T, -D, and -F directives to tag specific object types. This matters when a pattern could otherwise match both files and folders, or when you want to restrict a run to one kind of object.

A worked example

Suppose you want to reset the timestamps on temporary files in a project folder but leave everything else untouched.

1. Open the folder in Explorer and start Attribute Changer on it.
2. In the filter section, set the name filter to *.TMP.
3. If the folder also contains subfolders you don't want touched, add the appropriate object-type directive to the wildcard expression so only files are tagged.
4. Optionally add a date/time or size filter to narrow the set further.
5. Apply the desired change (for example, an absolute date/time stamp or a synchronized timestamp).
6. Check the Reporting tab: failed actions appear there, and the detailed view lists old and new values side by side for comparison.
7. Export the log as a comma-separated text file if you need a record for a spreadsheet or archive.

The expected result is that only the tagged .TMP files receive the new timestamps, and the log shows exactly which objects changed and what their previous values were.

Practical points before you run a batch

• Simulation first. The tool includes a simulation option, so you can preview which objects a filter tags before committing changes. Use it whenever a wildcard pattern is broad.
• Filters are the safety mechanism. Because processing is limited to tagged objects, a well-built filter is what prevents an accidental mass change across a folder tree.
• Logs are your verification step. The Reporting tab records failures, and the detailed view compares old and new values; export the log if the change needs to be auditable.
• Source of the software. The site states Attribute Changer is free of charge for personal and commercial use and should be downloaded directly from the official website, not from download portals that bundle nagware or malware, and notes that some other sources try to charge for it.

If your task is simply changing one file's date, filters add little; they become useful when a folder mixes file types, sizes, or ages and you need to change only a subset.