utfi8er is a Python GUI application designed to rename files and folder names by replacing specific German characters (e.g. 'ß', 'Ü', 'Ö', 'Ä') with their standard equivalents ('SS', 'Ue', 'Oe', 'Ae'). It also allows for customizable character replacements through a user-friendly interface.

• Replace specific German or other non-utf8 characters with user-defined alternatives.
• Supports both folder and file renaming.
• Provides a simple interface to add new character replacements.
• Respects the original upper/lower case state.
• Generates detailed logs of all renaming actions.

First, clone the repository to your local machine:

git clone https://github.com/YourUsername/utfi8er.git
cd utfi8er

This project requires tkinter for the GUI, which is included by default in most Python installations. You'll also need logging, os, and other standard Python libraries. You can install any missing dependencies by running:

pip install tk

Make sure your Python and pip executables are added to your system’s PATH to ensure the dependencies are correctly installed and can be accessed.

On Windows:

• Open Control Panel and go to System > Advanced system settings > Environment Variables.
• Select Path under System Variables and click Edit.
• Add the paths to your Python and pip installations (e.g., C:\Python39\Scripts and C:\Python39\).

1. Launch the Application Run the script by navigating to the directory and executing:

   python utfi8er.py

   This will open the German Character Replacer GUI.

2. Select a Folder

   • Click the "Browse" button to select the folder containing the files and directories you wish to rename.

3. Modify Replacement Rules

   • The app displays default replacements for German characters: 'ß' -> 'SS', 'Ü' -> 'Ue', 'Ö' -> 'Oe', 'Ä' -> 'Ae'.
   • You can modify these by typing directly into the text fields.
   • To add new replacements, click the "Add New Replacement" button, enter the new character, and specify its replacement.

4. Start Renaming

   • After setting the folder and adjusting the replacement rules, click "Start Renaming".
   • The app will traverse through all files and folders in the selected directory, applying the replacements.
   • A success message will appear when the process is complete, and a log file (renaming_log_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.txt) will be generated with details of all renaming actions.

A log file is created with every renaming process. The file is saved in the same directory as the script and contains information like:

• Original file/folder name
• New file/folder name
• Date and time of renaming

• Be cautious when using this tool, as renaming files might affect file references or dependencies in other programs.
• The app attempts to replace both uppercase and lowercase instances of the characters.

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.