This tutorial describes how to automatically generate file names for files that you record with Total Recorder.

Total Recorder can use file name generation rules for the following:

• Generating initial file names for Save As and Save and delete before current position operations. The rule to be used is specified on the Open/Save dialog.
  
• Generating file names during recording in Split mode (see the Splitting and Tagging Files Tutorial). The rule to be used is specified on the Split dialog. (Note: this feature is available only in the Professional and Developer Editions).
• Generating file names for saving files during a scheduled recording (see the Using the Scheduler Tutorial). The rule used is specified on the Schedule item – General settings. (Note: this feature is available only in the Professional and Developer Editions).
• Generating file names for saving files during batch processing (see the Batch Processing Tutorial). (Note: this feature is available only in the Professional and Developer Editions).

To create a file name generation rule in Total Recorder, take the following steps:

1. Open the Options-> Settings menu and select the File Names tab:

   
2. Press New. This launches the File name generation rule dialog:

   
3. In the Rule name field, enter a name for the rule.
4. File name template is where you enter a template for file names. The template consists of predefined tokens (enclosed with "<" and ">") and optional text that you provide. When generating data, the pre-defined tokens are replaced with the real tag-field values, current date/time values plus/minus an offset, or a sequential number. You define a template by providing text and inserting fields using the Insert field into template section of this dialog, as described below. When you compose a template, the Example filed shows an example of a name generated based on your template.
5. You can also select the location of the file that will be named according to a specified template by pressing the Select and insert path into template button. This activates a dialog where you can choose a directory:

   
6. The directory chosen will be inserted at the beginning of the template.
7. To insert fields into a template, take the following steps:
   • Place your cursor in the File name template field where you want to insert a field (or type the text to be included)
   • Select the name of the field from the Field drop-down list.
   • Specify the number of characters to be used to form the part of the name that corresponds to the current field. For some fields, you must specify the number of digits.
   • Optionally, for fields that relate to the current date, specify the offset from the current date in the Use current date group.
   • Press the Insert button.
   • Repeat the above actions for each field you want to include in the template.
8. When you finish defining the template, press OK to return to the File names tab.