Rename Files

Renaming Files

Reading Forest allows you to rename both local files and Google Drive files. When a file is linked from other files, the link references are automatically updated.

Three Ways to Rename Files

You can rename files using any of these three methods:

Method 1: From the File Menu

Open the "File" menu
Click "File" in the menu bar
Click "Rename"
The rename dialog will open

Method 2: Click the Filename in the Header

Click the filename at the top of the screen
Click on the filename shown in the header (e.g., "My Notes.rfnote") to open the rename dialog

Method 3: Right-click from Bookshelf

Open the bookshelf
Open the bookshelf from the sidebar
Right-click the file you want to rename
Right-click (or long-press on mobile) on the target file in the file list
Select "Rename"
Click "Rename" from the context menu

Using the Rename Dialog

Enter the new filename
Enter the new filename in the dialog (the .rfnote extension is added automatically)
Check the link update option
Make sure the "Update links in other files" checkbox is checked (it's ON by default)
Click "Rename"
The file will be renamed and links will be updated

Automatic Link Update Feature

When the "Update links in other files" option is enabled, the system scans all .rfnote files in folders registered in your bookshelf and automatically updates any links to the old filename (<link file="oldname.rfnote">) to point to the new filename.

A progress dialog is displayed during processing, and a list of updated files is shown upon completion.

Important Notes

Files in folders not registered in your bookshelf will not be updated.
Link updates only apply to files within folders registered in your bookshelf. If .rfnote files outside your bookshelf contain links to the renamed file, you'll need to update them manually.

Unsaved Changes

If the file has unsaved changes, please save them before renaming. While the rename process preserves file contents, saving beforehand is recommended for safety.

Technical Details

For Local Files

Since the browser's File System Access API doesn't have a direct rename function, the operation is performed internally as: "create new file → copy contents → delete old file".

For Google Drive Files

The Google Drive API is used to directly update the file's metadata (name). Since the file ID remains unchanged, sharing settings and other configurations on Google Drive are preserved.