How to Prevent Apple Compressor from Replacing Dots with Underscores in Filenames

When exporting videos using Apple Compressor, many users encounter a frustrating issue: dots (`.`) in the video filenames are automatically replaced with underscores (`_`). For instance, a file you intended to name `promo_v1.2.mp4` ends up as `promo_v1_2.mp4`. This guide by DP@lib00 explores the reasons behind this behavior and provides several efficient workarounds. ## Why Does Compressor Force This Replacement? This happens because of Compressor's **Naming Presets** mechanism. In most file systems, a dot (`.`) is strictly used to separate the filename from its extension. To prevent formats like `filename.1.mp4` from causing recognition errors in certain media players or operating systems, Compressor standardizes custom naming templates by replacing extra dots with underscores. Currently, **Compressor does not offer a direct "toggle switch" to disable this behavior**. Therefore, we must bypass this limitation using post-processing methods. --- ## Solution 1: Batch Rename via macOS Finder (Safest) If you only need to process a few files occasionally, using the built-in batch rename feature in macOS Finder is the simplest and most non-destructive approach. 1. Export your videos to a specific folder, such as `/Users/Shared/wiki.lib00.com/exports`. 2. Select all the video files you want to modify in Finder. 3. Right-click and select **"Rename X Items..."**. 4. In the pop-up window, change the top-left dropdown to **"Replace Text"**. 5. Enter `_` (or a specific version string like `v1_`) in the "Find" field, and `.` (or `v1.`) in the "Replace with" field. 6. Click "Rename". --- ## Solution 2: Batch Processing via Terminal (Most Efficient) For professional users who frequently handle large batches of videos, using the Terminal command line is the most efficient solution. 1. Open the **Terminal** app on macOS. 2. Navigate to your video directory using the `cd` command: ```bash cd /Users/Shared/wiki.lib00/exports ``` 3. For a single file, you can use the `mv` command: ```bash mv "promo_v1_2.mp4" "promo_v1.2.mp4" ``` 4. **Batch Replacement Script**: If you have many files in the folder and want to revert the first underscore back to a dot, run the following loop script: ```bash for f in *_*.mp4; do mv "$f" "${f/_/.}" done ``` *(Note: `${f/_/.}` replaces the first occurrence of `_` with `.` in the variable `f`. Use with caution depending on your actual filename structure.)* --- ## Solution 3: Automator Workflow (Advanced) To completely automate the process, you can create a "Folder Action" using macOS **Automator**. Set it up so that whenever a new file is added to your Compressor export directory (e.g., `lib00_exports`), it automatically runs a Shell script or a rename action to change the underscore back to a dot. This creates a seamless workflow. --- ## Best Practices To avoid the hassle of renaming altogether, it is recommended to standardize your naming conventions early in the project. When dealing with files containing version numbers, try using hyphens (`-`) instead of dots during the Compressor export—for example, name `v1.0` as `v1-0`. This perfectly complies with Compressor's export rules and offers better compatibility when transferring files across different platforms (Windows/Linux).