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I am wondering how to make renaming files in dired to use the current file extension as the default.
For example, imagine I run dired-do-rename on the file foo.bar and then type foo2 and press Enter. I would like the result of this operation to yield the file foo2.bar in my directory.
Don't use dired-do-rename for your use case. Just do this:
C-x C-q to make the directory listing editable (writable).
Insert 2 in the name where you want it (or otherwise edit the name).
C-x C-q to make the listing read-only again.
You can use any editing commands and keys you like: M-% (query-replace) etc.
M-n following dired-do-rename. What I would like is the default suggestion following either dired-do-rename or Wdired to contain only the extension with the cursor placed before the period. I occasionally rename long filenames and would still benefit from a default of the current extension although I wouldn't want to default to the whole filename and manually delete everything besides the extension.
dired-do-rename. There is optiondired-dwim-target, but its "do-what-I-mean" behavior is not what you mean (;-)).