PhotoShop Batch File Renaming-Urgent Help Required

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

05/23/2005 06:31:12 AM · #1

I'm putting together some training to help someone who is particularly keen to improve not only their understanding and processing of RAW images but also basic file management and archiving.

I have been looking into the Batch Rename features in Photoshop (both via the PS Browser and directly from the main PS Automate menu) and am having trouble with the date option.

When choosing elements of the new file name one can select DATE.

I always assumed that this would use the date the image was taken as part of the file name (though had never previously bothered trying it) and indeed, reading Bruce Fraser's Camera Raw in PS book, he seems to understand it similarly (page 160).

But when I use it all it does is put today's date into the new name of all of the images.

Can anyone advise?

Also, I'm adding an image serial number too and was hoping there might be a way to instruct PS to use the serial number already included in the filename straight off the camera (i.e. use 0047 from a file called IMG_0047.CRW) but I can only work out how to apply a new serial number. Any ideas?

THANKS!

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

05/23/2005 06:35:56 AM · #2

sorry, kavey, but in ps cs and earlier, the batch rename does not extract any exif or other embedded data from a file :(

i do not know if this feature has been improved in cs2.

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

05/23/2005 06:45:30 AM · #3

Pooks! The whole idea of renaming with a date seems so much less useful now!

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

05/23/2005 07:41:34 AM · #4

fwiw, kavey, if i am processing jpgs, i use ps batch auto-rename like this: mmddyy-DocumentName-v0.Extention

since i've already unloaded my cards into a date-specific folder, it's no big deal to manually change the 'mmddyy'

i am using bibble pro for raw workflow, and it has a very robust naming utility to name the extracted files. i haven't found a way to use it to rename the original files, but at the moment that doesn't matter to me.

yes, there still is a HUGE GAPING HOLE in automated workflow software, no matter what the marketing hype would have you believe...

PaulMdx

Canon EOS-1D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

05/23/2005 07:45:34 AM · #5

Not much use, Kv, but for naming files with date, using yymmdd means the files are correctly sorted by date. Other combinations will not allow you to sort by date using the filename.

(If you want to be Y2.1k compliant, you may want to use yyyymmdd too!)

05/23/2005 07:46:14 AM · #6

Ditto on the date specific folder structure but... I'm just amazed that they haven't included an option to use the date taken EXIF information as part of the file name!

What a missed opportunity to improve workflow.

The second option - using the original file name number - is much less of an issue. Many people wouldn't want to use it anyway.

But the date is a biggie...

Means I'd have to break batch renaming down by every single day (and for a 3+ week trip that's a pain in the you know where!).

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

05/23/2005 07:47:47 AM · #7

Originally posted by PaulMdx:

Actually I already use YYYY-MM-DD format precisely because of the sorting issue - and I include hyphens as I find it easier to read...

:D

PaulMdx

Canon EOS-1D

05/23/2005 07:49:26 AM · #8

Originally posted by Kavey:

Actually I already use YYYY-MM-DD format precisely because of the sorting issue - and I include hyphens as I find it easier to read...

Cool! Then you're good up to the year 10000! :-D