Help me batch refolder and rename my digital photos...a specific way

June 7, 2009 3:19 PM

How can I rename and re-folder my photo collection...in a specific way?

I'm looking for a program with a feature somewhat akin to the way MediaMonkey handles music. MediaMonkey lets you auto-organize by moving specific file types to a specific folder. So when you have multiple mp3 files in various folders all over your hard drive, it'll neatly organize them in your "My Music" folder (if that is what you want).

Also, I'd like to rename all my folders to the day the photos were taken (e.g., 2009_12_28) and then have the individual photos in each folder have the same prefix and then be numbers sequentially (e.g., 2009_12_28_0001).

I tried to do this with IrfanView batch processing but it only will renumber in this fashion if you only select one date (e.g., today's 50 photos alone will be renamed 0001 to 0050, but if I try to add yesterday's 50 photos to the batch, the whole batch will be numbered from 1 to 100 instead of two sets from 1 to 50)

Any ideas? freeware option? I'm demo-ing Adobe Lightroom but haven't figured out if it could be done in there.

posted by teg4rvn to computers & internet (10 comments total)

If you're on a Mac Shootshifter works amazingly well for exactly what you want. I use the images EXIF data to put images from different cameras photographing the same event all in order.
posted by ruwan at 3:24 PM on June 7

On windows, it's simple, too.

1) Select all of the files you want renamed.
2) Right-click and rename the first file (eg., 2009_12_28).

This will automatically rename all of the selected files in chronological order.
posted by litterateur at 3:41 PM on June 7 [1 favorite has favorites]

@litterateur

Chronological order, yes, but won't the numbering scheme be independent of date?

If I took three photos today I want the numbering to be 0001, 0002, and 0003, and not 0098, 0099, and 0100 if the process is batched with other days. I hope my question is clear. Thanks for the input.
posted by teg4rvn at 4:00 PM on June 7

No. The date is the actual name you give it. When you add in new pictures for the same date, you just repeat the process, renaming the entire batch from that particular date, including the new pictures.

I don't think I'm explaining it very well, so I've put together a quick series of screenshots.

Hope it helps!
posted by litterateur at 4:37 PM on June 7

LopeSoft's "FileMenu Tools" might possibly help (the "Advanced Renamer" function). Not sure if it'll do exactly what you're asking but it will rename with "file modified" date info. On Windows at least...
posted by powpow at 6:10 PM on June 7

Nice job litterateur! Thanks works wonderfully for files in one folder for one day. I want the software to find all my JPG files wherever they are on the hard drive, and by extracting the EXIF data, put them in new folders sorted/named by date (i.e., 2009_06_07) and then numbered sequentially in each folder. Technically, no new photos can be added once midnight strikes since it'll be a new day.

Sounds like ruwan's recommendation may work for this; unfortunately I'm a PC.
posted by teg4rvn at 6:41 PM on June 7

Sorry it wasn't exactly what you were looking for, but hopefully it will still help others. Good luck in your search!
posted by litterateur at 3:41 PM on June 8

I haven't used it to do exactly this, but Microsoft Expression Media seems to have the functionality. Specifically, I'd make a new catalog that has all pictures on your harddrive (just drag in the entire c:\ drive for import, for instance); then, follow these instructions.
posted by msbrauer at 4:47 PM on June 8

EXIF Date Changer can rename jpgs according to the the EXIF time of the photo.
posted by Boobus Tuber at 4:29 AM on June 15

The almost perfect solution is called PictureRetitle. (Yes, I am the author of this program so I might be out of line here, but I sincerely think that you will be able to exactly achieve what you want).
The program comes in two versions, Basic (free) and Pro (pay). Since almost all the batch features come for free, I do not even think you will have to spend a dime.
The Pro version is really about renaming individual pictures in a very sophisticated way but as I understand, that is not what you are looking for.
In the program, you go to Setup Picture Storage Management. Here you will let the program know what the rules are for creating folders for the selection of pictures to be stored in. For instance: create folders in the format Year/Date taken.
When you start moving/renaming pictures, folders will be created according to the rules you have defined in Setup Picture Storage Management. In the renaming process you can exactly define the format you want to (2009_11_-09-0001).
Why almost the perfect solution: there is one thing you have to consider but it can be easily overcome.
Suppose you started renaming a total of 40 pictures in one folder, taken on 2 different dates. Initially this will not exactly go the way you want it to go because of the way the program handles sequencing numbers. Because of the two different dates you will end up with 2 folders. In one folder the names of the pictures might be 2009_08_31_0001 through 2009_08_31_0020 and in the other folder 2009_09_01_0021 through 2009_09_01_0040.
To solve this problem, start PictureRetitle again for the second folder, reset the file numbering and start the renaming process again: the names of the pictures in the second folder will now be: 2009_09_01_0001 through 2009_09_01_0020. (You might have to repeat this procedure twice to avoid duplicates.)
www.pictureretitle.com
posted by Auke at 4:19 PM on September 1 [1 favorite has favorites]