iPhoto 6 file batch rename?
I want to make sure that the file names in iPhoto are unique. For some reason, my digital camera was set to reset its file namer to start at IMG_0001 with every roll, so I have several dozen files with the same file names.
Within iPhoto, it's generally not a problem, but if I need to work with a group of files outside of iPhoto, copy-dragging a bunch of photos across rolls to a single folder generally bombs out because of the conflicting file names. iPhoto doesn't seem to have any sort of file renamer at all, I can change the title, but that doesn't actually change the file name.
I could and will now use the iPhoto exporter because it seems to do the trick, but sometimes that isn't as convenient as selecting a bunch of files and dropping them into my preferred folder.
Within iPhoto, it's generally not a problem, but if I need to work with a group of files outside of iPhoto, copy-dragging a bunch of photos across rolls to a single folder generally bombs out because of the conflicting file names. iPhoto doesn't seem to have any sort of file renamer at all, I can change the title, but that doesn't actually change the file name.
I could and will now use the iPhoto exporter because it seems to do the trick, but sometimes that isn't as convenient as selecting a bunch of files and dropping them into my preferred folder.
Comments
did you find a sollution or workaround for the file rename in IPhoto 6?
Thanks a lot
Jochen
Hi Jeff,
did you find a sollution or workaround for the file rename in IPhoto 6?
Thanks a lot
Jochen
No, I just use File->Export, that has a way to change the file names. Sometimes I make an album of my desired photos and then export that, letting it use the album name in the photo name, it will also number them too. Sometimes there are reasons to keep an album from disparate photo batches for repeat use anyway, though the number of albums in my list is multiplying. It is still not as convenient as drag and drop. I also found the setting buried in my camera's menu so it doesn't "forget" the photo numbers for each new batch of photos.
Within iPhoto there is a batch rename feature. Just highlight the photos you want to rename, and from the "Photo" dropdown (I believe it is Photo - not at the mac right now) choose batch change. You can change the names, dates, etc. to whatever you want -- it will even append numbers, etc. Quite flexible, check it out and test its abilities.
I see title in the list, but not name. Changing the title did not change the file name.
If you are changing names, etc from within the Finder, you are asking for trouble. Doing this will corrupt photos and your iPhoto app. Please stay out of the finder library for your own good. Renaming and moving files is tantamount to asking for havoc to be in there. Just do whatever you want to do with your photos from within the app itself and you will be fine. I'm actually surprised that you have not had trouble yet, as you seem to have been doing some moving etc. already.
I think you misinterpret what I am saying. My point is that iPhoto has no capability to rename the photos in its library. I wanted that functionality so that when I drag out photos for other tasks, a drag and drop fails if any two photos have the same file name. It doesn't just stop, it backs out completely by deleting the destination files that were already copied.
Or what am I missing about what you are trying to do?
O.K., WHERE is it you want to change the names? From within iPhoto, you can use the batch rename as explained above to change the name in the app. If you want to change it in the library, you are asking for trouble. Just trying to understand where you want the name changed. If you will do all your exporting, dragging out, etc., from within iPhoto app, the changed names won't give you the problem you are having. The scenario you suggest seems to indicate that you are dragging photos out of the finder library. Not a good idea. Work from within iPhoto for exporting, etc.
Or what am I missing about what you are trying to do?
I already covered the first part, you missed it. The "batch rename" only changes the titles of the pictures, not the file names. They are different things and I thought I made that clear. There is no file rename within iPhoto that I have found, and I do know not to mess with the underlying files.
I don't remember ever saying dragging files out of Finder, I don't understand where you get that from, Finder does not behave like I describe. Finder would ask me to replace files, not bomb out and retract the entire transfer. I drag photos from within the iPhoto software (not directly from the library folder) to a separate Finder folder so I can work with them, make new versions with some changes and then drag them into iPhoto to keep track of them. I never use Finder to directly manipulate the iPhoto library, that is an assumption on your part. I think requiring the use of the export dialogue box is un-Apple-like when drag and drop should work.
I suggest you take two different images in different folders, name them the same name, import them in at different times and then try to drag them out of iPhoto at the same time to the same folder at the same time. It will get the behavior that I described. I had this problem for a while because my camera kept resetting the starting number for photo file names.
I already covered the first part, you missed it. The "batch rename" only changes the titles of the pictures, not the file names. They are different things and I thought I made that clear. There is no file rename within iPhoto that I have found, and I do know not to mess with the underlying files.
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I suggest you take two different images in different folders, name them the same name, import them in at different times and then try to drag them out of iPhoto at the same time to the same folder at the same time. It will get the behavior that I described. I had this problem for a while because my camera kept resetting the starting number for photo file names.
G'day Jeff. Let me get this straight....
1. You're obviously dragging direct from iPhotos display window to a desktop or window enclosed folder.
2. You're (trying to) dragging two separate photos, with the same Finder name (as distinct from iPhotos Title) to the same folder.
3. You're doctoring the photos, then dropping them back onto iPhotos display window to import new versions.
What you're up against is the Finders inability to accept 2 files with the same name, in the same folder. The problem lies with the Finder, not iPhoto. You need to rename the first photo you dragged into the Folder, then the second photo will transfer ok.
To quickly rename a newly dropped photo, click once on it, press Return, and the name will instantly highlite. Rename it.
Otherwise, there's Applescripts around that will batch rename/add characters to files just for this reason.
Try...
http://scriptbuilders.net/cat.php?ca...1&act=show_cat
Post there (or here) if you want help re Applescript.
Regards
Santa
...
What you're up against is the Finders inability to accept 2 files with the same name, in the same folder. The problem lies with the Finder, not iPhoto. You need to rename the first photo you dragged into the Folder, then the second photo will transfer ok.
I think you understand my issues very well, thank you. I think there is a bit of an issue with what iPhoto does when finder throws that exception/error/what have you. Firefox happens to do handle this more gracefully. If you drag from Firefox to a Finder window that happens to have another file of the same name, it adds a -1 before the extension of the newer photo rather than simply bailing. I know Firefox isn't the same type of program, but I like that aspect of its drag and drop behavior.
To quickly rename a newly dropped photo, click once on it, press Return, and the name will instantly highlite. Rename it.
I knew about that, the problem is without turning on the file name view in the iPhoto app (which is pretty ugly, IMO), I don't know which photos have the same file name. If I want to copy a lot of files, then it gets tedious to do that comparison.
Otherwise, there's Applescripts around that will batch rename/add characters to files just for this reason.
Try...
http://scriptbuilders.net/cat.php?ca...1&act=show_cat
I didn't see anything that alters the file dropping behavior.
I guess it really don't need to worry about this much anymore, as I said, I did fix the camera setting, and I'm going to have to use file->export if I want to copy a lot of files.
Renamer4Mac would probably be of assistance. I use it occasionally for batch-renaming images files. I don't/haven't tried it in conjunction with iPhoto, but it works quite good -- and fast -- for renaming files in folders or on the Desktop. It's not perfect, but it's great for Freeware.
Renamer4Mac screen capture
Click the following screen capture to launch Apple Downloads' Renamer4Mac page, or click this for the Developers' Renamer4Mac webpage
For someone who may have duplicate file names, here is a script I wrote. It copies all files from directory "dir1" to directory "dir2". It sequences them using numbers, and copies them as 1.extn, 2.extn, etc. (The original extension is preserved.)
var str list ; lf -n "*" "dir1" > $list
var int number ; set $number=1
while ($list <> "")
do
var str file, extn ; lex "1" $list > $file ; stex -p "[^.^l" $file > $extn
var str copy_file ; set $copy_file = (makestr(int($number))+$extn)
system copy ("\\""+$file+"\\"") ("\\"dir2/"+copy_file+"\\"")
set $number=$number+1
done
Script is in biterscripting (http://www.biterscripting.com) .
Richard