Author Topic: Renaming variables  (Read 5234 times)

Offline Vox

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Renaming variables
« on: August 26, 2006, 05:20:04 PM »
I'm testing the demo version of Photo Mechanic on a XP Pro SP2 system.

I'm trying to rename pictures like this :

>> yymmdd hhmmss Nx.zzz

where "N" is a number used to get unique names and "x" is used to indicate image version.

The problem is getting unique names.

Using a Nikon D200, I use {subsecond} in the "N" position to get unique names.
>> {year2}{month0}{day0}  {hour24}{minute}{second}  {subsecond}a

But, using an small olympus that doesn't have subseconds info, I have to use a different variable to achieve the unique name.

Using {sequence} changes the lenght of the filename, i.e., if I define sequence variable as 01, when it gets to image after number 99, it starts using 100, 101, etc. I'd prefer to have the same number of characters, always, to keep it consistent and to improve reading that bit of info.

Using {nowsubsecond}, I get ~70 images with the same {nowsubsecond} value, so it isn't useful for my renaming purposes.



My preferred solution would be to be able to use the "unique name generation" ability under Preferences>Files, but the files need to end with the "version indicator" i.e. 45a, 45b, etc... in order to be able to sort them accordingly.

Is there a variable that can be included in the reanaming string to this same effect -I mean, a variable that only changes when the filename it generates already exists - , thus allowing me to include characters after it ?

If not, can {sequence} be resetted automatically to the default value, i.e. 01, when it reaches 99, instead of going 100, 101, 102... ?


On a related note, the Preferences>Files renaming is only capable of renaming 8 files with the same name at a time.
If, based on the renaming string, the number of files with the same filename is +8, the program doesn't allow the renaming operation to be carried out. When all the files have the same date and time, it's a mess to generate unique names using the pattern I'd like to use.
Can this be modified ?
« Last Edit: August 26, 2006, 06:22:26 PM by Vox »

Offline Kirk Baker

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Re: Renaming variables
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2006, 09:52:49 PM »
I'm testing the demo version of Photo Mechanic on a XP Pro SP2 system.

I'm trying to rename pictures like this :

>> yymmdd hhmmss Nx.zzz

where "N" is a number used to get unique names and "x" is used to indicate image version.

The problem is getting unique names.

Using a Nikon D200, I use {subsecond} in the "N" position to get unique names.
>> {year2}{month0}{day0}  {hour24}{minute}{second}  {subsecond}a

But, using an small olympus that doesn't have subseconds info, I have to use a different variable to achieve the unique name.

Using {sequence} changes the lenght of the filename, i.e., if I define sequence variable as 01, when it gets to image after number 99, it starts using 100, 101, etc. I'd prefer to have the same number of characters, always, to keep it consistent and to improve reading that bit of info.

Using {nowsubsecond}, I get ~70 images with the same {nowsubsecond} value, so it isn't useful for my renaming purposes.



My preferred solution would be to be able to use the "unique name generation" ability under Preferences>Files, but the files need to end with the "version indicator" i.e. 45a, 45b, etc... in order to be able to sort them accordingly.

Is there a variable that can be included in the reanaming string to this same effect -I mean, a variable that only changes when the filename it generates already exists - , thus allowing me to include characters after it ?

If not, can {sequence} be resetted automatically to the default value, i.e. 01, when it reaches 99, instead of going 100, 101, 102... ?

If you set the sequence to 001, then you can go up to 999.  If you set it to 0001, then you can go to 9999, and so on...

The sequence variable is the best solution for having control of unique names.  Relying on the renaming collision resolution is possible, and the reason we only allow up to eight is because anything greater is an indicator that your renaming string is not unique.  (The real reason we limit it to eight is because the Canon 1D series can shoot 8 frames a second so we allow for that.)

HTH,

-Kirk

Offline Vox

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Re: Renaming variables
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2006, 04:42:13 AM »
Yes, but... if I set a 3-digit sequence variable, is there a way to keep it 3-digit ? So, when it gets to 999, the next image doesn't get a 1000, but a 001 ?


About the eight limit, it makes things more difficult when you're renaming a series of scanned negatives, or when you forget to set date and time on a digicam...I use an awful lot of them, and I don't always remember to set date/time, so I end up with 300 pics on 2006/01/01 00:00:00. {sequence} solves the problem in this extreme situation, but sometimes  I'd just need a "tidier" solution when there are only 20-30 pictures with the same name in the +100 total, and don't want to add an unneeded 3-digit sequence. A matter of pesonal taste, I suppose.

Isn't there a variable a la {sequence} that could be used in the renaming string acting like the "renaming collision resolution " ?

Thanks for your time and your answer, Kirk.

Offline Kirk Baker

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Re: Renaming variables
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2006, 07:24:27 AM »
Yes, but... if I set a 3-digit sequence variable, is there a way to keep it 3-digit ? So, when it gets to 999, the next image doesn't get a 1000, but a 001 ?

No.  That would further cause renaming problems, if you had more than a thousand photos to rename.


Quote from: Vox
About the eight limit, it makes things more difficult when you're renaming a series of scanned negatives, or when you forget to set date and time on a digicam...I use an awful lot of them, and I don't always remember to set date/time, so I end up with 300 pics on 2006/01/01 00:00:00. {sequence} solves the problem in this extreme situation, but sometimes  I'd just need a "tidier" solution when there are only 20-30 pictures with the same name in the +100 total, and don't want to add an unneeded 3-digit sequence. A matter of pesonal taste, I suppose.

Isn't there a variable a la {sequence} that could be used in the renaming string acting like the "renaming collision resolution " ?

No.  I'm sorry we don't currently have a solution for you.

-Kirk

Offline Vox

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Re: Renaming variables
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2006, 11:41:26 AM »
Well, I suppose what might be a solution for me could be a problem for someone else, though if there were a setting allowing to choose the preferred behaviour of the sequence...but I'm sure there are many things more important that this little subjective annoyance. The renaming string is powerful as it is, so I'll surely find alternatives.

Rergarding the "renaming collision variable", I'll try a different approach. I hope something close to what I asked might be implmented in the future.

Once again, thanks for answering my questions.