File rename options

[PM82]

This is my first post, and before to wright my Feature Requests, I want to say something.

I used ACDSee, as DAM, for almost 2 decades, and liked the program’s ability for direct access to folders from the left side panel window, high quality resizable thumbnails and fast rendering of photos, in full screen view, etc.

Almost three years ego, I purchased Photo Mechanic, and was very pleased with it’s tremendous capabilities, as a DAM system. I own almost all photo editing programs, available on the market for past 25 years, and I needed simple, stand alone DAM program, with good looking UI and most advance functionalities.

This is what Photo Mechanic has been for me for past 3 years.

Special thanks for it’s ability to use tokens to add some extra info to thumbnails. On the top right corner, in Full Screen mode, file info window, that has font size option, and is so thoughtful to be implemented, and it’s very important to me, and very easy to see on 49”, high resolution screen. Resizable left & right panels with adjustable width, that remembers it’s position after restart, and all the bells & whistles under the hood.

Beautiful, with Legacy look UI, available in dark mode, that has only tools that really needed in my workflow.
 
Bach Photo renaming pop-up window, in front of my eyes, that can be used to rename single photo as well, in Full Screen mode, resizable to fit long file names, remembers it’s size and position after restart, is so comfortable to use, that become one my most useful tool in my photo editing workflow.

When software companies working on the new Upgrade version of their programs, they usually trying to guess, what new features their customers might like, and use every hint they can get from them, that worth attention, implement in a new upgrades. When economy on the down slop, as we have witnessing this year, customers need to be sure, to have enough benefits, and every feature is counts, before they will spend their money on the new Upgrade.

Now I am ready to ask for some useful features, if possible, to implement in a future updates, or in a new version of Photo Mechanic v7.


When I selected image(s) for renaming, Cmd-M, I need to input new file name:


1- Is it possible for pop-up window to read and display name of the first file in a batch, and not a name from my previous session?

2 - The same for a single picture name. In Full Screen mode, pop-up window’s ability to read corresponding file name, that need some minor correction, and after that, by clicking photo on the background, to make it active, and move to the next photo for renaming, using arrows keys, and back to pop-up window to make it active for the name adjustment.
 
3 - Is it possible, to have an Option in Full Screen mode, to display file name on Top or Bottom of the screen as well, like in Capture One. On big screen monitors, it’s easier to see file name on the bottom of the screen.

4 - Option to turn ON and Off Tabs. I usually click on a folder, in the left side window, and collecting Tabs on the top is not needed for my workflow. Every time I have to use shortcut to close all tabs, and keep current tab active.

5 - I am using Mac Studio Ultra with 4TB Internal SSD, where all my images located, and in Zoom mode moving image around my screen is not as fluent as in C1 23, or even Pixelmator. Is it possible to make picture, in Full Screen mode, move ”feather like”?

And last one.

Your Dock Icon is very unique and beautiful. It’s your Logo, Trademark and your recognition in the World. Only option, in my personal opinion I see, is to keep the same design and colour combination, slightly smaller, with rounded square background in white or black, as shown in a previous post. It will be a continuous Legacy of your Original icon in a modern time.


Thank you.

[ahoward]

1- Is it possible for pop-up window to read and display name of the first file in a batch, and not a name from my previous session?

Below the text field where you enter the desired new name, it shows the current name of the first file in the selection, and what the result will be if you move forward with the rename. If you don't want to see what you used for your previous rename operation, hitting the delete/backspace key when the name window opens clears it out, but it is a pretty consistent feature of our UI to retain the last information that was used in a given dialog box. But the Rename window does show you the current filename, so I'm not sure what change you are looking for here. Feel free to illustrate with a screenshot.

2 - The same for a single picture name. In Full Screen mode, pop-up window’s ability to read corresponding file name, that need some minor correction, and after that, by clicking photo on the background, to make it active, and move to the next photo for renaming, using arrows keys, and back to pop-up window to make it active for the name adjustment.

If you are in need of correcting a number of filenames on a single contact sheet but the files aren't going to be part of a sequence, then you may want to do this from the Contact Sheet rather than the Preview window. From the Contact Sheet you can hit the Return/Enter key on your keyboard to begin renaming a selected item. Hit Return/Enter again to confirm your choices and then use an arrow key. to move to the next image.

3 - Is it possible, to have an Option in Full Screen mode, to display file name on Top or Bottom of the screen as well, like in Capture One. On big screen monitors, it’s easier to see file name on the bottom of the screen.

If you move your cursor to the top of the screes to that the menu bar is displayed, the top bar gets displayed as well, and you'll see the filename there, and will remain there as long as the cursor stays on the menu bar, even as you navigate through images with the keyboard. I don't know how Capture One does this, but you are welcome to share a screenshot to help us understand

4 - Option to turn ON and Off Tabs. I usually click on a folder, in the left side window, and collecting Tabs on the top is not needed for my workflow. Every time I have to use shortcut to close all tabs, and keep current tab active.

This is unlikely to change. You may want to change the option in the Launching section of Photo Mechanic's preferences for Opening Contact Sheets with Navigator or Favorites Panes from "...in new Contact Sheet" to "...replaces current Contact Sheet" to help you avoid a build-up of tabs

5 - I am using Mac Studio Ultra with 4TB Internal SSD, where all my images located, and in Zoom mode moving image around my screen is not as fluent as in C1 23, or even Pixelmator. Is it possible to make picture, in Full Screen mode, move ”feather like”?

I'm not sure what "feather like" means, but please let me know what resolution of monitor you are using and what resolution it is set to in System Settings. Some of those resolutions don't perform as well due to the way that resolution scaling works on MacOS.

I see, is to keep the same design and colour combination, slightly smaller, with rounded square background

We are considering it.

We greatly appreciate the positive feedback as well as the constructive critique.

[PM82]

Hello ahoward.

Thank you to take your time, and give me detailed answers to my Feature Requests questions, and helped me to resolve question #4.

Based on your advice, in Preferences, I chose “Single-click replaces current Contact Sheet”, and this is exactly what I needed.


Sorry for not clearly explained my thoughts. I hope my new attempt, with pictures, for better visualization and understanding of my needs, might be taken in to consideration.

I understand that, before to consider any changes in your program, you need to be sure, it's easy to implement, and will benefit majority of your program’s users.

Let’s start again.

I need to batch rename files in my output folder. Each file consist of:

Event name + string of Suffixes I need to delete. I need to keep only Event name in sequence.

Your approach: First picture


1 - Highlight files in a folder, that need to be rename

2 - Cmd+m and Rename Photos window appear.

3 - Clear previous Event name in a text window - ?

4 - Now I need to type 47 keystrokes for the highlighted Event Real name (usually, I have on average, 80-120 keystrokes long filenames) - ?

5 - Instead of typing, I can copy & paste needed Event name in 2 different ways, and why I have to do that at all - ?

6 - Check Sequence box & Set Variables

7 - Click Rename button


My Request: Second picture

1 - Highlight files in a folder, that need to be rename

2 - Cmd+m and Rename Photos window appear, and can place, from highlighted thumbnail set, first thumbnail name, in a text field window.

3 - Highlight and delete unneeded part of Event name

4 - Check Sequence box & Set Variables

5 - Click Rename button


No need to delete previous Event name, no boring typing, or mistyping to find that later, or copy & paste hustle, its almost automated process.

[PM82]

Can't place individual picture between text blocks, and have to post my full post, by splitting in to small ones.

Single File Rename Options are Exactly the same as Batch processing

Your approach:

While you offer 2 options to rename highlighted thumbnail in Contact sheet view, by using M or Return keys, which is great, I prefer your third option to use, Cmd+M, that invoke great Rename Photos Pop-up window, I praised so highly in my previous post, as more intuitive and comfortable way, with easy proofreading, to rename or adjust corresponding file name.

Why I have to see, highlight and then delete, 100% of the time, file name from my previous renaming session, but not file name of thumbnail I clicked on. What is a logic here?

In Contact sheet & Full screen view, Rename Photos window can’t display, in text field, highlighted thumbnail’s file name, but still able to read, and place it under text line.
It need to be inside text line as well.

As you can see, it’s easier to adjust or type new file name, inside text field in pop-up window, than trying to click on tiny first line, of file name text, in a three lines field, under thumbnail, and do long scrolling to get to the end of long file name, and after keep pressing delete button, and go backward until you delete everything, what you want to delete. It's a tedious, not very user friendly renaming task.

[PM82]

ASDSee approach:


ACDSee can Read & Display highlighted thumbnail's file name in Contact sheet & Full screen view, and it’s easy to rename files inside pop-up window, and I used to it for past 20 years.

Con: Not resizable File Rename Box to fit long file names in open view, and requires scrolling, and doesn't remember it's position on the screen after program restarts.

[PM82]

Option to place file name, in Full Screen mode, on the bottom of the screen as well as on the top, in preferences pan.


Photo Mechanic way: at the top of the screen, used by your customers base.

Capture One way: at the bottom of the screen, used by their customers base.

ACDSee way: at the bottom of the screen, used by their customer base


Why not to give that option to chose, and join two parties.

Add option, please, to use tokens to chose what to display, like ACDSee, for example, have.

Curiosity wise, I just measured distance from my eyes to the top part of the screen, and bottom. Top is 9" further away, and this is why I prefer file info on the bottom, as I use it very often in my workflow. As we see more and more adoption, of modern 4K TVs, to be used as computer monitors, and 8K is coming, I think is very useful option to have.

[PM82]

And the last one.

My display default resolution in Apple systems Settings, is 3840 x 2160, but actual is 4096 x 2160

C1 recommendation the same, 3840 x 2160, as you see in the picture below.

In PM Settings mouse wheel sensitivity, as you can see on the picture, at max settings.   


For high resolution image, 12K on the long side at 100% zoom:

In Capture One and Pixelmator, to move picture from the left side of the screen, to the right side of the screen need 2 full swipes on my trackpad.

In PM it takes 4 full swipes. It moves (panning) picture on the screen with some resistance, and twice as slower, then in other programs. This is what I meant, by saying I need fluent or feather like movement.

It’s like 2 identical cars on the road in contest competition;

You push first car 2 times to get to 25 feet mark.
You push second car 4 times to get to the same 25 feet mark.

[ahoward]

I think, at this point a phone conversation would be more productive than a lengthy forum reply. It seems like there are ways that Photo Mechanic could be more effective for your workflow that would be easier to show you via a screenshare than type out. I would be happy to talk through your questions and concerns with you.

We are available by phone from 9am to 5pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.
You can also email support@camerabits.com if you'd like to arrange a time that works for you.