PM5: unable to rename due to conflicts

[ramblinwreck]

Hi. New PM5 user here (used PM4.6.9 for many years). I'm sure I've got something set up wrong but I'm not sure what it is. I'm displaying a folders worth of images as a contact sheet, and I'm trying to rename as follows:

CMD+A (select all)
CMD+M (rename photos)
enter '{dats}_{tims}' as renaming string
click 'Rename'

I'm getting this error:
"Unable to rename, because many photos are being renamed to the exact same name, 20171023_062436.JPG.  Please try using a sequence, or choose different renaming variables so that unique names can be generated for all photos when renaming."

I do have "append digits when needed" set under preferences, so I would expect the app to simply add _01, _02, _03, etc as required to uniquify each filename. I think I used to have this working in PM4.6.9. Is there some other setting I need to take care of?

Relevant screenshots attached. Thanks!

[Kirk Baker]

How many images do you have in your folder and how many of them have the same date and time?  If it's more than 100, then appending two digits won't be guaranteed to produce unique filenames.

-Kirk

[ramblinwreck]

Hi Kirk.

83 images in the folder total.
I sorted by 'Capture Time', and manual inspection shows that the most photos with the same time is 11.
There is another group of 7 or so with the same time, and then the rest are mostly unique, with few pairs having the same time.
Photos with same time are completely different photos, not photos taken in a high-speed burst.

I acknowledge this is unusual -- these aren't photos I've taken. This is a package of stock photos I received from a Disney "memory maker" package from family vacation, haha. So while I still don't understand the PM rename behavior here, what I've learned is that it doesn't make sense to rename these photos based on date/time since since the date/time on these is meaningless. It's possible there are other oddities with the metadata.

I will choose some other scheme for renaming this particular package of photos. So I don't need to pursue this any further, but happy to provide more info if you'd like to.

A separate question: Last time I purchased PM (version 4.x.x) was in 2012. I had been using 4.6.9 on my previous machine with High Sierra, but I just got a new machine that I'm building up as a clean install (rather than via Mac Migration Assistant). I couldn't get my old 4.6.9 package to install on my new machine, which did not surprise me. I knew I was on borrowed time. Am I eligible for any discount on PM5 based in my 2012 purchase of PM4.x.x? If not, that's fine, I got 6+ years out of my $150 license and it was worth it. I don't mind paying again when my PM5 trial expires, but can't hurt to ask..

-Chris

 

[Kirk Baker]

Chris,

I will choose some other scheme for renaming this particular package of photos. So I don't need to pursue this any further, but happy to provide more info if you'd like to.

No, that's OK.  I believe I have enough information now.

A separate question: Last time I purchased PM (version 4.x.x) was in 2012. I had been using 4.6.9 on my previous machine with High Sierra, but I just got a new machine that I'm building up as a clean install (rather than via Mac Migration Assistant). I couldn't get my old 4.6.9 package to install on my new machine, which did not surprise me. I knew I was on borrowed time. Am I eligible for any discount on PM5 based in my 2012 purchase of PM4.x.x? If not, that's fine, I got 6+ years out of my $150 license and it was worth it. I don't mind paying again when my PM5 trial expires, but can't hurt to ask..

The free full version upgrades period lasts one year from the date of purchase, so that benefit is long gone for you since your purchase was 6 years ago.

-Kirk

[ramblinwreck]

I will choose some other scheme for renaming this particular package of photos. So I don't need to pursue this any further, but happy to provide more info if you'd like to.

No, that's OK.  I believe I have enough information now.

Okay. I did notice the same renaming problem occur on some photos from my iPhone 6S, specifically small (<10) sets of photos produced with iOS native camera app's burst mode. I didn't spend a lot of time to see how reproducible it was, but I do recall it happening on a few different sets of images. Not sure if same underlying issue as what I described in my first message, but though't I'd mention it.

A separate question: Last time I purchased PM (version 4.x.x) was in 2012. I had been using 4.6.9 on my previous machine with High Sierra, but I just got a new machine that I'm building up as a clean install (rather than via Mac Migration Assistant). I couldn't get my old 4.6.9 package to install on my new machine, which did not surprise me. I knew I was on borrowed time. Am I eligible for any discount on PM5 based in my 2012 purchase of PM4.x.x? If not, that's fine, I got 6+ years out of my $150 license and it was worth it. I don't mind paying again when my PM5 trial expires, but can't hurt to ask..

The free full version upgrades period lasts one year from the date of purchase, so that benefit is long gone for you since your purchase was 6 years ago.

-Kirk

Okay no problem. I knew I wasn't eligible for a free upgrade, but didn't know if you offered any other sort of discount/incentive for current license holders.
Anyway, I have no problem paying full price when my trial expires. PM is worth every penny. Especially with the fine support you provide.

-Chris

[Kirk Baker]

Chris,

I will choose some other scheme for renaming this particular package of photos. So I don't need to pursue this any further, but happy to provide more info if you'd like to.

No, that's OK.  I believe I have enough information now.

Okay. I did notice the same renaming problem occur on some photos from my iPhone 6S, specifically small (<10) sets of photos produced with iOS native camera app's burst mode. I didn't spend a lot of time to see how reproducible it was, but I do recall it happening on a few different sets of images. Not sure if same underlying issue as what I described in my first message, but though't I'd mention it.

A separate question: Last time I purchased PM (version 4.x.x) was in 2012. I had been using 4.6.9 on my previous machine with High Sierra, but I just got a new machine that I'm building up as a clean install (rather than via Mac Migration Assistant). I couldn't get my old 4.6.9 package to install on my new machine, which did not surprise me. I knew I was on borrowed time. Am I eligible for any discount on PM5 based in my 2012 purchase of PM4.x.x? If not, that's fine, I got 6+ years out of my $150 license and it was worth it. I don't mind paying again when my PM5 trial expires, but can't hurt to ask..

The free full version upgrades period lasts one year from the date of purchase, so that benefit is long gone for you since your purchase was 6 years ago.

Okay no problem. I knew I wasn't eligible for a free upgrade, but didn't know if you offered any other sort of discount/incentive for current license holders.
Anyway, I have no problem paying full price when my trial expires. PM is worth every penny. Especially with the fine support you provide.

An upgrade license from PM 4.6 to PM5 should be $90.  You don't have to buy a whole new license.

-Kirk

[ramblinwreck]

That's the info I was looking for, thanks!