Find range of File Name to Replace

[rharv]

Hi, I'm using Photo Mechanic Version 5.0, build 19749. I regularly do volume photography at schools and am wondering if there's a faster way to rename files, either through a find/replace or QR code.

Currently, I have a spreadsheet that will list each student and I enter track which frame numbers/file names they are pictured in. Then in PM, I manually select that range of files and rename it from "_IMG_1234.CR2" to "StudentName_1234.CR2". I'm wondering if there is a way I could utilize my spreadsheet to find/replace the consecutive range of file names all in one go for every student. If that's not possible, can PM read QR codes? A student can hold a QR code print out and then every image would be renamed based on info in the QR code until the next QR code is read.

Thanks for any insights!

[Kirk Baker]

Hi, I'm using Photo Mechanic Version 5.0, build 19749. I regularly do volume photography at schools and am wondering if there's a faster way to rename files, either through a find/replace or QR code.

Currently, I have a spreadsheet that will list each student and I enter track which frame numbers/file names they are pictured in.

Can I see an example of a couple of rows of the data in the spreadsheet?

Then in PM, I manually select that range of files and rename it from "_IMG_1234.CR2" to "StudentName_1234.CR2". I'm wondering if there is a way I could utilize my spreadsheet to find/replace the consecutive range of file names all in one go for every student. If that's not possible, can PM read QR codes? A student can hold a QR code print out and then every image would be renamed based on info in the QR code until the next QR code is read.

No, PM does not check for QR codes though I'm sure it could be done.

-Kirk

[rharv]

Can I see an example of a couple of rows of the data in the spreadsheet?

I've attached a screen shot

[Mick O (Camera Bits)]

As an aside:  You might want to check out Jeff Vogan's workflow. He does very similar photography, but he has a workflow that uses Code Replacements combined with in-camera folders to completely automate adding subject names to filenames and keywords. He starts with a similar spreadsheet with student names, but he is able to totally automate it. I am impressed with what he has done. His ingest process actually adds the names to the files automatically, so by the time the ingest is done, all the files are renamed and tagged. He describes it in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1-nvB-wWJI

In brief, he links student names to folder numbers.

101  First Studentname
102  Second Studentname
etc


 For each student, he switches his camera to store images in that numbered folder. Then on ingest, he uses Code Replacement along with the {foldernum} variable.  From there he can name the files
"={foldernum}=_(seqn}"

And all the files from folder 101 will be automatically renamed "First Studentname_001" 002 003 etc. and all the files from folder 102 will automatically renamed "Second Studentname_001" etc.  Once he has the Code Rep file set up, all the renaming takes place in a single ingest step.

He is quite clever with it.

Here is more documentation on Code Replacement
https://docs.camerabits.com/support/solutions/articles/48000223660-introduction-to-code-replacements-in-photo-mechanic

-Mick

[rharv]

Thank you! This sounds like it could be just what I'm looking for, I'll watch the videos and review the documentation.