Looking for plug-in or tip to rename sequential photos

[DeniseL]

Hello. I am scanning a collection of vintage postcards, most with messages and mailing information on one side and the image on the other. My scans result in sequential filenames that I can rename on import to LR, so that the front (picture) side is always an odd number 0001 and the corresponding reverse (written) side is always the next sequential number 0002. I'm using a simple alpha-numeric catalog system for filenames.

I would prefer to have the same filename with a suffix indicating front and reverse: 0001f, 0001r. Is this possible through an import setting, or is there a plug-in that would rename files on import? Or, perhaps I am looking at this the wrong way round . . .

Thank you for any suggestions.

 

[tspear]

This does not seem possible via the import dialog, or after with any tools I am aware of.
If you are comfortable with scripts or the automator, look at Imagemagick and use the following style command
"convert +append a.png b.png c.png"
this would create a new image which contains the front and the back in a single image. Much easier to manage going forward.

 

[davidedric]

Have a look at FastStone (for use before Import). It has pretty flexible batch renaming capability, though you'd have to work out if it can do must what you want. And of course it's free.

Oops, sorry, just realised your are on a Mac. Still I'll leave the post in case another with the same sort of problem is reading.

Dave

 

[Jack Henry]

Try Name Mangler for Mac. I use it for a lot o tricky renames


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[johnbeardy]

For an in-Lightroom method, see Complex file renaming in Lightroom made simple – thanks to the Search and Replace plug-in – Lightroom Solutions

John

 

[Tony Jay]

Hi Denise, welcome to Lightroom forums!

I may have reasonable solution to your conundrum:

If you are scanning each postcard, first front and then back before going on the next postcard then the following should be workable:
It relies on the fact that the scanner is including the date and time of scanning into the metadata of the newly created file. Alternatively, make sure you import the images in sequence since Lightroom also takes note of that and can also arrange images according to import order.

Once you have imported the images create a collection for the front scans and put all the front images into it.
Now go to the file renaming template (F2) and create a template that uses a four digit sequence followed by a custom field and then save it with a meaningful name.
Now make sure that the images are sorted in the collection according to the time of creation. Just above the filmstrip in the Library module is the toolbar there are several options for sort order - try capture time - it should work.

Now select all the image in the collection using Cmd-A.
Press F2 to bring up the file renaming template and select the template you have just made and enter "f" as the custom text and then ask Lightroom to rename all the selected images just by pressing OK on the file renaming template.
All the front sides of the postcards will be sequentially named according to the pattern 0001f, 0002f etc.

Now make another collection for the reverse side scans and just rinse and repeat all the above steps using "r" for the custom text.
(Obviously you do not need to make another file renaming template.)

Now all the scans are renamed according to the pattern desired.

Tony Jay

 

[johnbeardy]

I'd agree with Tony. It's always best if you can figure out how to do something like this without any plugin.

 

[DeniseL]

This does not seem possible via the import dialog, or after with any tools I am aware of.
If you are comfortable with scripts or the automator, look at Imagemagick and use the following style command
"convert +append a.png b.png c.png"
this would create a new image which contains the front and the back in a single image. Much easier to manage going forward.

I might be able to wrangle Automator, but I want two separate images so I can use the JPGs as individual images. Thanks for the tip.

 

[DeniseL]

Have a look at FastStone (for use before Import). It has pretty flexible batch renaming capability, though you'd have to work out if it can do must what you want. And of course it's free.

Oops, sorry, just realised your are on a Mac. Still I'll leave the post in case another with the same sort of problem is reading.

Dave

Thanks anyway!

 

[DeniseL]

Hi Denise, welcome to Lightroom forums!

I may have reasonable solution to your conundrum:

If you are scanning each postcard, first front and then back before going on the next postcard then the following should be workable:
It relies on the fact that the scanner is including the date and time of scanning into the metadata of the newly created file. Alternatively, make sure you import the images in sequence since Lightroom also takes note of that and can also arrange images according to import order.

Once you have imported the images create a collection for the front scans and put all the front images into it.
Now go to the file renaming template (F2) and create a template that uses a four digit sequence followed by a custom field and then save it with a meaningful name.
Now make sure that the images are sorted in the collection according to the time of creation. Just above the filmstrip in the Library module is the toolbar there are several options for sort order - try capture time - it should work.

Now select all the image in the collection using Cmd-A.
Press F2 to bring up the file renaming template and select the template you have just made and enter "f" as the custom text and then ask Lightroom to rename all the selected images just by pressing OK on the file renaming template.
All the front sides of the postcards will be sequentially named according to the pattern 0001f, 0002f etc.

Now make another collection for the reverse side scans and just rinse and repeat all the above steps using "r" for the custom text.
(Obviously you do not need to make another file renaming template.)

Now all the scans are renamed according to the pattern desired.

Tony Jay

Thank you, Tony. That would work (and your instructions are wonderfully clear! thank you). I'm comfortable using batch renaming, but I am surprised there isn't something that can do this automatically. It almost seems like it needs to be a command within the scanning software where the original filename is assigned. Sort of a command like: +1 add "f".

 

[DeniseL]

For an in-Lightroom method, see Complex file renaming in Lightroom made simple – thanks to the Search and Replace plug-in – Lightroom Solutions

John

Thanks, John. I did see this before I posted here, but I couldn't quite figure out how to make it do what I want. Maybe I need to study it more.