Batch renaming in Photoshop 7

[Dee]

I just got PS7 and am just learning some of this neat stuff. I'm trying to cleanup my photo files and resort some of them. I've stumbled through renaming a folder of pics but it put 'copy' on them all. Plus on each one I had to change the extension from PPD to JPG.

What I want to do is keep the file names on the pics, just add some letters to the beginning. For example Queenangel1.jpg I'd like to chang to CZQueenangel1.jpg so I know that photo came from Cozumel.

Can someone walk me through this or explain the file naming procedure to me?

 

[ReyeR]

I just got PS7 and am just learning some of this neat stuff. I'm trying to cleanup my photo files and resort some of them. I've stumbled through renaming a folder of pics but it put 'copy' on them all. Plus on each one I had to change the extension from PPD to JPG.

What I want to do is keep the file names on the pics, just add some letters to the beginning. For example Queenangel1.jpg I'd like to chang to CZQueenangel1.jpg so I know that photo came from Cozumel.

Can someone walk me through this or explain the file naming procedure to me?

Dee, to start with you are best off making a copy of the files to another folder and experimenting with batch renaming till you're comfortable with it. This way you won't have to fix each one manually should you make a mistake. If you mess it up just delete the files and copy the originals and start again. If the results are what you want then you can simply delete the originals:

• Open the 'File Browser' window
• Navigate to the folder with the files
• Select the files you want to rename*
• Right-click on any selected image and select 'Batch Rename' from the popup menu
• To rename the files in the same folder select 'Rename in same folder'. To rename and move to another folder select 'Move to new folder'
• In the first box type 'CZ' (without the inverted commas)
• In the second box select 'Document Name'
• Select 'extension' in the third box
• Click 'OK'

Basically what you are doing is telling Photoshop to rename the files to the following format:

CZ + existing filename + existing extension

*Multiple selection tips (Windows)

• To select a set of continuous images click on the first image of the set and holding the 'Shift' key down click on the last image of the set
• To select a set of images in random order hold the 'Ctrl' key down and click on the images you want to select
• To select all the images hold the 'Ctrl' key down and press 'A' (Ctrl+A)

 

[Dee]

Wow...that was so easy! Going through the Browser is much clearer.

Thanks, ReyeR! :10:

 

[Dee]

Using your previous instructions, I have a file that has a lock on each photo and 'batch rename' isn't an option. Is there as way to unlock these files? I have no idea what I did to lock them in the first place.

 

[ReyeR]

Using your previous instructions, I have a file that has a lock on each photo and 'batch rename' isn't an option. Is there as way to unlock these files? I have no idea what I did to lock them in the first place.

That file's attribute is probably set to 'Read-only'. Either you pressed the lock button on the camera or the file was copied from a read-only media like a CD-R. You can also set/un-set this attribute in Windows Explorer (see below).

In PS7 File Browser right click on the file that has the lock symbol and select 'Reveal Location in Explorer' in the pop-up menu.

This will open up Windows Explorer and the folder this locked file is located in. In this Windows Explorer window right click on the locked file and select 'Properties'. In the 'Properties' window, under the 'General' tab, un-check 'Read-only'. Click 'OK'. Then go back to PS7 File Browser and the lock should no longer be there.

Alternately, if you know which folder the file is located in just open the folder in Windows Explorer and right-click and bring the properties window up and un-check 'Read-only'. If there are several read only files in that folder you can select all of them, right click, and bring up a combined properties window and un-check 'Read-only' for all of them in one shot.

 

[fpoole]

I found, for the 2nd part of your question, on the renaming and changing file type from .jpg to .psd. I set up an "Action" (aka Macro) to do all that.

ReyeR can probable show you how to do it better, but I use a Batch operation to download my photos (can use it anywhere) from the camera to a folder.

Basically it does this:
-opens .jpg file off card reader
-Saves as "newname_date_SequenceNumber.psd" into a folder on my hard drive.
all in one batch... some people use a "droplet" which works as well, I guess.

file example:
orginal on disk = DCS0001
Changed to on Hardrive = edmonds040608_01.psd
edmond = location
040608 = date in yymmdd for sorting purposes
01, 02...= numeric sequence number
.psd = saved as a photoshop file..

there's another thread wandering around here, I'll try to find it... and they have some ingenious ways of file saving..

hope that helps, let me know if you need details on the action button - windows >action menue.

 

[ChrisM]

Good tips in this thread, easy stuff I did not know.

My only problem with fpoole's approach is that I do not convert all my jpegs to psds or tiffs, only those that I want to do post production on

Chris

 

[fpoole]

I do not convert all my jpegs to psds or tiffs, only those that I want to do post production on
Chris

Yeah, I use to do the same thing, but with cheaper hard drives and I wanted to keep things the same and really wanted to automate it, I found that by transferring it all over on one shot, then either delete the ones completely useless, I have the orginals in full data....
I then make a copy, modify it as needed and save it with the same name with an "m" after it for "modified".
Then if I need to send out a copy or for web page single shot, I'll then take the "m" file Save As .jpg, reduce physical size to apx 600-800pix width and sharpen and Save As "filename"+"s" for small...

This keeps all copies together by file name, shows the modified one and a web ready pic is right next to it..

Just simplier for me anyway...

I keep them in .psd as I get confused on which one to save, open, modify etc, and don't want to play around with saving a .jpg and loose quality etc...

Anyway, that's the only reason I do them all, just heheh.. lazy..

Hope that helps...

 

[ChrisM]

Yeah, I use to do the same thing, but with cheaper hard drives <snip>

Then if I need to send out a copy or for web page single shot, I'll then take the "m" file Save As .jpg, reduce physical size to apx 600-800pix width and sharpen and Save As ....<snip>

Hope that helps...

Hey, whatever works, right??? It's interesting reading all the different ways people do it, I like to "steal" all the good ideas and put them into my system

I do a similar thing, for pics to go on my website I use the extension .uwp, for pics to send to stock agent, I use .dsi, easy to figure out which pic is which

My only comment to your workflow is, when you are creating a web version, saving as a jpeg and THEN reducing size and sharpening... and then saving again. This is what I used to do, until Jeff/Sharpdiver on ddnet convinced me that the double jpeg save results in a noticeable quality loss from multiple compression (yeah, it's only for the web, but still.....). I have noticed compression loss, especially in deep blues, from one extra jpeg save.

So now I take the psd/tiff, resize, sharpen, and put in copyright info and then "save as" jpeg or save for web, only one compression loss cycle. My concern was I'd forget to save as and hit "save" by accident, but that hasn't happened yet (and I still have the original, as much as a pain as it may be to recreate the PS work....)

Chris

 

[Dee]

Thanks again, ReyeR...it worked beautifully! S-m-o-o-t-h!

Wow...the stuff I didn't know I didn't know about! Right now I'm working on files already in .JPG, trying to clean up my hard drive and get some semblance of order so I can find stuff. Alot of my .JPG files worked in PSElements no longer have the EXIF info on them but I think I've learned the right way is to 'Save As'. I keep forgetting about the PSD thing. I may try Pooles system, it sound like something I could remember.

Ever come up with a jam up "I'll never forget this" system only to go back a while later and it all looks like algebra to you? That's why I need descriptive names. Thank goodness we are no longer restricted to 8 spaces for file names!

Thanks everyone...I'm learning!