Renaming files, rookie error in Lightroom

Mike L · 11-16-2011, 03:13 AM

Hi all,

I'm a recent convert to Lightroom 2.5 for cataloging images and post processing so still getting a handle on it.

I recently imported a batch of images and duly tagged them all with keywords etc. I decided that I wanted to rename all the files to incorporate the date so I did a batch rename in Photoshop. All the images are still showing in the Lightroom library with their old file names and if click on an image in the develop module the message " The file name IMGPXXXX is offline or missing".

How do I get the renamed files into the library without re-importing and re-entering all the keywords etc?

Thanks muchly.

thoughton · 11-16-2011, 06:50 AM

Have you tried quitting Lightroom, then restoring the original filenames in Photoshop, then relaunch Lightroom? You can then rename the files (or the folder the are contained in) in Lightroom. Not sure if there is a batch rename option once you've already imported though.

sajah · 11-16-2011, 08:01 AM

Originally posted by Mike L

Hi all,
All the images are still showing in the Lightroom library with their old file names and if click on an image in the develop module the message " The file name IMGPXXXX is offline or missing".

You can let Lightroom locate the missing files by:
- Right click a missing image and select "Show in Explorer"
- It will complain that the file is missing and give option to locate, click Locate button to do so
- Navigate to the right image folder and select the new file
- If you rename a folder then all the images in the folder will be missing, so it will ask to also automatically locate other files in vicinity or something like that. Forgot the actual wording, couldn't reproduce it actually but I was sure it asked like that before, just now when I tried it just automatically did that without asking, not a bad thing tho

Mike L · 11-16-2011, 04:29 PM

Originally posted by thoughton

Have you tried quitting Lightroom, then restoring the original filenames in Photoshop, then relaunch Lightroom? You can then rename the files (or the folder the are contained in) in Lightroom. Not sure if there is a batch rename option once you've already imported though.

I'll keep that in mind but I think the solution below is what I was looking for.

Originally posted by sajah

You can let Lightroom locate the missing files by:
- Right click a missing image and select "Show in Explorer"
- It will complain that the file is missing and give option to locate, click Locate button to do so
- Navigate to the right image folder and select the new file
- If you rename a folder then all the images in the folder will be missing, so it will ask to also automatically locate other files in vicinity or something like that. Forgot the actual wording, couldn't reproduce it actually but I was sure it asked like that before, just now when I tried it just automatically did that without asking, not a bad thing tho

I thought there must have been an option like this but couldn't find it. Thank.

11-16-2011, 03:13 AM	#1
Mike L Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canberra, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,472	Renaming files, rookie error in Lightroom Hi all, I'm a recent convert to Lightroom 2.5 for cataloging images and post processing so still getting a handle on it. I recently imported a batch of images and duly tagged them all with keywords etc. I decided that I wanted to rename all the files to incorporate the date so I did a batch rename in Photoshop. All the images are still showing in the Lightroom library with their old file names and if click on an image in the develop module the message " The file name IMGPXXXX is offline or missing". How do I get the renamed files into the library without re-importing and re-entering all the keywords etc? Thanks muchly.

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11-16-2011, 06:50 AM	#2
thoughton Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Saffron Walden, Essex Photos: Gallery Posts: 362	Have you tried quitting Lightroom, then restoring the original filenames in Photoshop, then relaunch Lightroom? You can then rename the files (or the folder the are contained in) in Lightroom. Not sure if there is a batch rename option once you've already imported though.

11-16-2011, 08:01 AM	#3
sajah Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Korea Photos: Gallery Posts: 275	Originally posted by Mike L Hi all, All the images are still showing in the Lightroom library with their old file names and if click on an image in the develop module the message " The file name IMGPXXXX is offline or missing". You can let Lightroom locate the missing files by: - Right click a missing image and select "Show in Explorer" - It will complain that the file is missing and give option to locate, click Locate button to do so - Navigate to the right image folder and select the new file - If you rename a folder then all the images in the folder will be missing, so it will ask to also automatically locate other files in vicinity or something like that. Forgot the actual wording, couldn't reproduce it actually but I was sure it asked like that before, just now when I tried it just automatically did that without asking, not a bad thing tho

11-16-2011, 04:29 PM	#4
Mike L Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canberra, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,472 Original Poster	Originally posted by thoughton Have you tried quitting Lightroom, then restoring the original filenames in Photoshop, then relaunch Lightroom? You can then rename the files (or the folder the are contained in) in Lightroom. Not sure if there is a batch rename option once you've already imported though. I'll keep that in mind but I think the solution below is what I was looking for. Originally posted by sajah You can let Lightroom locate the missing files by: - Right click a missing image and select "Show in Explorer" - It will complain that the file is missing and give option to locate, click Locate button to do so - Navigate to the right image folder and select the new file - If you rename a folder then all the images in the folder will be missing, so it will ask to also automatically locate other files in vicinity or something like that. Forgot the actual wording, couldn't reproduce it actually but I was sure it asked like that before, just now when I tried it just automatically did that without asking, not a bad thing tho I thought there must have been an option like this but couldn't find it. Thank.