[yusuf]

Just wondering, what is the reason for Pentax to stuck with 4 digit file numbering? Wouldn't it make sense for Pentax to use six digit file numbering based on click count rather than 4 digit used currently. 4-digit scheme is so restrictive and troubles everytime I change my SD card.

[Chaos_Realm]

Just wondering, what is the reason for Pentax to stuck with 4 digit file numbering? Wouldn't it make sense for Pentax to use six digit file numbering based on click count rather than 4 digit used currently. 4-digit scheme is so restrictive and troubles everytime I change my SD card.

I do agree and I am already plotting my roll over 10,000 strategy. I wish that if they were restricted somehow by software to just 4-digits they just "counted" alphabetically. Ie IMG_#### ( # = Letters A-Z) as there are 26 letters to the alphabet and hence 26^4 = 456976 possible shots before 'roll over' even though these days it would be the camera rolling over before the shutter count.

[mtansley]

I reached this problem a couple of months ago and my solution was to change the file prefix from what it is to MCT1 (my initials). With the '1' there, my photos now are numbered MCT10000 and up. When it needs to roll again I can just change it to MCT2. It's a bit more difficult with the RAW numbering but I don't shoot RAW that much.

I also made sure that the option in the camera is to continue the numbering even when changing SD cards rather than resetting with each card change.

That is a good idea about using letters instead of numbers. It would be nice if Pentax (& other manufacturers) could adopt that and make it a custom option to choose numbers or letters.

[RioRico]

Images over the last decade from my multiple digicams all go into the same date-indexed file structure. Some of those digicams normally add the same prefixes to filenames. I use a much-modified WinDoze BAT script to move files from memory cards to RAID storage. That script also renames each file, changing the prefix to indicate just which camera shot it, and to adjust for number roll-over. Maybe one of these days I'll re-org the whole filename system into coherence: no more AMxxxxxx or IMxxxxxx or DSxxxxxx, just RRcxxxxx where (c) identifies the camera. Oh yeah, that could happen...

[mtansley]

RRcxxxxx where (c) identifies the camera.

And what happens when you have more than 9 cameras or more than 26 (if using alphabetic camera codes) or more than 36 if using alphanumeric codes.

You must plan ahead for these things you know!!

Actually, being serious, your system is good, it does allow for lots of expansion.

[RioRico]

And what happens when you have more than 9 cameras or more than 26 (if using alphabetic camera codes) or more than 36 if using alphanumeric codes.

You must plan ahead for these things you know!!

Yeah, I should have planned ahead when I started this endeavour. Let's see, are enough punctuation marks allowed in WinDoze filenames to accommodate all digicams I'll have in my remaining lifetime? Sure, if I die soon enough...

And it gets worse when scanning 1) old family photos (from unidentified cams), 2) my old slides and transparencies from multiple film cams in multiple formats, (and I may not remember which cams took which shots) 3) NEW shots from yet more film cams (and I don't always note which roll was in which cam), 4) images that I've scanned or otherwise pirated, and shooped into new imagery, etc.

The best I can do with (1) is to ID the branch of the family the shot are of|from. With (2) and (3) I can segregate by format and film type. With (4) I just wing it. And new photo sources and media are bound to appear in the new future. How to plan for all that? Answer: Wing it.

[mtansley]

Interesting, your schemes sound quite similar to mine. I tend to store things in directories with names like 'Dad"s old medium format camera" or '1978 Britain trip - 35mm'.

It's a nightmare!!

[noblepa]

Believe it or not, the naming convention used by digital cameras is an industry standard. That's why all cameras have the DCIM folder. I believe that the four digit file number comes from that standard, as well.

Also, the file number can be reset to 1, while the shutter count can not.

[mtansley]

The following Wikipedia link Design rule for Camera File system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia has an interesting discussion and reference for DCIM rules and naming conventions.

Technical but interesting.

[HGMonaro]

I've had many cameras roll file number multiple times and it never cause me any problems as I store the pics in folders by shooting date by camera. The index to all that is in my wife brain... I just ask when something occured and she tells me the date... If she does a runner, I'm in trouble!

[mtansley]

I store my photos by date as well but it's just a personal thing that I don't like duplicate file names. I like the idea of your wife knowing all the dates, that's useful

[yusuf]

Believe it or not, the naming convention used by digital cameras is an industry standard. That's why all cameras have the DCIM folder. I believe that the four digit file number comes from that standard, as well.

Also, the file number can be reset to 1, while the shutter count can not.

Right, thanks for pointing it out.

I am sure standard will eventually evolve. However in mean time I still feel that an alternative can always be offered, user can chose which convention they want to use (like PEG/DNG in case of raw).

[yusuf]

I decided to write a small utility to organize my files and turned out to be a fruitful project (there are already some excellent utilities but then they didn't met my requirements).

This simple utility (suggest a good name please) essentially reads the folders and organizes the files based on embedded EXIF/IPCT information and pattern specified by user. It can organize files in date-wise directories and/or rename the files based on various EXIF fields. It handles raw & XMP files and can delete duplicate if asked to. You can pass the pattern to control the renaming. It does also print basic focal length distribution from all the pictures it scanned – would love any suggestions to make it more useful. May be I will write more elaborated description in a day or two and post it here.

Sharing it here in case someone likes to give it a try (at your own risk off course ) Check it out and let me know what you think.

[Chaos_Realm]

I decided to write a small utility to organize my files and turned out to be a fruitful project

Not sure if its for mac/pc ( I run windoze) but the exe runs a cmd window then nothing. I think I might be using the wrong approach but yeh I cant work it out.

[yusuf]

Not sure if its for mac/pc ( I run windoze) but the exe runs a cmd window then nothing. I think I might be using the wrong approach but yeh I cant work it out.

It's a command line utility so you need to run it from command line, for example,

c:\> ebpro k:\ c:\

To get more help, just run without any parameters

c:\> ebpro

EXIF based Photo Renamer and Organizer (EBPRO) v0.10

Usage: ebpro [-<options>] <srcdir> [<destdir>] [<pattern>]

Options:
-t - test only, do not take any actions
-d - delete duplicate (identical) files
-D - do not make datewise directories (default ON)
-r - recursive rename from all the sub-directories
-i - interactive, prompt before taking any action
-f - print raw focal length chart (default processed)
-q - quiet mode
-X - do not move XMP files (default ON)

srcdir - Specifies the source directory

destdir - Specifies the destination directory [Optional, default = srcdir]

Pattern [Optional, default %N]:
Pattern enables various EXIF fields to be used in renaming files.
For example, pattern IMAGE%Y-%h%m%s will rename a file to say,
IMAGE2011-105523.PEF. Following expressions are supported in the pattern:

%Y - Year (4 digits, e.g. 2011)
%y - Year (2 digits, e.g. 11 or 99)
%M - Month (2 digits, e.g. 5 for May)
%D - Day (2 digits, e.g. 30)
%h - Hour (2 digits, e.g. 14 for 2PM)
%m - Min (2 digits)
%s - Second(2 digits)
%f - focal len (3 digits, actual focal length)
%N - original filename (e.g. IMGP1237)
%n - original filenumber (e.g. 1237 for IMGP1237.JPG)

To organize files in datewise directories without renaming, leave pattern empty.

Feedback/Suggestions - yusuf @ http://pentaxforums.com