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Inspiring
January 1, 2025
Open for Voting

P: Embed original file name in Metadata on Export

  • January 1, 2025
  • 6 replies
  • 484 views

I routinely rename files on export to give a user friendly name to a file rather than DZ999999.NEF., and while I include the exported image in the catalogue the export process loses the 'Original FIlename'.

This makes it impossible or at best very difficult to track back to the original RAW file from the exported JPG.

 

Could 'Original filename' be included as a Metadata export item?

 

6 replies

johnrellis
Legend
January 6, 2025

Glad you got it identified. Check out the Metadata Wrangler plugin, which gives much finer control over the metadata included in exports.

Inspiring
January 6, 2025

Apologies......................just twigged, its the Metadata setting, if I use Copyright only, the Original and Preserved File name rather than being empty are set to the current file name. If I export using  'All Metadata', then I do get the original and preserved file name. Thanks for this. I guess what I am after is finer control over the Metadata that is written. I'll experiment to see what gives the least metadata but retains the original/preserved filename.

 

Thanks again, thats a great help.

Inspiring
January 6, 2025

I have been using Lightroom classic to check the metadata, and that shows the 'new' file name in all file name fields.

Using Exif tool, it shows the same thing, however from your detail below it looks as if your export is to the same directory, and the XMP file which contains the preserved file name is probably associated with the original RAW (CR2) file. As when I try that exiftool in the source direcory (i.e. not where I have exported to), I get similar results.

Thanks for persevering with this.

johnrellis
Legend
January 6, 2025

[This post contains formatting and embedded images that don't appear in email. View the post in your Web browser.]

 

I'm observing something different. When I export a raw to a JPEG with these settings:

 

 

Exiftool shows these fields:

 

$ exiftool -a -G John-1.jpg | grep -i "file name"
[File] File Name           : John-1.jpg
[XMP]  Preserved File Name : 1C3A6221.CR2
[XMP]  Raw File Name       : 1C3A6221.CR2

 

In your Export settings, what's set in the Metadata panel?

 

Which app are you using to examing the Metadata in the exported file?

 

Inspiring
January 6, 2025

I have looked at that Original File NAme and Preserved FIle Name, and they do not hold the original filename.

 

If I export a file as 'Josh-01' all three filenames, the Current, Original and Preserved are set to 'Josh-01' I was hoping to find the original Raw file name in the metadata. WIthout the Raw file name, getting back to the original is difficult.

johnrellis
Legend
January 6, 2025

Export stores the original file name in the metadata field XMP:PreservedFileName.