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areohbee
Legend
June 23, 2011
In Development

P: Support sub-second (milliseconds) field in file naming templates.

  • June 23, 2011
  • 44 replies
  • 4138 views

This would allow people to start filenames with date-time so alphabetical order is same as capture time order, and would create unique filenames (without yet another field) and properly order bursts....

Presently, exif metadata includes subsecond field, but Lr filenaming template stops at full seconds. So for unique filenames, one would have to tack on some kind of sequence number or something as well.

So, as things stand, one can have:

YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS_{seq-num}_{photog/camera...}

but not (as I would prefer):

YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS-MS_{photog/camera...}

A side benefit is that filename indicates subseconds between shots in a burst, which is otherwise unavailable in Lightroom without a plugin. Although, I could argue for displaying that too in formatted metadata display, even if only upon mouse-over.

---------------
I would like to use Lightroom import dialog box for importing, instead of the plugin I use now, but it stops just shy of what I need/want still. - this is one of the things. However, if import actions were implemented, that would be enough.

44 replies

Inspiring
March 25, 2012
I fully support this. Lightroom can currently find itself in a place where it clobbers or swaps data, and sub-second file naming would make this much less likely.

Another way to make this much less likely would be to allow the body's image number. This combined with the serial number would allow for fully unique file naming from supported camera bodies.
Inspiring
March 25, 2012
I fully support this. Lightroom can currently find itself in a place where it clobbers or swaps data, and sub-second file naming would make this much less likely.

Another way to make this much less likely would be to allow the body's image number. This combined with the serial number would allow for fully unique file naming from supported camera bodies.
Inspiring
March 25, 2012
I fully support this. Lightroom can currently find itself in a place where it clobbers or swaps data, and sub-second file naming would make this much less likely.

Another way to fix this problem would be to allow the body's image number to be used in file naming. This combined with the serial number would allow for fully unique file naming from supported camera bodies.
areohbee
areohbeeAuthor
Legend
June 25, 2011
For those who appreciate the fact that I keep y'all posted... (please ignore if you are not one of those).

In the interest of naming such that:
- alphabetic order matches capture time order, even if all photographs were exported to a single flat folder.
- multi-photographer/multi-camera considerations are handled satisfactorily.
- uniqueness is ensured.
- bursts don't required "funny/artificial" sequence numbers or appendages for uniqueness.
- name is still tied to original on card, which usually doesn't matter, but may matter at the beginning or if re-associating via undeleted image on card... and makes me feel good.
- filename is still intelligible to humans, yet not "too" long.

My naming convention has changed to:

{date}{photog}{time}{camera}{image-num}.{ext}

where:

date = YYYYMMDD
photog = 2-char initials, I'm RC
time = HHMMSS - local time zone (toyed with UTC, but I mostly don't travel out of time zone, and if I do, I'll still probably want local time zone, if I can remember to change my camera, and if not, then I get CA time...)
camera = 2-char designation:
char 1 = manufacturer
char 2 = letter corresponding to number owned, or whatever if another photographer (maybe try and distinguish model).
image-num is in-camera image number.

for example:

19950624RC040242NA0001.JPG - for photo taken in 1995 by me using my first Nikon, corresponding to DSC_0001.JPG in camera.
20110624RC040242NB3390.NEF - for photo taken in 2011 by me using my second Nikon, corresponding to _DSC3390.NEF in camera.
20110624GJ040249CX2348.JPG - for photo taken in 2011 by George J using a Canon camera, corresponding to IMG_2348.JPG in camera.

Note: {photog} may be moved right-ward if I ever want multi-photographer photographs interlaced in time. Reminder: this is for alphabetic ordering outside Lightroom after export or when viewing using 'Explorer' (or recycle bin ;-} - oops I meant backup folder...

This solves all my problems without the millisecond field, and is supported by Lightroom import dialog box - I'm one step closer...

I still think milliseconds field should be supported, but it is no longer a pre-requisite to weaning myself from plugin back to the import dialog box.

Please forgive if too many words...