Batch Rename Fails

[John31211394nmar]

I can't beleive I've had this issue, litterally forever, and I don't see anything useful in a search. After importing hundreds of images, I'll need to do an F2 batch rename on my PC, both Windows 10 and 11. No matter the version of windows or lightroom, one day I started having issues renaming images on a local drive. It would always leave 3-10 files that could not be renamed. It turned a tedious renaming process into a nightmare. I discovered tonight that if I convert everything into Smart Previews, the issue goes away, and I can rename without any issues at all. Com'on, does anyone know anything about this?

[John31211394nmar]

Here is a screenshot example. I can also add that I just renamed all of my files in various sub-folders with Smart Previews. As I reached the bottom, I realized I missed two folders. So yes, this is where the screenshot came from, as I just did like 10 folders with Smart Previews without any issues at all. Again, this has been going on for years. So multiple computers with multiple OS and Lightroom versions.

[JohanElzenga]

You talk about 'converting to smart previews', but there is no such thing. Smart previews are small proxies for your images. If you generate them, then they are extras. They do not replace your raw files, so I have a hard time understanding how their presence or absence could have anything to do with renaming your original files. Or do you mean you convert your raw files to DNG? Your screenshot shows .CR2 files however.

Can you show how exactly the files are renamed (what the template is that you use)? The error message is clear that the problem is either missing files, locked files, or a renaming conflict. I notice that the path names are very long. Could it be that you extend the maximum length that a path can have in Windows? I am a Mac user myself so I can advise you on that, but I do know Windows paths are more limited in maximum length than you may expect.

[John31211394nmar]

Yeah, it's really strange. 2 weeks later and I can confirm that if I batch rename with My_Name_ and 0001, it will invetably fail, even with like 5 image batches. But if I make Smart Previews, it will rename 100% of the files, 100% of the time. All your other thoughts and comments about DNG, missing files, and whatever are all over-complicating my years-old problem.

Batch rename (F2) a folder of .cr2 images will fail 95% of the time like shown above. If I make Smart Object Previews, I have a 100% success rate of renaming the .cr2's, previews, and whatever else Lightroom renames. I don't know what to tell you, it's been like this for years worth of Lightroom, Hardware, and OS updates. Win 10/11.

[JohanElzenga]

Well, all I can say is that I can batch rename with or without having smart previews, and that is how it should be. If you needed smart previews for this somehow, then you could not batch rename videos for example (which I do regularly), because smart previews of videos do not exist.

[richardplondon]

maybe just check the overall length of the full folder path plus filename. Windows sets a maximum number of characters for this, and your screenshot suggests a fairly "maximal" naming system IMO. Sometimes rearranging things into fewer levels of folder, or abbreviating folder naming can avoid the issue arising. Obviously any reorganisation of files on disk needs to happen from within the Catalog or else be readdressed within the Catalog if LrC's connection to all these imported files is not to be invalidated. Simplifying the top (first) part of the overall folder path is probably the easiest place to start, as one single bulk change.