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Workflow for importing scanned images and changing capture date ?

Explorer ,
Apr 26, 2021 Apr 26, 2021

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I normally import my images using File Renaming. My files are renamed as a function of the capture date.

For scanned files, this doesn't work well, since the capture time is the scanning time, not the time of the original capture by the analog camera.

I tried applying a Metadata preset during import to change the capture date to the actual one.

However, the metadata preset is applied after the file renaming, and thus my files still end up being renamed based on the scanning date.

Is there any way to apply the metadata preset before the file renaming ?

Or maybe to apply it before the file import step ?

 

Right now, without the ability to do that, my workflow is very painful.

1) run import, which gives the wrong name and imports to the wrong folder

2) save metadata to those files

3) move those files out of the folder they were imported to using windows explorer, to another temporary location

4) synchronize that folder to remove the missing files

5) reimport from the location the files were moved to in 3)

 

I'm curious how other photo scanners deal with this.

I know I could use Exiftool GUI to fix the date myself before import, but that defeats the point of using Lightroom Metadata presets.

 

Pentax K-1 II . Panasonic Lumix GX85.

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Guide ,
Apr 26, 2021 Apr 26, 2021

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I handle that issue by creating a folder with the date and event name of the scanned set of images i.e.:  1985-04-04-boyssoccergame. Then I name all of the file the very same name plus a sequence number. That way the folders automatically sort in date order in Lightroom Classic and the images sort in date order when the contents of a folder are viewed in the library module.  When viewing the folders outside of LrC in the OS file management, the same applies when sorting the folders by name.

Ken Seals - Nikon Z 9, Z 8, 14mm-800mm. Computer Win 11 Pro, I7-8700K, 64GB, RTX3070TI. Travel machine: 2021 MacBook Pro M1 MAX 64GB. All Adobe apps.

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LEGEND ,
Apr 26, 2021 Apr 26, 2021

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I think your options are:

 

- Use an external tool to set the date before importing.

- Use a different foldering scheme. 

 

For my tens of thousands of scans, I put them in folders named with the number of the slide trays in which they resided or with the codes on the negative sleeve.  That way, I can easily get from the scan in LR to the film original.  At the time of import, I often don't know the capture dates.  Much later after import I set the capture date within LR using a plugin similar to the Capture Time To Exif plugin that lets me set a batch of photos to have the same date with times sequentially increasing by 1 second.  

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Explorer ,
Apr 26, 2021 Apr 26, 2021

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Thanks. I really would like to preserve my folder / naming scheme.

Currently I use YYYY/MM/YYYY-MM-DD_sequence as the locating/naming scheme.

I believe everything would be fine if LRC applied the Metadata preset before renaming.

If there was "Reimport" function, I could run my files through it again to have them renamed/relocated. But that option doesn't seem to exist in Lightroom.

I guess using Exiftool prior to import is the only way to do go without going crazy with the workflow. Wish LRc itself could do this instead.

 

Pentax K-1 II . Panasonic Lumix GX85.

i7-5820k OC 4.3 GHz
32GB DDR4-2666
8x1 TB striped SSD
nVidia GTX 960
2 x 32UHD59-B 32" 4K displays
1 x Asus PB238Q HD display
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Community Expert ,
Apr 27, 2021 Apr 27, 2021

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quote

I guess using Exiftool prior to import is the only way to do go without going crazy with the workflow. Wish LRc itself could do this instead.

 


By @madbrain76

 

Prior is good, but you can also do so after import.

 

In this case in LR you need the command Metadata > Read Metadata from File, but this would normally overwrite any metadata you have already entered after import.

 

So first you need to do Metadata > Save Metadata to File, saving IPTC metadata and adjustments, and then after processing with Exiftool you do a Metadata > Read Metadata from File which reads in those IPTC entries and adjustments, as well as your modified EXIF.

 

My Capture Time to Exif plugin provides a UI within LR for Exiftool, and you may find it convenient with this workflow.

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Explorer ,
Apr 27, 2021 Apr 27, 2021

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Thanks. I'll take a look at your plug-in.

 

The problem with what you suggest - doing it after import - is my filenames won't change, and files won't be relocated to the proper YYYY/MM subdirectory, according to my preferred LRc import settings. I would need a way to rerun the import on previously-imported files, to rename/relocate them. Something which, to my knowledge, LRc doesn't allow.

 

Pentax K-1 II . Panasonic Lumix GX85.

i7-5820k OC 4.3 GHz
32GB DDR4-2666
8x1 TB striped SSD
nVidia GTX 960
2 x 32UHD59-B 32" 4K displays
1 x Asus PB238Q HD display
10Gbe Ethernet

112TB NAS

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Community Expert ,
Apr 27, 2021 Apr 27, 2021

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Yes renaming can be done after import, in respect of updated capture time metadata, but that does not alter what folders the images are held inside. So if you also want a capture date based folder filing scheme, the only ways LrC can help implement that is :

 

  • an adjusted date set within scanning application as part of creating files
  • a separate tool used on files before LrC import, to update the capture metadata
  • Adobe adds a date-adjust function into the Import screen and applies that onto the images before any import actions happen
  • Adobe adds a tool within Library to select some images that are already imported, and already altered for capture date as desired, that then RE-FILES those physically according to a chosen specification, equivalent to the Organize and Destination options available for a "Move" Import.

 

This is not just about scanning: one can get timezone-shift instances whereby the camera's internal "midnight" has clicked over midway through the local daytime, when travelling. Thus a proportion of the photos arising will have self-filed themselves into an unsuitable "day folder". 

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Explorer ,
Apr 27, 2021 Apr 27, 2021

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Richard,

 

I meant renaming the files in the file system, and moving them to different folders on the file system.

 

The following works already in Lightroom as a date-set function as part of a meta-data preset. At least it works to hardcode a date, not to make relative adjustment.

 

If I scan images today, and import them with this preset, they end up in today's folder, ie. 2021/04/2014-04-27_* . But since the preset is applied, when I look at Metadata in Lightroom, the creation date is 2000-07-11 .

 

All I want is for the selected metadata preset - a function already present in the import screen - to be applied before the file renaming step, not afterwards. This would allow renaming / relocating to work as I expect it to.

 

Alas, it works in the reverse order - files are renamed first, then metadata preset is applied

 

Pentax K-1 II . Panasonic Lumix GX85.

i7-5820k OC 4.3 GHz
32GB DDR4-2666
8x1 TB striped SSD
nVidia GTX 960
2 x 32UHD59-B 32" 4K displays
1 x Asus PB238Q HD display
10Gbe Ethernet

112TB NAS

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LEGEND ,
Apr 27, 2021 Apr 27, 2021

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"All I want is for the selected metadata preset - a function already present in the import screen - to be applied before the file renaming step, not afterwards."

 

You can post a  feature request in the official feedback forum:
https://www.lightroomqueen.com/send-bug-report-feature-request-adobe/

Product developers read everything posted there, but rarely participate here, which is primarily a user-to-user forum.

 

Based on past experience, Adobe implements only a small fraction of all feature requests, months or years after they are first made.  So if you're interested in streamlining your workflow, you might consider changing it.

 

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LEGEND ,
Apr 27, 2021 Apr 27, 2021

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LATEST

"my workflow is very painful.

1) run import, which gives the wrong name and imports to the wrong folder

2) save metadata to those files

3) move those files out of the folder they were imported to using windows explorer, to another temporary location

4) synchronize that folder to remove the missing files

5) reimport from the location the files were moved to in 3)"

 

Here's one way to make it less painful, keeping all the steps within LR and avoiding the need for an external utility or a plugin, while working around LR bugs with capture date:

 

1. Import the photos with the Move/Copy option with the metadata preset that sets IPTC > Date Created.

 

2. Select all the imported photos and do Metadata > Edit Capture Time, and immediately do Change All. This avoids bugs when changing LR's capture date by setting IPTC > Date Created, including a bug that will cause many other apps and services to not see the updated capture dates in exported versions of the photos.

 

3. Select all the photos and do Metadata > Save Metadata To File. (If you prefer to use the option Catalog Settings > Metadata > Automatically Write Changes To XMP, use the Metadata Status column in the Library Filter bar's Metadata column to wait for the metadata of all the imported photos to change to Up To Date -- you can make a filter preset for that.)

 

4. Remove all the selected photos from the catalog (but not from disk).

 

5. In the Folders panel, right-click the folder the photos had been in and do Synchronize > Folder, with the option Show Import Dialog Before Importing.  Select the Move option.  This will re-import the photos and move them to the correct dated folder.

 

* * *

 

You can further streamline these steps by using the Exif To Capture Time plugin instead of futzing with IPTC > Date Created and metadata presets:

 

1. Import the photos with the Move/Copy option.

 

2. Use Exif To Capture Time to set all the photos to the desired capture date.

 

3. Remove all the selected photos from the catalog (but not from disk).

 

4. In the Folders panel, right-click the folder the photos had been in and do Synchronize > Folder, with the option Show Import Dialog Before Importing.  Select the Move option.  This will re-import the photos and move them to the correct dated folder.

 

* * *

 

You can further streamline your workflow by using Exiftool, Exiftool GUI, Photomechanic, or another external app to properly set the industry-standard capture date (in EXIF:DateTimeOriginal) before importing the scans:

 

1. Run the external utility to set the capture date of the scans.

 

2. Import the photos with the Copy or Move option and no metadata preset.

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Enthusiast ,
Apr 27, 2021 Apr 27, 2021

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I've created several EXIFTOOL Batch command files to apply metadata prior to import. My filenaming convention is set in the Export control of the scanning software.

 

REM Apply Basic Metadata for Slides and Negatives

REM ---------------- Change the Following for each run --------------------

REM Use 'description' for a general compent on the group being processed and 'title' when it is common across all.

REM fname is the name to save the metadata to for future use. Use first part of prefix
set fname="C:\Users\paul\Documents\ExifTool_BAT\_temp.BAT"


set title="Some Cottage 1982"
set description="Some Cottage 1982, Gull River"

REM Original mediaInfo FILM:Kodacolor II (5075),ISO:??,SIZE:?? [either negative or print],COLOR/B&W, Confidence in original date.
REM Need place to record develop date
set "m1=FILM:Kodacolor II (5075),ISO:?,SIZE:35mm,Colour,Date:1982"
set mediaInfo="%m1%,Scan(Epson,2400dpi,Auto Exp,Color Restore,ICE=Quality)"

REM Keyword SLIDE,NEGATIVE,PRINT. 
REM Add LOW RES to 'T' Thumbnail pictrues. HIGH RES for HI 'F' 
set keywords="HI RES,FILM,NEGATIVE"

REM This will replace the Make and Model of the scanner used
set make="Pentax"
set model="??"

REM Location should be within the city if possible
set location="Street Name"
set country="Canada"
set prov="Ontario"
set city="Smith Falls"

REM Date/Time format YYYY:MM:DD HH:MM:SS
REM Date of scan
set createDate="2021:03:22 11:30:00"

REM DateTimeOriginal is many times a guess reflected in mediaInfo/UserComment
REM For unknown dates, set to '1977:07:07 07:07:07' or year and 7's

set DateTimeOriginal="1982:07:07 07:07:07"

REM Special handling for FileSource https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=1939.0
REM 1 = Film Scanner; 2 = Reflection Print Scanner

set FileSource=1 


REM -------------------------------------------------------------------------

REM Add Basic tags for a set of images

set creator="Paul Lastname"
set copyright="(C) Copyright 2021 by Paul Lastname"
set email="paul@email.net"
set terms="All rights reserved. Any use of the original and derivative works of this image must be licensed."

echo exiftool -overwrite_original ^
-mwg:Creator=%creator% ^
-ImageCreatorName=%creator% ^
-Contact=%creator% ^
-OwnerName=%creator% ^
 ^
-CreatorWorkEmail=%email% ^
 ^
-mwg:Copyright=%copyright% ^
-xmp:usageterms=%terms% ^
-n -xmp:copyrightstatus='CS-PRO' -xmp-xmprights:marked=true ^
 ^
-mwg:Location=%location% ^
-event=%location% ^
 ^
-mwg:Country=%country% ^
-mwg:City=%city% ^
-mwg:State=%prov% ^
 ^
-title=%title% ^
-mwg:Description=%description% ^
-ObjectName=%description% ^
 ^
-DateTimeOriginal=%DateTimeOriginal% ^
-createdate=%createDate% ^
-DateTimeDigitized=%createDate% ^
 ^
-Make=%make% ^
-Model=%model% ^
-UserComment=%mediaInfo% ^
 ^
-sep "," -keywords=%keywords% ^
-XPkeywords=%keywords% ^
-n -xmp:filesource=%FileSource% ^
  . > %fname%
 
 call %fname%

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