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I have 3 groups of photos that I put into one folder & saved. I then changed the names of the individual photos so that they would appear in the correct order & resaved the folder. When I imported the folder into the Organizer 2020 to print contact sheets, the individual photos reverted to their original order.
How can I fix this OR is there any way to move individual photo around in Organizer 2020 so that they're in the order I want?
MichelBParis said:
Any external software will be able to sort by file name.
. . . and so can the Organizer in Folder view. So if you already renamed your files into an alpha-numeric order, I believe you can sort the folder by Name without putting the folder files into an Album.
Added: And yes, the contact sheet will print in the sort order.
"Yes, renaming the files works well in Photoshop Editor as you specified. I can even just "rename" the files on a Windows [10] screen, without going through Photoshop Editor. However, when I import those renamed and saved files into Organizer they revert to their pre-renamed or some other order. Any name changes I attempt in Organizer are also ignored."
When you are in the organizer, the only thing that matters is that you set the display order (third line on the lef) to file name. This works
...At this point, I think you need to use the Album sort order suggested by Michel.
The only reason I suggested using the Name sort order is that I understood you had already named the files into the order you desired.
Based on your comments, the only reason I can think of that would result in your experience is the naming convention you have used to name your files. For example, if you used the names Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3 etc., without using leading 0s, Photo 11 will come before Photo 2
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You can use the organizer to sort your files into your custom order when in an album, with the sort option 'Album order'. It's like creating a playlist; the list is saved in the catalog and only in the catalog.
There nothing like a sort order in a folder. Files are stored in random locations in your drive and the Explorer or Finder use indexes to find rapidly according to files properties like file name or dates. That's the way you can make different softwares understand the order in the other one.
The most used way to communicate is to rename files according to your order, by a starting text screen like 'Phot' followed by an order number, like Phot0001, Phot0002 etc.
When in you are in your sorted album, you export your files with the option to rename with a starting text and an order number. Any external software will be able to sort by file name.
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MichelB.
Thank you for your comprehensive reply.
Yes, renaming the files works well in Photoshop Editor as you specified. I can even just "rename" the files on a Windows [10] screen, without going through Photoshop Editor. However, when I import those renamed and saved files into Organizer they revert to their pre-renamed or some other order. Any name changes I attempt in Organizer are also ignored.
I have tried closing & reopening Photoshop Elements, restarting my computer, and even shutting down my computer between moving the files between Ediotr and Organizer.
I have never run into this problem before & it's frustrating.
I figure there's something awry somewhere but I can't figure out where. I've even moved all the files to a different folder & the same problem occurs. Even saved the pix files individually to my desktop & then to a new folder -- same problem.
-George
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"Yes, renaming the files works well in Photoshop Editor as you specified. I can even just "rename" the files on a Windows [10] screen, without going through Photoshop Editor. However, when I import those renamed and saved files into Organizer they revert to their pre-renamed or some other order. Any name changes I attempt in Organizer are also ignored."
When you are in the organizer, the only thing that matters is that you set the display order (third line on the lef) to file name. This works independently from the software which has renamed the files. Of course, if you rename files outside of the organizer, you'll destroy the links in the catalogs and create 'missing' or 'disconnected' files.
My suggestion is used by most users who want to assign a custom order to be used by an external software like slideshow builder etc. The export as new files will export the selected files in custom 'album order' in the organizer with a new starting text followed by the rank as explained above. Most external softwares like the Explorer can display files in file name order.
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MichelB,
Thank you for your support and information. The problem seems to have resolved itself. Your information helped.
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Work arounds are fine but well written user friendly software should be robust enough to allow me to build a contact sheet in the PSE organizer based on the order I choose them to be selected from the media grid of pictures in the organizer. Period.
How about enhancing the organizer to allow the user to select the order of how the pictures are to appear in the contact sheet?
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Work arounds are fine but well written user friendly software should be robust enough to allow me to build a contact sheet in the PSE organizer based on the order I choose them to be selected from the media grid of pictures in the organizer. Period.
How about enhancing the organizer to allow the user to select the order of how the pictures are to appear in the contact sheet?
By @fredt36309040
Using albums is not a workaround. It's the necessary step missing in your workflow.
A well written user friendly software like the organizer does indeed use the order you choose to display your files. You don't need to rename anything, which would be necessary to use with external tools like the explorer or a slideshow builder.
No need to enhance what is already available and pretty obvious: to sort files which can be in different folders according your preferences. You can start with a date or filename sort order and move files individually or by small batches in the 'custom order'. No user friendly software is supposed to read your mind for the ideal order. Such an album in custom order is just a sorted playlist stored in your catalog.
Of course, if you want to keep that order outside of the organizer, you'll have to deal with the absence of solutions from the explorer or external tools to create or read such playlists.
Remember that many basic users with computers wrongly thing that files can be 'written' sequentially on their disks. They ignore the fact that every single file is written randomly anywhere on the disk, possibly in many chunks. That's where renaming comes into play to compensate the shortcomings of the explorer and other tools. If you look at the explorer, you can display your files according to about twenty different sort orders. The best one to create a sequential display order (not physically sequential location) to your files is then to rename your files. That's possible in the organizer or other tools, but that's not necessary at all if you stay with the organizer.
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MichelBParis said:
Any external software will be able to sort by file name.
. . . and so can the Organizer in Folder view. So if you already renamed your files into an alpha-numeric order, I believe you can sort the folder by Name without putting the folder files into an Album.
Added: And yes, the contact sheet will print in the sort order.
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Greg,
Thank you for your response. Please read my reply to MichelB.
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At this point, I think you need to use the Album sort order suggested by Michel.
The only reason I suggested using the Name sort order is that I understood you had already named the files into the order you desired.
Based on your comments, the only reason I can think of that would result in your experience is the naming convention you have used to name your files. For example, if you used the names Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3 etc., without using leading 0s, Photo 11 will come before Photo 2 in the sort order. You would avoid this problem if you used leading 0s e.g. Photo 001, Photo 002.
Also, as Michel has explained, you should perform renaming operations on your catalog files, only using the Organizer tools. Otherwise, your files will become unlinked and show as missing in the Organizer. There is no need to do the renaming outside of the Organizer.
(It was also my understanding from your original post that all you wanted to do is print your images on a contact sheet in your desired order.)
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Greg,
Thank you for your support nad information. Your original understanding was correct. I have been able to resolve the problem with MichelB's and your assistance.