# LR4 Won't Stop Re-Naming My Files



## sara505 (Apr 16, 2012)

I exported a couple hundred files, gave them a custom name, changed my mind, re-exported and did not click the Rename box, but they all followed the same scheme as I originally set up. I tried clicking the Rename box (Original File Name), and they are still being renamed according to my first export.

Is it me?


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## Colin Robinson (Apr 16, 2012)

*overwrite?*



sara505 said:


> I exported a couple hundred files, gave them a custom name, changed my mind, re-exported and did not click the Rename box, but they all followed the same scheme as I originally set up. I tried clicking the Rename box (Original File Name), and they are still being renamed according to my first export.
> 
> Is it me?



In the export dilaogue there is a setting re automatically overwriting a file in the same location if you re-export the same flle. If you have this set, perhaps it is just overwriting the file you already exported  (which has already been renamed with  the discarded renaming convention)- try exporting to a different folder or delete the wrongly named exported files first and see if that solves it.
Colin


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## sara505 (Apr 16, 2012)

That dialogue doesn't appear, since the files all (theoretically, anyway) have a new name. I did delete the original folder first. I will try exporting to another folder with a new name. I am specifically instructing LR to rename the files to Original Filenames with nothing extra.


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## Victoria Bampton (Apr 16, 2012)

Hi Sara, what filenames do the selected photos have in LR's catalog?  Just a passing though, but I wondered if you'd perhaps accidentally reimported the exported photos.


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## sara505 (Apr 17, 2012)

Hi, Victoria. They all have the original names. 

I'm now attempting to export (with change name box un-checked) to a new folder. Will let you know.

If it doesn't work, I am going to post the photos, as is. Not my first choice to have such a mish-mosh (some have new names, some have original) - but c'est la vie. 

But I do like to know how/why things behave as they do (control issues  )


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## sara505 (Apr 17, 2012)

Nope, they simply will not shake the re-names. I can't imagine why LR does not do what I tell it to do.


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## clee01l (Apr 17, 2012)

Can you take a screen shot of your Export Panel With at lease one of the suspect images selected for import and the File Naming section clearly visible?

Something like this:


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## sara505 (Apr 17, 2012)

Okay, the first few images have kept the new names, maybe 20 or so, the rest have the original names, as instructed. So my command was mostly, but not entirely obeyed. Weird.


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## sara505 (Apr 17, 2012)

Sorry, can't make it bigger.


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## Victoria Bampton (Apr 17, 2012)

So what are the current original filenames, and what names is it creating?


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## clee01l (Apr 17, 2012)

sara505 said:


> Sorry, can't make it bigger.
> 
> View attachment 2135


Sara, Based upon the screen shot and if you use this Export preset, your first file would be "Rachel_Dan-9876.jpg"  And the export would go into a folder named "01-Up to Bedeckin, new"  As long as there are no existing files with this name already in the folder, this is the name that was on the original and the name that you will get on the export. If a file already exists in that folder with that name, then the Operating system will want to tack on a -1 to the file name ("Rachel_Dan-9876-1.jpg") Since you have set the handling of "Existing Files" to "ask what to do" The OS and LR will not overwrite or create a copy with the -1 name unless you give your acknowledgment. 

You should get an exported copy of your original files with the file name as it exists in the catalog.  If you are not getting this, I would recommend that you carefully recheck the file name of all 163 files that are in your catalog.


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## sara505 (Apr 18, 2012)

Thanks - You are correct. That is what should be happening, but is not. 

What you see in the scrn shot is what I am doing. There are no other files in that folder. However, some of the files are coming through with the changes I instituted upon my first import: 001, 002, etc. I like to rename my files for some clients so there are no gaps in the numbers. My problem was, I edited some in one location, some in another location, and realized I had no idea with what number I left off in the first location, so decided to revert to the original names. This re-naming problem happened in both locations, btw. Some sort of UE, I'm sure. 

For today, I have moved on - will be taking a look at this with my own personal LR slave (everyone should have one of these) soon - will report back. Thanks!


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## clee01l (Apr 18, 2012)

Based upon the high(?) incidence of reports of this error, I suspect UE too. Although I can't imagine what that UE might be. If you are moving on, I think we can too.  If you or your LR slave do determine the cause of the problem, please share your findings with the rest of us


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## sara505 (Apr 19, 2012)

Well, thanks to help from my genius slave, it was discovered that this issue was caused by a trick of the eye. The file numbers on one of my cards (I used two cameras for this shoot) had rolled over from 9999 to 0001, etc. My rename scheme was set up with the suffix 0001, so to my eye, it appeared that some of the files were not being re-named. 

The bad news is, I feel like a dummy. The good news is, it takes a lot more than this dummy to break Lightroom.

Have a great day.


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## clee01l (Apr 19, 2012)

sara505 said:


> ...
> The bad news is, I feel like a dummy. The good news is, it takes a lot more than this dummy to break Lightroom.
> ...


You don't need to.  After all you correctly diagnosed the problem as UE.


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## sara505 (Apr 19, 2012)

clee01l said:


> You don't need to.  After all you correctly diagnosed the problem as UE.



That's half the battle, right? Anyway, that's not a too-difficult diagnosis - all I have to do is apply it 90% of the time to be right


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## b_gossweiler (Apr 19, 2012)

clee01l said:


> sara505 said:
> 
> 
> > The bad news is, I feel like a dummy.
> ...



LR slave agrees ... :nod::nod:


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## Kiwigeoff (Apr 19, 2012)

b_gossweiler said:


> LR slave agrees ... :nod::nod:



LOL:hail::hail:


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## sara505 (Apr 19, 2012)

b_gossweiler said:


> LR slave agrees ... :nod::nod:



:blush:


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## MarkNicholas (Apr 20, 2012)

Solved UE issues are the best learning tools available


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## Victoria Bampton (Apr 20, 2012)

Now it's my turn to be the dummy.  It's been a long day, but I can't figure out what UE stands for!!!


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## b_gossweiler (Apr 20, 2012)

UserError?

Sleep well 

Beat


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## Victoria Bampton (Apr 20, 2012)

Doh!  I need more sleep!  Thanks Beat.


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