# Is it possible to auto change mobile image file names when sync'ing?



## hbwilliams22 (May 3, 2020)

As of now, my mobile images auto-catalog after sync'ing but have file names like "IMG_8196.JPG". When I manually add images from my DSLR, I have a naming preset like "Date (YYYY)-Date (MM)-Date (DD)_Custom Text_Sequence # (001)" which is nice. 

Is it possible for my mobile images to auto rename to a sequence like "Date (YYYY)-Date (MM)-Date (DD)_Custom Text_Sequence # (001)" or do I have to manually change this?


----------



## johnbeardy (May 3, 2020)

No, it's manual. In the Cloudy LR environment, you can't change filenames at all.


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 3, 2020)

Ok thanks. What a pain.


----------



## clee01l (May 3, 2020)

hbwilliams22 said:


> Ok thanks. What a pain.



Actually renaming is a pain. Think of all of that effort you could have applied toward some other Lightroom Classic task. In cloudy, folders are not important and are hidden from the user. File names are not important so Lightroom encourages the use of Albums, Date filters keyword and other filters. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 3, 2020)

@clee01l so what if i want to sort my images chronologically by file name?


----------



## johnbeardy (May 3, 2020)

You just sort them chronologically.

A good filenaming convention is worthwhile, and will often mirror the capture time order . I just rename mobile pictures after they have imported and after I have decided which to keep.


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 3, 2020)

johnbeardy said:


> You just sort them chronologically.
> 
> A good filenaming convention is worthwhile, and will often mirror the capture time order . I just rename mobile pictures after they have imported and after I have decided which to keep.



Yup, ok. This is going to be my approach. Thanks.

Out of curiosity, what is your naming convention?


----------



## johnbeardy (May 3, 2020)

YYMMDD 4 digit seq# Title.xxx

So my renaming template has the date in reverse order for sorting purposes, then a sequential number, plus the image title which I will have entered. This means no two photos can have the same name, which is an important control, while the sequential number sorts chronologically, is memorable at least while I am working on the pictures or if someone else asks for one, and is a small safeguard too.


----------



## clee01l (May 3, 2020)

hbwilliams22 said:


> Yup, ok. This is going to be my approach. Thanks.
> 
> Out of curiosity, what is your naming convention?



I don’t rename files on import. It makes it easier to find the original if I need to replace a disk corrupt image file. 
I do use a descriptive name on export since these are distributed and unmanaged by Lightroom. Exports will always retain the numerical sequence generated by the camera when shot. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## prbimages (May 4, 2020)

Interesting to see that I use pretty much the same convention as John. My files are named _YYYYMMDD_NNNN_Title_, where NNNN is  a sequence number. Renaming is easy: select the images and just hit _F2_, and have a rename template set up. Takes only a second or two. On export I keep the same name, so there's an easy and obvious one-to-one correspondence between files inside and outside of Lightroom.


----------



## johnbeardy (May 4, 2020)

That sort of sequential number is especially popular with photographers who do weddings or events. It's easier for people to refer to image 95 rather than an out-of-camera DSCF1544 or worse, and avoids clients noticing gaps in the filenames and asking to see reject pictures or your mistakes, which can be awkward.


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 4, 2020)

prbimages said:


> Interesting to see that I use pretty much the same convention as John. My files are named _YYYYMMDD_NNNN_Title_, where NNNN is  a sequence number. Renaming is easy: select the images and just hit _F2_, and have a rename template set up. Takes only a second or two. On export I keep the same name, so there's an easy and obvious one-to-one correspondence between files inside and outside of Lightroom.



By "Title" do you mean "Custom Text"? I don't see Title as an option to add.


----------



## johnbeardy (May 4, 2020)

See the Metadata section.


----------



## clee01l (May 4, 2020)

hbwilliams22 said:


> By "Title" do you mean "Custom Text"? I don't see Title as an option to add.


Look in the metadata section


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 4, 2020)

Hm strange, I do not see that option:


----------



## Jim Wilde (May 4, 2020)

That's the template which is available when renaming during import. Renaming in any post-import situation, such as in the Library module or when exporting, will show the template that John and Cletus have shown in their posts.


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 4, 2020)

Jim Wilde said:


> That's the template which is available when renaming during import. Renaming in any post-import situation, such as in the Library module or when exporting, will show the template that John and Cletus have shown in their posts.



Make sense, thank you. @clee01l what template format do you use at time of import if different from "Renaming in any post-import situation, such as in the Library module or when exporting" as  Jim mentions?


----------



## clee01l (May 5, 2020)

hbwilliams22 said:


> Make sense, thank you. @clee01l what template format do you use at time of import if different from "Renaming in any post-import situation, such as in the Library module or when exporting" as  Jim mentions?


As I have said elsewhere,  I do not rename image files that I import.   But if I did, the images recorded by the camera will not likely have a Title field filled in.  It is prbimages that used files are named _YYYYMMDD_NNNN_Title _and there was no indication this was done on import.


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 6, 2020)

clee01l said:


> As I have said elsewhere,  I do not rename image files that I import.   But if I did, the images recorded by the camera will not likely have a Title field filled in.  It is prbimages that used files are named _YYYYMMDD_NNNN_Title _and there was no indication this was done on import.



@clee01l if you do not title your images and catalog/file them based on date (YYYY-MM-DD), how do you group them? For instance: a specific shoot at a location in Wyoming.


----------



## johnbeardy (May 6, 2020)

Remember that LR has the four IPTC location fields Country, State, City and Location, and that these are very searchable - ie in the Library Filter or in Smart Collections. I like to ensure that every photo has this information, and try to add GPS via the Map tool. 

The title might be the name of where you took the photo, for example, but there's no reason why you shouldn't put other short descriptions in the field if they make more sense to you.


----------



## clee01l (May 6, 2020)

hbwilliams22 said:


> @clee01l if you do not title your images and catalog/file them based on date (YYYY-MM-DD), how do you group them? For instance: a specific shoot at a location in Wyoming.


Part of my workflow AFTER import is to add a Title (short one line description) and Caption (long paragraph description) to every image that stands a chance of getting published.
One of the keyword that gets applied during my workflow is Location (basically a who,/what and where keywords).    If I want all of the images in Wyoming I have a Smart Collections that will have this criteria (and usually others) {keywords}{contains}{Wyoming}.


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 6, 2020)

johnbeardy said:


> Remember that LR has the four IPTC location fields Country, State, City and Location, and that these are very searchable - ie in the Library Filter or in Smart Collections. I like to ensure that every photo has this information, and try to add GPS via the Map tool.
> 
> The title might be the name of where you took the photo, for example, but there's no reason why you shouldn't put other short descriptions in the field if they make more sense to you.



I've started to make sure to add the GPS lat/long coordinates on all images ats it auto-populates the Country, State, City and Location fields which are searchable via Lr mobile (unlike keywords set in Classic- a very frustrating limitation).

I used to keyword location on images in Classic like @clee01l but now am relying on the GPS metadata instead.


----------



## clee01l (May 7, 2020)

hbwilliams22 said:


> I used to keyword location on images in Classic like @clee01l but now am relying on the GPS metadata instead.



I use both. The sub location areas are often too broad and often not meaningful. Lat/Long coordinates are precise. A sub location of my “backyard” will never show up in the iPTC fields. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 7, 2020)

clee01l said:


> I use both. The sub location areas are often too broad and often not meaningful. Lat/Long coordinates are precise. A sub location of my “backyard” will never show up in the iPTC fields.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



True and good point. So you both keyword _and_ GPS your images? Seems like a lot :(


----------



## Conrad Chavez (May 7, 2020)

hbwilliams22 said:


> Is it possible for my mobile images to auto rename to a sequence like "Date (YYYY)-Date (MM)-Date (DD)_Custom Text_Sequence # (001)" or do I have to manually change this?


The way I resolved this for myself I would call “semi-automatic.” I made a Smart Collection that lists all images starting with "APC_" which is how the Lightroom app phone camera names DNG images. As long as I remember to check that smart collection regularly, all I have to do is Select All, hit F2 (the shortcut for Rename Photo), and apply my standard rename preset. That makes the filenames of the mobile DNG images consistent with all of the other photos taken with my other cameras.

You can of course set up the Smart Collection to look for whatever unique filename patterns identify the images taken by your phone’s camera or other apps. The only reason I have mine look for just “APC_” is that I only sync the Lightroom camera DNG images to Lightroom Classic.


----------



## hbwilliams22 (May 3, 2020)

As of now, my mobile images auto-catalog after sync'ing but have file names like "IMG_8196.JPG". When I manually add images from my DSLR, I have a naming preset like "Date (YYYY)-Date (MM)-Date (DD)_Custom Text_Sequence # (001)" which is nice. 

Is it possible for my mobile images to auto rename to a sequence like "Date (YYYY)-Date (MM)-Date (DD)_Custom Text_Sequence # (001)" or do I have to manually change this?


----------



## clee01l (May 7, 2020)

hbwilliams22 said:


> True and good point. So you both keyword _and_ GPS your images? Seems like a lot :(


I have a GPS device connected to my camera that puts the coordinates into the metadata of the original image file.  I had a hierarchal keyword of where I took the photo and that is all.  For the Keyword " Pitman Park".  I automatically get  "Pitman Park < Bellaire < Harris Co < Texas < United States of America ".  If "Pittman Park" is a place in my keyword list then I add it on import to the whole camera card full of images.


----------

