Import CSV

I am finding Advanced Renamer of great assistance in modifying names of images for a large photo collection - thank you.

However, I am having trouble importing a list of files and folders in csv format.
I have used the csv file successfully for importing into Lightroom etc, but each option I try in Advanced Renamer produces "Cannot find source file" in the Status column. Any suggestions as to the issue?
Help please!

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Reply to #1:
 
I found my crystal bowl broken. Perhaps you can show us your details?

Windows OS Version?
AdvancedRenamer Version? Installed/Portable?
An excerpt of your XML?

What do you want to do? Provide Original name/wanted name examples.
I am not sure if it should work with folders too.

Do you have read the user guide?
http://www.advancedrenamer.com/user_guide/csvim port

Have you tried to use a file previously saved by Advanced Renamer ? Does that work?

...


 

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Reply to #2:
Thank you for a prompt response.

I am using Win 8.1
Latest version of AR on desktop
I would like to rename the first column of the following csv by copying (or moving) the last digit backwards in instances where the suffix occurs:


DSC_840, 29 June 09, London, First view, filepath
DSC_840_01, 29 June 09 , London, Tower of London, filepath
DSC_840_02, 29 June 09, London, Thames, filepath
DSC_840_03, 29 June 09, London, Side view, filepath

I would like the second-fourth lines to read

DSC_1840_01, 29 June 09, London Tower of London, filepath
DSC_2840_02, 29 June 09, London, Thames, filepath
DSC_3840_03, 29 June 09, London, Side view, filepath


The folder contains image names from 0 to 999 each with 3 suffixes so there are roughly 4000 lines total.
The Lightroom (and other?) image management programs do not seem to recognise the suffix so annotations become attached to the wrong image.

My solution means the new image name will no longer match the filepath image name. So I am presuming I will use AR to rename all the actual images as well? Or perhaps there is an easier way?

The problem has arisen because the annotation program PixFiler deals with metadata as shown above, but in addition I would now like all annotations contained within the image itself.

I have read the csv guide and can load the first column via CSV Import, but each option I try in Advanced Renamer produces "Cannot find source file" in the Status column.

If CSV Import will not work, is there any way of separately working on the first column only, then copying it back into the CSV later?

I would very much appreciate any assistance.

David


Edit - Trying to think more laterally about my problem, is the timestamp renaming method going to be easier to implement?

The timestamp for my all images is recorded and will be unique between the Pixfiler metadata (containing the annotations) and the original image. Helps says I can "change the date and time of the filename". Does this mean that I can change the image name from DSC_xxxx to say 2009-05-02 11:49:23am? A csv file could then be used to transfer my annotations into the image itself.

Or can you think of another method to solve my annotations issue? (On reading Help I see that the New Name Method with Datetime tag will only apply a start of rename time and not date taken time, so will not work for me).

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Reply to #3:
 
As far as I understand, you want to modify the CSV file? (or it's only my bad english)
That is not the meaning of that AR feature.
This AR CSV should only contain old/new name pairs.


If you want to modify a text file, please use an text editor.

FROM:
DSC_840_31, 29 June 09 , London, Tower of London, filepath
DSC_840_25, 29 June 09 , London, Tower of London, filepath
DSC_840_1, 29 June 09 , London, Tower of London, filepath
DSC_840_01, 29 June 09 , London, Tower of London, filepath
DSC_840_02, 29 June 09, London, Thames, filepath
DSC_840_03, 29 June 09, London, Side view, filepath
TO:
DSC_31840_31, 29 June 09 , London, Tower of London, filepath
DSC_25840_25, 29 June 09 , London, Tower of London, filepath
DSC_1840_1, 29 June 09 , London, Tower of London, filepath
DSC_1840_01, 29 June 09 , London, Tower of London, filepath
DSC_2840_02, 29 June 09, London, Thames, filepath
DSC_3840_03, 29 June 09, London, Side view, filepath

FIND:(DSC_)(\d\d\d)_(\d\d?)(,.+)
Replace: \1\3\2_\3\4
[X]RegEx

To get rid of leading zero, use another step:
Find: DSC_0
Replace: DSC_
[_]RegEx

- - -

If you want to rename your files, please
provide some examples how you want to rename your files:

ORIGIN:
old name.ext
current file.ext
before.ext

WANTED:
new name.ext
wanted file.ext
after.ext

 

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Reply to #4:

Thank you for replying.
I have a complex problem, not very well explained.
I need to discover more about the workings of PixFiler before worrying you further.

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Reply to #5:

I have had quite a break-through in my thinking on this issue and would like to donate to you excellent program in due course.

I have a question to allow me to commence:

1. what method should I use to change random image nos such as

DSC_840
DSC_841
DSC_843
DSC_846

to renamed sequential nos such as

dh1001
dh1002
dh1003
dh1004

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Reply to #6:
 
What means "nos"? ... plural of no. ?

- - - -

FROM
DSC_840
DSC_841
DSC_843
DSC_846

TO:
dh1001
dh1002
dh1003
dh1004

Do you have DSC's already in that order and no files in between?

then use

New name method: "dh<Inc Nr:1001>"


http://www.advancedrenamer.com/user_guide/metho d_newname
http://www.advancedrenamer.com/user_guide/tags_ default


- - - - Otherwise....

FROM:       > TO:
DSC_840 > dh1001
DSC_841 > dh1002
DSC_842 skip this
DSC_843 > dh1003
DSC_844 skip this
DSC_845 skip this
DSC_846 > dh1004


Best use CSV import
http://www.advancedrenamer.com/user_guide/csvim port

Create a CSV file like
DSC_840.jpg;dh1001.jpg
DSC_841.jpg;dh1002.jpg
DSC_843.jpg;dh1003.jpg
DSC_846.jpg;dh1004.jpg

You can use a spreadsheet like Excel to create that list.

Column A     | Column B | Column C
DSC_840.jpg | 1001      | =A1 & ";dh" & B1 & ".jpg"
DSC_841.jpg | 1002      |
DSC_843.jpg | 1003     |
DSC_846.jpg | ____   |                        

Select Cell B1:B3, double click the square at the lower right of the B3 cell.
Copy the formula from C1 down (double click the square at the lower right of the C1 cell)
Save as myDSC.csv

In Aren use "Import > CSV file..." from the menu line at the top:
http://www.advancedrenamer.com/pic/screen_aren. png


 

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Reply to #7:
Thank you.
I have donated to Advanced Renamer in appreciation.

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Reply to #8:
Further to my donation to your program, can you please tell me the name of a simple text editor which will allow renaming and removing in a list of image names in an easy manner similar to the way Advanced Renamer does it. (I know nothing about the command interface).

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Reply to #9:
 
Thanks for the donation.


You should check out some Editors with regex search&replace.
For example see >> http://www.snapfiles.com/freeware/productivity/ fwtext.html


General note: the implementation of RegEx feature is slightly different for each application.
So you have to try which one fits best to you.

I have tried them all, even Atom, Brackets and Textadept.

I would say this are my favourites:

Freeware and portable, e.g.
PSPad (* JavaScript VBScript)
NotePad2
Notepad++
SynWrite


Paid and portable
EmEditor (free version) and (paid (* JavaScript VBScript))
Sublime Text (* Python)


Editors with (*) have integrated script engine.
With scripting, you can better do things, like "If THAT, than do this, else do..."


For simple split and concatenate strings and add serials, you can use a spreadsheet app like Excel.


This days I use Notepad2 for quick open-edit-close tasks,
and EmEditor for scripting, text formatting and RegEx search and replace.

PSPad, Notepad++ and SynWrite are very fine too, but I always reach there limits on my usages.

Sublime Text is like VIM best for every day coders imho. You have to like it,
but once you master them, they are powerful nearly without any limit.




HTH?

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Reply to #10:

Yes, this does help.

Many thanks for your prompt and helpful reply.

Can you tell me, do any of these Editor programs have a simple graphical method for (say) deleting the last 3 characters of each cell in a column, eg

DSC_0379_03
DSC_0380_43

changes to

DSC_0379
DSC_0380

Your program does this in a simple easy to follow graphical format without writing macros or scripts, but simply by selecting remove/replace/add etc menu options, then selecting check boxes against required filenames. Very simple and graphical, and I am not good at macros, or the command line interface.

Many thanks.

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