(...) Previously when I had both jpg and raw files in the same folder it would rename the jpg and raw file with the same number and only the extension would be different. But now when I rename it will name all the jpgs but start a new sequence at the first raw file. So even though two files may be of the same image and taken at the same time the jpg may be named 2018-09-20 (56) but the corresponding raw file will be 2018-09-20 (1). I sometimes do in camera HDR which creates jps and sometimes setup the camera to write both jpg and raw so I get these two types of files interspersed throughout my folder. It took me awhile to see this happening so I have a few directories where my naming convention is quite a mess. Is it clear? Anyone else run into this and come up with a solution?
I think I now understand your problem and would suggest a change in your workflow.
The numbering done in file explorer is only there to ensure the unicity of filenames after the bulk renaming operation. File explorer has no idea what are in the files and if files are somehow related. The programme was never designed to handle this and seems to have changed in a way that makes your current workflow impossible in Windows 10.
At this point, I would suggest two options, depending on how you wish to handle the data ingest steps from your camera:
- If you only wish to rename your files (as before), I would suggest looking for an application for bulk renaming that can read EXIF data from the camera files. Doing so, it would be able to understand what files are related with each other and you could design a file naming scheme which does the naming completely automatically, i.e. you would no longer have to select files and type the date of the files since this information could be extracted from the EXIF data and assigned automatically. Doing a quick internet search (aka googling) for "bulk renaming applications for windows that can read exif data" gives some results which might be worth investigating. Some of these tools are free, if that matters to you.
- An even better option would be to streamline your data ingest with a dedicated application made for this purpose, like Lightroom, Photo Mechanic or ShotPut Pro. With these tools, you could completely automate the file copy (from SD card to PC) and renaming steps with robust tools. They will ensure that no data is forgotten on the cards or overwritten because they have the same name on two different cards. Some tools can even validate the file copy to ensure that nothing was corrupted due to a bad card reader, for instance.
I realise that it is not always fun to have to change a workflow, especially under pressure, but this seems to be the right moment to harden your data ingest process and embrace DAM best practices.
Cheers,
Fabien
