iPhoto Disaster!!! Maybe apple script solution?

[stevegong]

My dad and I both have sony cameras. This means they both generate files beginnig with DSC****.jpg

Now we want to combine our photos into one huge iPhoto library, but as you might have guessed, there are many duplicate names.

Note: I have both of our photos in individual folders for now.

The best way to do this I think would be to somehow add an "a" to the beginning of all my pictures so there woludn't be the duplicate names deal.

I am no good with apple script, but is it possible to have a script that takes all the files from a given folder and adds an "a" in front of all the file names?


thanks in advance. I need to do solve this soon because I'm leaving for the US soon.

thanks.

[Luca]

Yep. Here's what I'd do: Search for "Install Script Menu." Double click to install a handy little Applescript menu in the menubar. Then, select all the photos that you want to add "a" (or whatever) to the beginning of. Go into the script menu, into the "Finder" scripts, and there should be one that relates to changing file names. From there it should be simple.

[alcimedes]

i wish they had an option to allow you to sort by camera that took the photos.

[Ryan]

You could use A Better Finder Rename.

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/6322

Easier than Applescript.

[usurp]

how about you export all of your dads pictures from iphoto and choose the option to rename the files according to album name. and then burn them on a cd and drop the pics into your iphoto.

this would solve combining your pics now. later on when you want to add new photos use GraphicConverter (came with my powermac). Manually copy pictures from your camera to the desktop, then Use the option convert in GraphicConverter. You can Batch rename files using that. Once you are done drag and drop them into iphoto.

[Luca]

Ouch. usurp, that's a ton of steps. iPhoto will never overwrite one file because another has the same name, so if you have two pictures called "DSC0041.JPG," that's okay. All Steve has to do is organize his two sets of photos right now (by using Finder's built in renaming script) and then, whenever he imports pictures from either digital camera, he can make sure he adds each roll to the proper album. It's a lot easier and doesn't require GraphicConverter or the burnination of a CD.

[stevegong]

Ouch. usurp, that's a ton of steps. iPhoto will never overwrite one file because another has the same name, so if you have two pictures called "DSC0041.JPG," that's okay. All Steve has to do is organize his two sets of photos right now (by using Finder's built in renaming script) and then, whenever he imports pictures from either digital camera, he can make sure he adds each roll to the proper album. It's a lot easier and doesn't require GraphicConverter or the burnination of a CD.


Yep, exactly what I want to do.

You read minds don't you? First you find out I'm gay and now this. :lol:


And it's bloody annoying because iPhoto lets you add 2 files with the same name, but then when I want to take all the photos from this album out and put them into a folder it will say I don't have enough disk space.

What a pain.

Thanks for all your help, I shall try it right now.

[stevegong]

A better finder rename forces you to pay for processing files more than 10 at a time, so screw that.

The Apple script works... but it's painfully sloww :confused:

I've got 4000 photos to process and it's taking AGES.

Moreover, the apple script doesn't give you an indication that it's doing something.

:mad:

[Brad]

The Apple script works... but it's painfully sloww :confused:

I've got 4000 photos to process and it's taking AGES.I know it's too late now, but you would probably have been much better off by using the terminal and the mv command. Using the terminal is by far the fastest way to execute batch changes on the filesystem.

Here are a few example of how it could be done:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20010509130450691

[stevegong]

Crud, I'm now putting all the pictures in the folder into a new iPhoto library.

And this is LITERALLY taking AGES.

:(

It's adding 14,570 pictures to iPhoto, and a good number of the pics are takenwith the rebel, so about 3 megs each picture.

This must be the most painful thing I've ever had to go through. And it's the second try. The first time the computer locked up halfway through at about 3 hours into the process. :(

[Maciej]

ouch steve, it must take forever to open iPhoto.

[PXLpainter]

Crud, I'm now putting all the pictures in the folder into a new iPhoto library.

And this is LITERALLY taking AGES.

:(

It's adding 14,570 pictures to iPhoto, and a good number of the pics are takenwith the rebel, so about 3 megs each picture.

This must be the most painful thing I've ever had to go through. And it's the second try. The first time the computer locked up halfway through at about 3 hours into the process. :(Okay - I've tried this in the past and got HORRID results! It seems that iPhoto will NOT recognize any files/folders you manually put in there. When I've had catalog issues with it or just wanted to share photos between two computers, I've had a hell of a time! Ended up with a big honkin' MESS - incorrect dates, etc... so I'm looking for alternatives to iPhoto right now. :\

Jeff

[stevegong]

Okay - I've tried this in the past and got HORRID results! It seems that iPhoto will NOT recognize any files/folders you manually put in there. When I've had catalog issues with it or just wanted to share photos between two computers, I've had a hell of a time! Ended up with a big honkin' MESS - incorrect dates, etc... so I'm looking for alternatives to iPhoto right now. :\

Jeff


What do you mean? It worked just fine for me.

Oh, do you mean you put the pictures in the iPhoto Library folders yourself? Obviously that wouldn't work. You need to import them from the iPhoto application. The dates should be embedded in the photo itself so shouldn't be a problem.


I agree though, iPhoto is a bit dodgy and I don't feel like my photos are very safe.

[MINK]

your camera costs $1000, you have 15000 photos, err.... you're not supposed to be using iPhoto, it is made deliberately rubbish so that it doesn't annoy software developers of "real" products, and makes people upgrade to other stuff, so the wheels of capitalism can keep on a'turnin'

[euain]

Rename a ton of files is easy at the terminal (using bash scripting).. On the command line, just type something like:

for file in $(find . -name \*.jpg); do
newname=a_new${file};
mv $file $newname
done


Just set the term in find to find the files you want. See man find. Then newname should just be set to what you want the new names to be. So a${file} in the original request. You may be able to wrap this in an automator action if you need to do this often?

Disclaimer - please try this on a couple of files first and backup the directory of files before running it. I haven't tested this.

[Wyatt]

your camera costs $1000, you have 15000 photos, err.... you're not supposed to be using iPhoto, it is made deliberately rubbish so that it doesn't annoy software developers of "real" products, and makes people upgrade to other stuff, so the wheels of capitalism can keep on a'turnin'
I'm not sure I'd say that it's "deliberately rubbish". It's just not a professional app, and when you're using professional equipment, you should be using professional software. For people with more basic, consumer cameras, iPhoto is great. For people with more professional cameras, it's just not powerful enough. (Although, from what I've read, iPhoto 6 might work better for higher-end cameras.)

[ghoti]

A Rebel is a professional camera? Since when? ;) This talk about "professional" is complete rubbish ... a piece of equipment doesn't make you a professional any more than a hammer makes you a carpenter, or a brush makes you a painter.

Anyway, if you're looking for a professional application, try iView Media (http://www.iview-multimedia.com/media/). Of course, since you're using a professional camera, you have to get iView MediaPro (http://www.iview-multimedia.com/mediapro/). Anything else would be just too unprofessional. Also, iView Media only lets you put 8,000 files into one database. But it does let you open several data bases at the same time, and easily move files between them. Plus, you get to decide on the directory structure yourself. Just like the pros. :p

[maCar]

Rename a ton of files is easy at the terminal (using bash scripting).. On the command line, just type something like:

for file in $(find . -name \*.jpg); do
newname=a_new${file};
mv $file $newname
done


Just set the term in find to find the files you want. See man find. Then newname should just be set to what you want the new names to be. So a${file} in the original request. You may be able to wrap this in an automator action if you need to do this often?

Disclaimer - please try this on a couple of files first and backup the directory of files before running it. I haven't tested this.





Automator is your best shot, i disabled my auto-import to iphoto, istead i use an Automator action >select items>rename>import into iPhoto + delete from original source <<< all in one
>>send me a private message and i'll send you my workflow if you don't feel safe doing it yourself