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Automator Renaming Files In Random Order


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Automator Renaming Files In Random Order
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YouCanHaveYourPC
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
 
2005-08-26, 08:55

I just started using Automator. Talk about confusing instructions!

I am trying to "rename" NEF photo files in the same sequential order that I shot them in (For example, DSC_2045.NEF, DSC_2046.NEF to be renamed DSC_A2045.NEF, DSC_A2046.NEF).

A. I select all the files in the folder then create a workflow in Automator.
B. I type in "Name" into the search and select "Rename Finder Items" (per Apple's instructions).
C. I go to box #1, "specified finder items", and make sure that the files are in proper sequential order.
D. I select where I want the newly renamed files to go.
E. In box #3, "Rename Finder Items", I select "Make Sequential" and "New Name". I give it a new name of DSC_A and then tell it to start the numbering at 2045.

Results: It renames the files but jumbles the order. The files do get renamed starting with the number I selected, but it does not assign that number to the proper file. If I have 80 photo files in the folder it almost always numbers them in reverse order for the first 10 files. Then it jumbles and puts the files in a totally random order. If I go back and try to fix the problem using Automator again, it won't allow me to use the lowest file number as a starting point.

Am I doing something wrong or does anyone know if there is a bug in Automator?

Sorry for the long explanation but I just wanted to be clear about what is going on.

Thanks

1.25 GHz PowerBook G4
OSX V. 10.4.2
1.25 GB DDR SDRAM
Automator V. 1.0.1 (54)
Available space: 12 GB
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2005-08-26, 21:47

This is actually a bug in the Finder, if I understand correctly what you're describing.

Any time you make a large selection by click-dragging or selecting all, you cannot trust that the items are selected in any given order. You have to click one item, then shift-click the remaining items in the order that you want them to be processed.

Yeah, it's a real pain in the ass and it's been like that since Mac OS X 10.0 Public Beta.

I haven't tried this yet, but did you think to add the "Sort Finder Items" action in there before the rename action?

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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2005-08-26, 21:58

Hmm... actually, I just tried this on a small group of files and it worked perfectly, renaming them exactly in the order as they appeared in the "Get Specified Finder Items" box. Weird.

The quality of this board depends on the quality of the posts. The only way to guarantee thoughtful, informative discussion is to write thoughtful, informative posts. AppleNova is not a real-time chat forum. You have time to compose messages and edit them before and after posting.
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YouCanHaveYourPC
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
 
2005-08-27, 09:40

Thanks Brad!
Adding the "Sort Finder Items" into the workflow solved the problem. I was hoping it would be something simple.
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SledgeHammer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2005-08-29, 19:02

Wish I had come across that solution. I had the same problem the first (only) time I used Automator. I don't remember how I fixed it. I think maybe it worked when I used "specified finder items" as opposed to "selected Finder items" or something like that. In the same operation, I was resizing photos. They were large photos and I was resizing to about 640x480. A few of them worked, but a lot of them ended up only a few pixels wide. I think I ended up resizing them manually in GraphicConverter.
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