Are there any 'rename in place' tools that can use EXIF data?

[David Anderson]

All of the tools for image file renaming that can use EXIF metadata as part of the new name seem to be primarily designed as image ingestion programs, rather than a means of renaming an existing store of images on a hard disk (that may already be stored in a DAM-compatible structure). In contrast, the general purpose file renaming utilities I have seen so far for renaming files 'in place' are not sophisticated enough to extract metadata from the full range of Raw options, including sidecar files.

Does anyone know of a program that will rename files in their current location? If there were valid concerns about potential file corruption, then I would simply create a copy of my folder structure for the renaming exercise.

BTW, I'm using Windows and my intended renaming convention is to rename the original IMG_2349.CR2, shot on 22 July 2006, as DCA_060722_2349.CR2 (for example).

[peterkrogh]

Bridge.

[David Anderson]

Prompted by reading an earlier thread on a similar topic, I'm having a look at BreezeBrowser Pro and its Batch Rename facility. On the surface, it appears to do what I want though it is slightly unclear which date it uses. The Help file simply states "Dates and times are taken from the EXIF date time information in the image file. If the EXIF information is not present the file's timestamp is used instead". Since there are at least three EXIF dates (Date Time, Date Time Original & Date Time Digitised), there is some ambiguity. Under what circumstances do these EXIF dates diverge from one another?

One minor irritation is that BreezeBrowser will only do batch renaming one folder at a time. It also costs $69.95, so I hope it offers other advantages.....
 

[peterkrogh]

Will it rename the sidecar?

[David Anderson]

Peter,
You are right(as always). Bridge Batch Rename offers a 'Rename in place' option, though as far as I can see it has the same limitation as BreezeBrowser in that it only processes one folder at a time. However, it won't cost me any extra money....

Thanks.

[David Anderson]

Will it rename the sidecar?

Haven't tried BreezeBrowser on sidecar files yet. Does Bridge handle this properly?

[peterkrogh]

yes

[David Anderson]

Peter,
After some checking, I am not sure that Bridge Batch Rename can really do what I want, which is to insert the EXIF Date Digitised into part of the new filename.

The only date options I can see are listed under 'Date Time'. The 4 options available there are Date Created, Date File Modified, Today & Yesterday. There are no date options listed under 'Metadata'. Unfortunately, after you've copied your files between disks and folders a few times, Date Created and Date File Modified can be wildly different from EXIF Date Digitised.

I may have to use BreezeBrowser after all......

David

[peterkrogh]

Are you finding that Date Created does not work?
Peter

[David Anderson]

The Date Created is sometimes years after the date the picture was taken!

[David Anderson]

Peter,
To answer your earlier question, BreezeBrowser Pro's Batch Rename facility does indeed correctly handle sidecar files. If you ask it to rename a CRW file, for example, it will also rename any associated THM or XMP sidecar in a matching fashion.

David