File Sequence Question

[Paul Hadfield]

This is something I could probably just Google but figured it might make for discussion hence the post. What I would like to know is how do you go about naming files/folders by way of date so to fall within chronological sequence? For example, I have always used two digit month/date/year for files and folders (example today, 041211.html) however, in a web directory when listed with other dates from different years, the months as first digits line up in sequence but the end digits of years obviously do not. I'm wanting to basically have several years worth of content to line up in chronological sequence down to the day in a single directory.

Likewise, do you rename your image files to fall within a certain flow or just use the assigned name via your camera and let it fall where it will? I'm lazy and leave it alone for the full sized version but will add an "a" to an 800 pixel wide web/blog version or a "b" to a 600 pixel wide version intended for Facebook so to fit within their window width and minimize degradation due to compression. This is just a general question for discussion, feel free to share your technique or personal preference.

Current directory screenshot, obviously out of chronological sequence.

Mods: Wasn't sure if this belonged in the equipment/technical section, feel free to move as you see fit.

 

[Skip Talbot]

yymmdd, is the way to go so the folders are sorted chronologically in the directory listing. It make accessing pictures and chase logs super easy, ie:
http://www.skip.cc/chase/110322

For pictures I do yymmdd##.jpg
http://skip.cc/chase/110322/11032211.jpg

For different versions I find myself appending letters or descriptions sometimes, but I find it best to use subfolders. Put the high resolution pics in a separate folder called highres. Lightroom is great because it will do all of this for you.

 

[Jason Foster]

I wish I had forethought years ago as I would have named all my folders, files & images the same. I've now to:

yyyymmdd_(wxtype)_(event)

On the web I drop the text portions.

I've found myself adding more and more levels of subfolders because the years of images and files are mounting up now. It is annoying to click through all those folders at times...but it's organized.

Biggest problem I'm having now is that having two Canon Cameras and having taken 20,000 images on the XT, the default IMG_xxxx.CR5 files are overlapping. Sure, I download them to a unique folder, but sometimes in certain situations (by subject matter) I've had two files nearly the same name and being from completely different shooting events. I sooooo wishing I could custom set the file sequence in my Canon Cameras. Like I'd love if the 7D files came out IMG7D_XXXX.CR5 as then it's 100% different from the XT. I really, really wish I could get 5 digits instead of four as I've rolled a few cameras over 9999 images.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Here is my convention:

I create a new folder for each memory card dump, name it with (month/day-subject). I used to use straight numerical dates, but its hard to mentally link the date with the subject matter - so now I like to tack a descriptive name on the end of the folder.

For stock photo archiving, I pick out only the archive-worthy images and copy them to another folder. For these, I use the camera's numbering with a single-letter prefix that advances with each 10,000 rollover. My current images are in the D-2000's (over 42,000 images taken).

For the stock archives, I keep the original camera RAW file, the XMP RAW edits and an edited full-res JPG. All of the JPGs are backed up on my Zenfolio account.

 

[Paul Hadfield]

Thank you for the replies, I appreciate your help with this

 

[Chip Redmond]

I use yyyymmdd, by far the best method that I have found to work. It is also the same method of most forecast models so when I want to keep forecast data with the images it all stores together in the same area.

Dan, for the dated material that method is sometimes not good practice because I find writing the months very hard to reorganize or sort. With a simple numbered format, it is easy to search and sort dates with scripts by just incrementing numbers instead of using foreach statements and going through each month. Just an opinion for others. Everyones got their own style

I have yet to encounter problems with the way my camera numbers the photos since I changed it to increment the name by the number of photo ever taken, I'm trying not to think of what will happen when I get a new camera. Hopefully that day doesn't come for awhile...

Chip

 

[Chip Redmond]

I use yyyymmdd, by far the best method that I have found to work. It is also the same method of most forecast models so when I want to keep forecast data with the images it all stores together in the same area.

Dan, for the dated material that method is sometimes not good practice because I find writing I find writing the months very hard to reorganize or sort. With a simple numbered format, it is easy to search and sort dates with scripts by just incrementing numbers instead of using foreach statements and going through each month. Just an opinion for others. Everyones got their own style

I have yet to encounter problems with the way my camera numbers the photos since I changed it to increment the name by the number of photo ever taken, I'm trying not to think of what will happen when I get a new camera. Hopefully that day doesn't come for awhile...

Chip