Re-arrange and renumber (Re-use order of files from Windows Explorer)

SteveM · 2006-11-15 23:19

Congratulations, great program! (14 Nov 06 version)

Can you rearrange photos using thumbnails in Explorer and then somehow renumber them in the new order using ReNamer?

Example: I take a bunch of photos but want to re-organize them in a logical sequence after the fact. Even though I can re-organize them using Explorer (I run XP Pro) they always end up back in their original numeric/alphabetic format. ReNamer doesn't use thumbnails and, as well, it doesn't look like it can reorder them in the files screen. I would like to be able to re-organize them and then renumber in the new sequence.

I can very likely figure out the rules required for what I need if I can get the photos to show up in the re-arranged order in ReNamer.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
SteveM

den4b · 2006-11-17 22:52

Hi SteveM!

Sorry for such a late reply, I'm extremely busy lately.

I have good news for you, what you are trying to do - is possible using ReNamer! First of all, files that are stored on disk don't have any particular order at all, they will be read in the sequence in which they logically appear in the partition table. Now, in the Windows explorer, you have options to sort files by name, date, size, etc. - and that only affects Windows, because it simply remembers your last sorting options and always uses them to display your files.

Now, the only definite way to tell Windows the right positions (your positions) of files, is to rename them in chronological sequence, for example: 001_photoA.jpg, 002_photoB.jpg; or by their digital timestamp: "2006-11-17 11:34:57 some description.jpg", etc.

Now, if you want remember the EXACT order in which you have just re-arranged your photos using their thumbnails, here are the steps for you:
1) re-arrange your photos in Windows Explorer (as you already did);
2) select ALL of your photos using CTRL+A shortcut (DO NOT SELECT WITH MOUSE!!);
3) LEFT MOUSE CLICK AND HOLD ON THE VERY FIRST (TOP-LEFT) PHOTO (every word is crucial!);
4) drag and drop them into ReNamer;

Files will appear in exactly the same order as you arranged them ONLY if you follow these steps to every word! Now, you are ready to serialize them. Use Serialize rule, and prefix your photos with 001, 002, 003, 004 and so on. In that way, if you tell Windows to sort your photos by their names - they will always appear in YOUR order!

You can also modify order of files in ReNamer's files table, simply by using drag & drop technique!

Tell me how it goes, ok?

SteveM · 2006-11-22 16:51

Worked just fine - thanks very much!

Steve

den4b Forum

#1 2006-11-15 23:19

Re-arrange and renumber (Re-use order of files from Windows Explorer)

#2 2006-11-17 22:52

Re: Re-arrange and renumber (Re-use order of files from Windows Explorer)

#3 2006-11-22 16:51

Re: Re-arrange and renumber (Re-use order of files from Windows Explorer)

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