numbering in lightroom

Lightroom provides a whole slew of options for renaming output files when you export. I typically use a long combination of something that includes a date marker + a short description of the shoot + a numeric distinguisher, for example, "20070906_smith-kowalski_21.jpeg". These options are found in the export dialog. There really is a lot possible here. I would assume there's an online help article and if so, you should study it.

When I transfer my images to my pc I always use a card reader and the default loader built into Windows XP. This allows me to select a name for the batch plus a four digit number starting with 0000. If I load another card to the same file with the same batch name then the numbering continues where it left off. If there are mixture of jpg & RAW then both will have the same name and number but with different extensions. This is great for the work flow so long as you don't change the name at any stage.

Roger,

All you need to do is edit the name template in the Export template. You can pick sequence tokens in the name template that are 0 padded to be up to four digits long. The provided name and sequence template uses a 1 digit sequence number, just change it to 4 digits and start at 1.

Godfrey

We rename files on upload, with a prefix to ID the job, but leave the camera's sequence number intact (DCS-1234 -> ra00-000-1234). Our loading machine runs Linux, so we get by with a simple one-line command:

rename DSC ra00-000 /images/incoming/*

Thereafter we sometimes rename files but always leave the sequence number alone (ra01-034-1234.jpg -> tristatefair-1234.jpg) so we can back-track when we need to. Instead of letting Lightroom rename files, we use either a Linux box or use a file renamer utility on Windows, especially to get rid of that stupid Lightroonm "-Edit-Edit-Edit.tif" stuff (anyone know how change LR's default Edit behavior?)

In the Lightroom Export dialog, choose, "Custom Name - Sequence" or "Filename - Sequence" from the Template drop-down.

This default option does not use a zero-padded Sequence.

Now click again on the Template drop-down and choose "Edit..." (which is the last choice in the list).

You'll be taken to the Template editor.

The template should look something like (Custom Text)-(Sequence #(1)).

Delete the (Sequence #(1)) option, then choose, from below in the "Sequence and Date" section, a different, zero-padded sequence option, for instance "Sequence # (0001)". Click on the Insert button and it'll add it to your template.

Now, at the very top of the Filename Template Editor, the name of the template you're editing should now read "Custom Name - Sequence (edited)" or "Filename - Sequence (edited)" (depending on what you chose earlier, obviously).

Click again on the drop-down bar and choose "Update Preset "Custom Name - Sequence"" and it'll now update this preset for you.

It sounds much more difficult than it is, and the documentation is very weak on this point.

If you want to sort numerically, you may want to have the sequence number come first if you also use the filenames, so you'd have: 0001-IMG_1234.jpg 0002-IMG_1248.jpg ...

that's lots of great stuff, Brian, you hit the nail on the head, that's exactly what i was looking for, that "edit" option to redo the defaults. thanks to everyone for the tips, i appreciate it!

Is there a way to enforce that sequence number starts from zero at each new folder? I name folders by date.

Thanks for help