I wanted to rename my files, but within Photolab, I do not find any tools for that, I can only edit each file name individually. So I was renaming the files outside with another program. I have renamed the dop files to the same name, so that the dop file of name1.RAW becomes name1.RAW.dop .
This has worked for me on some folders, but somehow on others, it has not worked. A red “!” symbol appeared on the images, telling me the the connection to the DOP file was lost.
How can I restore the connections, the files are there? What is the proper way to rename files? Thank you.
I use as a DAM software Photo Supreme. When I rename/delete the raw file the .dop files are handled accordingly. I assume other DAM software will do the same.
So you only rename the raw file? And the DAM software automatically renames the DOP file? Or does Photolab automatically rename the DOP file? Cause I have been renaming them with IrfanVIew, which has some batch renaming functionality. But I had to rename both the raw files and the dop files. But this seemed to have messed up the connections in Photolab.
Thank you for your responses. Regarding those DAM softwares, do they apply the corrections that I have performed in Photolab? I mean, when I look at the pictures, will they read look edited?
Yes, the DAM software (IMatch in my case) automatically renames the DOP file (if you’ve set up DOP files as ‘buddy files’. PL doesn’t have a renaming capability at this time. But if you rename files (including the DOP files) after a PL session, you may need to rescan the folder in PL to pick them up again in PL, depending on how you have ‘Preferences: Load settings from sidecar file’ set.
Regarding seeing corrections, depending on the DAM you use, you can configure it to show the ‘developed’ image as the proxy for the original RAW file. Otherwise the DAM will just show how the original RAW files look w/o corrections.
Only if you assign the dopfiles as associated file. You can rename in one go also the ooc jpeg if you associate that too.
No, until you export , develop the rawfile with the made adjustments, you will see the embedded jpeg in the raw which is a small copy of the oocjpeg.
If you rename outside the database of dxopl you basicly create a new entry and an orfin( a entry without a actual image to connect to.) in the database.
So using a external dam will change the working of the dam inside DxOPL,
DxOPL can read XML,keywords, and passes through IPTC /exifdata so the need for the DxO Database is limited IF you do only searching in DxOPL and managing outside in that other DAM.
Photo Supreme does the same (but automatically recognises .dop files).
Photo Supreme is similar - it can show the developed file as the primary version, but also has the option of showing RAW files as shot, or with ‘elementary’ processing (e.g. cropping), or with an approximation to the developed image
As you note; there is ability within PL to rename only one file/image at a time.
To safely rename many files/images, you should follow these steps;
Ensure PL is NOT running … because, if it is active then there is a real risk that PL’s database will “become confused”.
Ensure you rename BOTH the file/image AND the sidecar/.dop file with EXACTLY the same names, including retaining the .dop part of the sidecar name.
It is not necessary to change the reference filename held within the sidecar/.dop file - - PL will take care of that for you.
Note: If you change multiple [image & sidecar/.dop] files from outside PL whilst PL is running then you are inviting trouble. (I’ll add a technical caveat to that: This is true unless the tool you are using to apply the renames is able to enforce the precise order in which the rename actions are applied - - and Windows File Manager is NOT one such tool).
PL is NOT running when you make the changes.
– When PL is next run, and it encounters the “new” pair of [image + sidecar/.dop] files - it will consider the image as being a completely new image, and so it adds it (along with all correction details from the sidecar) to the database … resulting in 2 sets of entries in the database; one set being redundant (however, there’s no real downside to that, other than unnecessary/wasted storage in the db).
PL is running when you make the changes, and you make changes to multiple [image + sidecar/.dop] files using a tool that does not guarantee that changes are made in a specific order.
– There then becomes a risk that a image file will be renamed without its sidecar/.dop file being renamed at (effectively) the exact same time - such that PL sees this as a new image file without a corresponding sidecar/.dop file - so, it applies the default preset and corrections in the (not yet renamed) sidecar/.dop file are lost.
– This is why the advice I give above is so important.
Changing names while the program is running would be stupid.
But thinking further when the program is not running. Renaming would fill the database with useless/outdated info. But when you rename the files after you’ve added info to that file that’s only stored in the database, I think of keywords by example, then you lose that too, isn’t it?
If renaming is part of ones workflow one should do this before the first editing, with no .dop files. That’s the way I do it.
Sarcastic?
One should be aware that PL stores info only in the database, like keywords and maybe other things I’m not aware off. By renaming that outside PL one will lose that.
Yes, with my clarifications (in brackets), that’s a very important point, George.
In my personal case, tho, I have absolutely no interest in the DAM features of PL so I feel completely comfortable in renaming [image + sidecar/.dop] files … provided one follows the advice I give above.
Xmp’s can be changed wile dxopl is running, the only thing you need to do is stepping out de folder you working on. It only active looks at the selected folder not your hole foldertree.
That’s for refresh or index command.
Stil renaming files is that sensitive that often a program pointed to a file and closed after that, windows is still asking or canceling the action because a application is linked to that file. You have repoint it to an other file before you can rename.
So indeed renaming is it savest before indexing, ingesting in a DB.
I think the exif and iptc data is also stored in the DB ( this info is written in the exported jpeg or tiff so it must be read and stored somewhere.
