Jump to content

HELP! Batch renamed files and lost RAW settings


toddlaffler

Recommended Posts

I really did it this time! I just finished editing a bunch of RAWs from a wedding. When I was done, I did a

batch rename of the files, and when I did that all the settings for the RAW files have been lost/link

broken to the xmp files. My RAW's were renamed but the XMP files were not, so now all the RAWs open

in Adobe Camera RAW as if they were never touched!

 

Does anyone know of a quick and easy way to "relink" the xmp files to the correct RAW file (which now

has a different name all together)?

 

I SO appreciate any advice or help in saving my work, otherwise I have to go back and re-edit all the

RAWs again!

 

Ouch.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Todd

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Todd -

 

I believe (I think I know, har har) that the original file names can be (slash "maybe are") saved in each files EXIF data, even as it gets renamed. Now, I'm not sure if I've read that the EXIF is preserved if you ASK it to preserve, or if it's always there, ghosted....

 

However, assuming "the best," I believe the info is in your EXIF data --- i.e., if IMG_0048.cr2 was renamed to wedding01.jpg and wedding01.jpg still KNOWS that it came from _0048.cr2......

 

 

Ok, ok.... Just went into Adobe Bridge and started up the Batch Rename function, seeing the "Preserve Original Filename in XMP metadata" as an option. I might take back what I said above, and point you to that function --- such that if the option (preserve) was engaged, then you're fine.... but if you didn't use it, you might be in the lurch....

 

The only other thing I can think of is using the Batch Renamer in *reverse*, specifying the filename structure(s) that'll result in the files being renamed to their original set. If using Canon, then reset to IMG_ and a 4-digit serial option, beginning with the first number of your first (still-numbered) .xml file --- that'd sync everything back up - get me?

 

-Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone. The probelm with renaming the xmp's is that I had files from 4 different

cameras that used slightly different naming conventions. Just looking at the xmp file

names (with the old files names) didn't really tell me anything useful.

 

Luckily I backed up the RAWs to DVD and simply recopied them into the same folder as the

xmp's and ACR picked them right up.

 

Anyone reading this: make sure you check the "preserve" thingy before you batch rename!

 

Thanks again

 

Todd

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funny, I did the same lame-brain thing yesterday! Nothing like staring at a glowing screen for hours to scramble your brain enough to make these dumb mistakes. I actually moved files into a knew folder and wrote over my cached xmp files! And I had forgotten to backup of course. I had a small panic attack thinking I'd lost 60 beautiful pictures for a minute. Luckily I managed to find and fix the missing 60 and was left with only 220 files to redo :P

Good reminder to back up your files on External HD, often!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've found this to be a good reason to convert the RAW files to DNG files using Adobe's DNG

Converter. It packages the RAW file and xmp adjustments into one file so that you don't have

any of these renaming problems.

 

It's also a good idea to use Bridge to rename because it knows that it needs to rename the

xmp files as well.

Definitely start converting to DNG if you can!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...