Downloading images from cameras - Free Software *UPDATED*

[OviV]

I have the 20D and 300D now and I would like that when my wife and I shoot an event that they get downloaded to the appropriate date directory and then the camera model within that directory.

I decided to write my own since I did not find a solution for this. This is a very simple application that takes the drive letter of the memory card a destination directory and you can decide whether it creates a directory for the date taken, camera model, or both. I am making it freely available here to the members.

You will need the .Net framework 1.1 in order to run it. It is available here if you do not have it:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=262D25E3-F589-4842-8157-034D1E7CF3A3&displaylang=en

Also read the Readme file for some quick instructions. This is not a refined and idiot prove application since I wrote it for me. I will fix it up as I get time and if I get requests to do so. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Download from here:
http://www.shareapicture.com/downloads/picloader.zip

Regards,
Ovi

[OviV]

Forgot to mention a couple of items:

1) This version works with JPG, CR2, and CRW files only.
2) With CRW files, they must have a thumbnail image with them for it to work. If you shoot raw with no jpg on a 10D or DRebel, this will not work for you. 20D raw with no jpg is o.k.

I will probably fix the issue with the CRW files in the future.

Ovi

[tommykjensen]

Cool.

So it will (can) create directory like this:

date/eos20d

&

date/eos30d


How about an option to switch the 2 parameters around so the directories will be created like this (which is the way I have my photos):

eos20d/date
eos300d/date


Is it visual basic?

[OviV]

Tommy,

Yes, it saves them in date/canon_eos_20d. I will add the option of doing it the other way around. It is written in VB.NET.

Ovi

[PaulB]

What a superb little application - very many thanks.
I may not use it all the time but for a memory card with a few images on each day and taken on a variety of dates it could be a real time saver, rather easier than looking at each image to see the date and then creating a folder etc.

Just an idea but if you are able to and have the time - why not enable a future version to do this from a already existing directory on a h/d or CD as well as from a card reader?

Again many thanks.

[OviV]

O.K. I updated the file on the site. It will now let you select either Date/Camera or Camera/Date for the directory structure. As far as letting it copy files from any directory, I can easily do that except:

The application relies on EXIF information to retrieve date and camera model. As you modify files you may or may not save this information with them. I would have to write code to handle files that do not contain this information. We would need to figure out what to do with them.

Ovi

[dialdn]

I use Downloader Pro with a 10D and a G2. Works well. Directories are photos/G2/Month/Day and photos/10D/Month/Day.

D

[OviV]

Yeap, Downloader Pro will do it. Probably worth it if you need all the other features. I just wanted something simple.

Ovi

[dialdn]

That's cool. I just thought I was missing something.

I think I will give your app a try.

D

[PaulB]

Ovi,
I tend to keep my downloaded files seperate and work on copies so in my case the EXIF info. would still be intact - however I do see the problem if you wanted to use PicLoader on altered files.

Again many thanks.

[OviV]

No problem Paul. Make sure you download the latest version since I fixed a couple of minor bugs.

[OviV]

I changed the application so that you can now specify a source directory, not just a drive letter.

Ovi

[OviV]

Quick self-bump in case anyone is interested.

Ovi

[Ragnar]

OviV,

I would love to use it - but get error msg at processing 1 of x:

Error: Index and length must refer to a location within the string. Parameter name: length

Can you help?

[OviV]

Ragnar,

What camera are your pictures from? If 10D or DRebel, make sure that you are shooting RAW with at least small jpeg since the software relies on the jpg image to get the EXIF information. If you are using edited pictures that do not contain EXIF data, it will not work.

Regards,
Ovi

[OviV]

I have updated the software to allow you to prepend the Photographer initials to your pictures. This is helpful for people such as myself and my wife. We have our names stored in our cameras and we now shoot identical cameras so there is is the possibility of two images having the same name and ending up in the same directory. This new software will pre-pend the initials to the file name so the image name will be something like OV_IMG_8088.CR2.

Ovi

[4walls]

Hey, just downloaded your little app. Thanks. We are shooting with a 20D and a A620, the numbers are starting to cause problems, but this will help.

[prep]

Splitting any file with EXIF info that includes a date is a standard trick with EXIFTOOL, and that is usable on anything that supports Perl. No need to pay a billygoat tax either.

[Keiffer]

Nice program, Thank you for your work and sharing this with us.

[Coder33404]

Very helpful application for dual camera household like mine "My wife & I". Thank you very much. If you have any kind of a future version wish list could you add an option to empty the CF card after downloading the images? That would be awesome!

[Keiffer]

sweet little program, thanks for sharing it with us.

[Scuff]

I always love small utilities like this, well done and thanks.

May I humbly suggest another small feature that would make it perfect for me.

If you could allow the user to store different preference set ups. For example, I have 6 slots for different cards, I would love to be able to select a set of preferences with regard to the card directory and 'save to' directory from a simple drop down dialog. This is instead of having to navigate around the file system when I insert different cards.