4 digit file numbers too short?

Rob612 wrote:
For batch renaming try this:

http://www.bulkrenameu​tility.co.uk/Main_Intr​o.php

I love it.

I vote for this one too... It is a great program if you plan on adding more than 8 characters to a group of filenames. I personally have been using this tool for a while also and the author or the program is pretty efficient at responding to my emails.

Another vote for Downloader Pro by Breeze. And, they have a 30 day free trial.

http://www.breezesys.c​om/downloads.htm

Nice lil' program OviV...

Zoombrowser/Camera Window used to work with 10D and allow for folders to be created based on date photos were shot. I used that feature all the time.

Does anyone know why Canon decided to not allow the ZB/CW software to work with the 20D?

Thanks,
Robb
http://www.robbware.co​m

Thanks to all who managed to reply to the question with sensible and even insane suggestions and sorry for the long delay in replying (I was not looking in the right place!!!) I don't think an in-camera solution is possible unless Canon changes something but I'll try as many of the above as I can.

karusel wrote:
digital prophet: Wow, so.. you're off your pills for over a year?

Wow ... Rain Man wasn't just a film then?

RobbTC wrote:
Nice lil' program OviV...

Zoombrowser/Camera Window used to work with 10D and allow for folders to be created based on date photos were shot. I used that feature all the time.

Does anyone know why Canon decided to not allow the ZB/CW software to work with the 20D?

Thanks,
Robb
http://www.robbware.co​m

Hi Robb -- I have a 10D and just got myself a 5D. I used to LOVE that ZB would automatically rename my photos to be <foldernumber>_<imagenumber>.jpg (or raw etc.) That was INVALUABLE to me in ensuring I never have duplicate filenames. And I have about 100,000+ photos from my 10D so I would easily have multiple (~10+) duplicate filenames.

You can force this to happen in the new EOS UTILITY software that came with ZB 5.6 -- HOWEVER you have to create it manually via the CUSTOMIZE button AND it doesn't automatically keep track of the filenames -- it wants a sequence number from which to start. My issue is that EOS Utility only works with the camera directly, and does not work with any CF Cards and Card Readers. So what did Canon do for us? They provided a new piece of software called CameraWindow... EXCEPT they LEFT OUT the functionality that allows you to have filenames created with the in-camera 3-digit folder name as the prefix. Sure... just connect the camera and use EOS Utility, right? Nope -- not a viable solution.

OK so why is this a problem for me? Because EOS Utility took nearly 75 minutes to transfer 1.5GB from a high speed CF card via a high speed USB 2.0 port via my 5D which is also USB 2.0 high speed (or so they claim). This would have taken 2-3 minutes via a CF card reader transfer instead. (Think about it -- at a typical event or series of events I will shoot 10-15GB of RAW and JPG photos. If it took over an hour to transfer 1.5gb of photos, and nearly drained the camera battery, it will take 10+ hours to transfer 15gb of photos. NOT VIABLE.

All I need is for the software to download the images and name them <in-camera-folder-name>_<image_number>.jpg. WHY is that so difficult!?!?!?

When I got my 5D I installed all of the new software and now want to wring the necks of the product managers at Canon that allowed their developers to TAKE AWAY functionality that was CRITICAL to photographers and our workflow. I can't answer why they made ZB/CW not work with the 20D (and 30D and 5D) but I would like to both ASK and ANSWER another question: Why did Canon TAKE AWAY functionality that was so critical to my workflow? The only answer I can think of is that at Canon they DO NOT UNDERSTAND the workflow that their photograpers employ. (either that or you and I are both nuts.)

I am FURIOUS at Canon about this. I have spoken to their support people at least 5 times spanning at least 10 hours wasted with them. They just plain don't get it, and it pisses me off to no end. What they don't seem to hear is: I went from a $1500 camera to a $3200 camera and you took away functionality that has increased my workflow TEN-FOLD or more instead of maintaining it, or heaven forbid, making things easier.

(I am a software product manager myself and would be taken out back and shot if I ever pulled a stunt like this without fully understanding my market, their workflow, and how my actions impact all of the above.)

SO... can anyone tell me how to use a CF Reader and accomplish what I want, which is <cf_folder_number>_<Image_Number>.jpg? i.e. 589_3023.jpg

Thanks - and thanks for listening to me rant a bit...

Downloader or Downloader Pro from Breeze Systems will allow you to do this. My files all d/l in format <folder-no.>-<file-no>_<cam. model>.type to folder <folder-no>C_<cam-model> and with my name in the IPTC copyright field via Downloader Pro. It also prompts me for additional IPTC info at the time of download. The problem is remembering to change it all!