lisalisabol

Q: Why SO many random DCIM Folders?  I want ONE!

I have an ipone 4s.  I have had an iPhone for over 5 years now.  Before the DCIM folder would hold 1000 pictures.  As soon as I would take another picture (ei 1001) then it would start another folder for those thousand pictures.  So by time I got into the 5000+ I had over 5 folders.  They are random (ei 851PKYZB, 851XTGOR, 914ELZYG, etc.) Last month or so when I plugged my phone into the computer to copy my photos onto my desktop I had ONE folder.  It was glorious not to have to open every folder to figure out where the newest pictures were.

 

Then today I plug my phone into my computer to copy pictures over and I now have a folder for every 100 pictures.  YES TONS and TONS of folders (55 folders to be exact) and no rhythm or reason to the numbering system.  Some with only 1 picture in them, as I delete a lot of pictures after transferring to my computer.  So when I wanted to find todays pictures I had to open over half of them to find my pictures.

 

HOW do I get it back to ONE folder?  I understand the reason there is a DCIM folder to begin with, but I really think I should be able to have 1 folder or at least have them numbered 100APPLE, 101APPLE, or something that is numeric and I know that the very last folder are the new pictures.  Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  (I have the newest iOS 8.1.2) Thanks in advance.

iOS 7.1

Posted on Dec 13, 2014 6:24 AM

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Q: Why SO many random DCIM Folders?  I want ONE!

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  • by IrfanYusuf,

    IrfanYusuf IrfanYusuf Apr 19, 2015 5:16 AM in response to Lawrence Finch
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 19, 2015 5:16 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

    Thanks, Would definitely try.

  • by Pakalypse,

    Pakalypse Pakalypse Apr 23, 2015 11:33 PM in response to lisalisabol
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 11:33 PM in response to lisalisabol

    An easy way to do this is by searching for a specific date that photo was taken. Go to the DCIM folder and type the following in the search box: "datemodified:4/20/2015" Type it together with no space and no quote. Change the date to the date that the photo was taken.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Apr 24, 2015 5:06 AM in response to Pakalypse
    Level 8 (38,071 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 24, 2015 5:06 AM in response to Pakalypse

    An even easier way is to use the right tools rather than the wrong tools.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 24, 2015 5:08 AM in response to Lawrence Finch
    Level 9 (50,786 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 24, 2015 5:08 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

    Let's not make it too easy

  • by tab1075,

    tab1075 tab1075 Apr 24, 2015 9:13 AM in response to Lawrence Finch
    Level 1 (54 points)
    Apr 24, 2015 9:13 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

    Lawrence Finch wrote:

     

    An even easier way is to use the right tools rather than the wrong tools.

     

    But using Windows Explorer is not the "wrong" tool. Or at least it wasn't before an update to iOS 8. Up until that point, using Windows Explorer to view and transfer photos to a PC worked perfectly. I don't know how many times this has to be said. Simply because we use a different method doesn't make it wrong. For those of us who want to continue to use Windows Explorer to manage photos, oh well, let it go. Some of us have sent feedback to Apple in hopes of getting it better organized (as it was before the change). In the meantime, we can keep people informed of a work-around. Or if anyone, such as yourself, wants to offer different methods of transferring photos (which you have), that's great, but coming back here just to tell us we're doing it wrong isn't helping anyone.

     

    And Csound1 has already admitted to not even using a Windows PC, so he doesn't even experience this issue. Yet he keeps returning to this thread to tell everyone they're doing it wrong. That, my friend, is a textbook troll.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 24, 2015 9:20 AM in response to tab1075
    Level 9 (50,786 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 24, 2015 9:20 AM in response to tab1075

    Not owning a Windows PC does not mean not knowing how they work. Take your blinkers off.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Apr 24, 2015 9:32 AM in response to tab1075
    Level 8 (38,071 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 24, 2015 9:32 AM in response to tab1075

    WIndows explorer was always the wrong tool. By coincidence it worked, because the camera app was so primitive. But the camera app has become more capable, and the old model that worked when all you needed to transfer was an image file does not support the new editing features of the camera app. You will see the same situation going forward with newer generation cameras.

  • by drume,Helpful

    drume drume Apr 24, 2015 10:15 AM in response to lisalisabol
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Apr 24, 2015 10:15 AM in response to lisalisabol

    I have a great workaround using a saved search instead of iTunes.

     

    Requirements

    1. Apple mobile device (duh)
    2. PC with Windows 8.1 (though these instructions can be tweaked for earlier versions)
    3. iTunes installed, OR install device support without iTunes by downloading the official iTunes installer, extracting it with 7zip or WinRAR, and then installing AppleApplicationSupport64.msi followed by AppleMobileDeviceSupport6464.msi (assuming a 64-bit version of Windows).

     

    Instructions to create the saved search

    1. Connect your Apple device to your PC (wired connection).
    2. Open File Explorer.
    3. Double-click your Apple device, then "Internal Storage", then "DCIM".
    4. In the upper-right Search window, type * (just the asterisk) and hit enter.
    5. In the top menu, select View > Details (in the Layout section).
    6. Click the arrow next to the "Type" column header.  Check all types except "File Folder" and "Local Disk".
    7. In the top menu, select View > Large Icons (in the Layout section).
    8. In the top menu, select View > Sort By > Date modified.
    9. In the top menu, select View > Sort By > Descending. (for most recent first)
    10. In the top menu, select Search > Save Search.  In File name, type a saved search name.  Since you may have more than one Apple device, I strongly suggest using the device name, such as "Bob's iPhone 6 Search".  You will have to repeat this process to make an individual saved search for each Apple device.

     

    From now on, when you open File Explorer, the Navigation Pane on the left will list your saved search under both "Favorites" and "This PC".  Just select it whenever you want to see your Apple devices contents.  Woo hoo!

     

    Note to Apple and everyone who says "just use iTunes"

    Pull your head out.  Most people use PCs, and not everyone with Apple devices uses iTunes.  Stop acting like we should drink your kool-aid.  iTunes is far too controlling of my content that I didn't even get from Apple.  For example, before being able to do simple drag-and-drop copying, iTunes insists on deleting my Apple device's content if it came from a different iTunes library, even if it's non-DRM, non-Apple, and sometimes the same content in a new installation of iTunes.  Control, control, control.  No thank you.  I don't even use my iPhone's Music app.  Anyone can upload 50,000 of their own songs free to Google Play Music, manage their library in the cloud, and stream or download them with the Google Play Music app.

  • by rockmyplimsoul,

    rockmyplimsoul rockmyplimsoul Apr 24, 2015 11:27 AM in response to drume
    Level 5 (7,170 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 24, 2015 11:27 AM in response to drume

    I don't believe anyone has suggested using iTunes to transfer photos from your device ... if they did they don't understand.  iTunes does not do this, never did.

     

    What has been suggested are tools like:

    • Adobe Photoshop Elements
    • Google Picassa
    • Microsoft Camera and Scanner Wizard
    • Microsoft Office Picture Manager
    • Microsoft Live Photo Gallery
    • Apple iPhoto or (new) Photos

     

    No one's saying to use only Apple software that I can see, much less iTunes.

     

    Your method will help users find photos on their device, but what it will miss (as mentioned previously) are the "sidecar" edit tracking files which may exist if you edited the photo on your device.

  • by drume,

    drume drume Apr 24, 2015 12:21 PM in response to rockmyplimsoul
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Apr 24, 2015 12:21 PM in response to rockmyplimsoul

    I can see that other tools may work better than File Explorer in Windows for the reasons you mentioned.  However, some people here are looking for a quick and easy way to access and share photos on any PC without telling your friend to install more software they may not want.  Installing a quick device driver and using File Explorer may be a far less intrusive method.

     

    Frankly, there is a much better way to share than what I previously suggested, namely Google+.  It automatically uploads my iPhone's photos to my Google+ account which I can share with anyone who has a browser.  Best part: it's free, unlimited storage for both photos and videos under 15 min long.

     

    So for online access and sharing of mobile photos and video, the best solution I've seen is free, unlimited Google+.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 24, 2015 12:23 PM in response to drume
    Level 9 (50,786 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 24, 2015 12:23 PM in response to drume

    Provided that you don't mind Google sharing them with anyone who pays.

  • by drume,

    drume drume Apr 24, 2015 2:19 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Apr 24, 2015 2:19 PM in response to Csound1

    Nope.  Auto-uploaded photos and videos are are marked private by default in Google+.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 24, 2015 2:21 PM in response to drume
    Level 9 (50,786 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 24, 2015 2:21 PM in response to drume

    Believe what you like.

     

    Check out Googles responses to questions about privacy when Congress asked them, you might be surprised.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Apr 24, 2015 2:41 PM in response to drume
    Level 8 (38,071 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 24, 2015 2:41 PM in response to drume

    drume wrote:

     

    I can see that other tools may work better than File Explorer in Windows for the reasons you mentioned.  However, some people here are looking for a quick and easy way to access and share photos on any PC without telling your friend to install more software they may not want.  Installing a quick device driver and using File Explorer may be a far less intrusive method.

     

    Frankly, there is a much better way to share than what I previously suggested, namely Google+.  It automatically uploads my iPhone's photos to my Google+ account which I can share with anyone who has a browser.  Best part: it's free, unlimited storage for both photos and videos under 15 min long.

     

    So for online access and sharing of mobile photos and video, the best solution I've seen is free, unlimited Google+.

    Yes, Google+ uses Picasa under the hood. Which is what I suggested for use on a PC, but if you have Google + that's an excellent solution. If you don't have Google+ you can use the 3rd party app MyPics, which will upload to picasaweb.google.com.

  • by soprano919,

    soprano919 soprano919 May 2, 2015 10:43 AM in response to drume
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 2, 2015 10:43 AM in response to drume

    Drume, this is great.  Helped me alot. Thanks!

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