Photos printed out of order: why is the sequence scrambled

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Level 1

8 points

Photos printed out of order: why is the sequence scrambled

I sent a bunch of photos to Apple to be printed. They were *in date/time order*, and were *named consecutively*. Yet, when I got the photos back, they were all +out of order+. The first one is 25 out of 41, and the last one was 26 out of 41, and all the ones in the middle were +apparently random+.

I need to deliver these to someone in the order they were shot. And the order determines who's who. So I had to go back to iPhoto to manually sort them.

*Is there a way to assure that they come out in order next time?*

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Nov 19, 2008 7:54 PM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

215,706 points

Nov 21, 2008 1:06 PM in response to dan57

Welcome to the Apple Discussions. If you only changed the title to be consecutive that's why. Changing the titles does not change the file name and that's what is used to list and print photos.

To get the photos in the order you want you would have to export those retitled files to a folder on the desktop using the option to use the title and the new file name. Then import into iPhoto and order.

TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

Note: There's now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.

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Answer 2

dan57 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 23, 2008 6:05 PM in response to Old Toad

Thanks for trying to help me. I am remembering more about what happened.

I took the photos 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, etc. Then I imported them to iPhoto (they were called 'PICT0022.JPG', where the 22 increments), selected all, exported them to a Finder folder. From there, I filtered them en-mass with Noise Ninja. (Somewhere in the process, we changed their names to '11-8-08 Baptisms1_filtered', where the 1 is the first photo, subsequent ones increment.) Then I imported the group of filtered photos back to iPhoto. At this point they were in the same order as they were originally. I still have both copies of pictures in iPhoto. Then I selected all of them and sent them to the Apple for printing. At no time did I re-order them.

I will be photographing a recurring event, and I really would like to just have the photos to another person. But them MUST be in my original order.

Is there a way to tell how they will be ordered when printed?

It seems like you are saying that they should have printed in the order of the filenames when I imported them after Noise Ninja was done. I am fairly sure that didn't happen, but I can pay more attention next time. (Or was my name with buried incrementing number hard for the system to follow? (Ex. '11-8-08 Baptisms1_filtered')

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Answer 3

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Nov 23, 2008 10:22 PM in response to dan57

*Will my prints arrive in the same sequence as they were submitted?*
When you submit an order, your image files are uploaded to Apple's servers. When the lab is ready to print your order, it downloads the images from Apple's servers. During this process, smaller image files typically download more quickly than larger image files. The lab generally prints the pictures in the sequence in which the images finish downloading, which might not be the order in which you submit them. This is common practice among printers of digital photographs.

http://www.apple.com/support/photoservices/ordering_options/

.

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

215,706 points

Nov 24, 2008 11:28 AM in response to LarryHN

Thanks Larry. Looked but couldn't find that particular page. So size does matter, doesn't it. 🙂

OT

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Answer 5

Dec 12, 2008 11:42 AM in response to LarryHN

I've had a similar problem where I simply select an iPhoto '08 album and click "order prints", expecting to get prints back in the same order as the images are displayed in the iPhoto album. The physical prints arrive all scrambled.

This problem is totally unacceptable, and couldn't be that hard for Apple/Kodak to prevent. For them to claim that this weirdness is "common practice" is disingenuous.

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Answer 6

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,972 points

Dec 12, 2008 12:05 PM in response to Doonerak Boy

iPhoto menu -> Provide iPhoto Feedback

Regards

TD

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