Good evening. When I try to rename a master file or export a master file, it only allows 9 spaces for my new name, even though Aperature 3 allows many more spaces than that for version names. This creates a lot of problems and headaches for me.

Leonie,

You are right. I've been using dots in my file name for at least 15 years and never had a problem. In Aperature, my file names with dots worked perfectly on version files, so I never suspected the dot as the villain.

I thought because .NEF files were relatively new it had something to do with .NEF compatability.

But if I take all the dots out of my file name it does carry all of the characters over to the Master file name, both for batch changing and for exporting.

Additionally, as you suggested, if I use underscores instead of dots, the master file name once again does carry all of the characters.

The program seems to read the last dot in the proposed name as the end of the file name. Thus if I try to change the file name to "1933.1019.21D90" I get the nine character "1933.1019.NEF".

But if I try to change the file name to "1933.101921D90" I only get the four character "1933.NEF"

I came up with the brainstorm, "Why then don't I put a dot at the end of my file name?"

Strangely enough "1933.1019.32D90." becomes "1933.1019.32D90..NEF", so that it carried all of the characters including the last dot, which means that two dots appear betwwn the "0" and the "N". ( In all the previous examples it dropped that last dot before writing ".NEF")

I don't really want to change my entire naming system, I'm not sure how that will work in the big picture for me, working with all my existing files, etc. but at least now I know what the problem is and have some known options available to me while I pray for a fix :-).

But like you implied, perhaps the dots in this naming system will rear its ugly head again sometime, so I am going to give some serious thought to exactly how I should approach this.

Thanks for all your help, Leonie.

Photo Al

Frank,

You worked hard on this problem.

Thanks for all you helpful insights and all your hard work.

I think the turning point in this discussion is when I followed your advice and posted screen shots.

Several times in your postings you used the acronym "OP".

What does it stand for?

Thanks for all the help,

Photo Al

Thanks, Frank.

Leonie and Frank,

Based on the info I gave in my last posting, there is a way to work around the bug.

You will remember that if I pot the dot at the end of the name it keeps all the characters including the dot itself.

If I put the dot in the middle it drops all the characters after the dot including the dot itself.

So if you put a dot at the end of the proposed name with an additional character of any kind, it will write the Master File Name correctly. For example, if you want to write "1933.1021.19D90", insert "1933.1021.19D90.0".

This messes up the Version Name because it will read the dot and extra character at the end correctly. but while you still have all those files high-lighted, just batch change all the version names to the Master File Name.

Now both names will be correct, will match, and will export correctly for both Master Files and Version Files.

Photo Al