Where are all the "DCIM" folders on iPhone? Everything not in Camera Roll.

Question

Where are all the "DCIM" folders on iPhone? Everything not in Camera Roll.

I just finished stripping down all the DCIM folders accessible from a PC via Windows Explorer. I'm really looking for answers on the "how to", not "why it is" or "it just is that way" please.

The DCIM folders (mine [iPhone 5 w iOS 7.x] shows 5, naming convention is beyond me). These consist of the following...

Total files equals the total number of pictures/videos in Camera Roll.

- JPEGs (iPhone Created, iMSG Saved, or Moved (file xfr/emailed) to iPhone & Saved to Camera Roll),

- PNGs (screenshots)

- QuickTime Videos (iPhone Created & iMSG Saved to Camera Roll)

What is not accessible in the DCIM folder, but visible via Photos & Albums on the iPhone, are the following,

- Instagram

- Facebook

- User created folders, mine came from iTools

- Access to Albums created on the iPhone

* If I organized on the iPhone, why can't I access that organization via the DCIM folder?

What I know, if a file/image is in a user created folder, I cannot access it from Instagram. An image must exist in Camera Roll for Instagram to be able to access it... aka I have to save the file to Camera Roll.

iCloud & iTunes, are not answers to the question, "How do I access all otherwise PC-considered "DCIM" folders?" when the only access allowed is "My iPhone --> Internal Storage --> DCIM --> '5 Folders housing all Camera Roll images/videos"

As you can read, this is not a question "What is Camera Roll?", I just defined what it is above.

Thank you!

iPhone 5

Posted on Jan 16, 2014 2:54 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 17, 2014 12:17 PM in response to HansWorldTravels

Ok, I was able to find two important things above.

Access to other "personal" folders from within Instagram. That's a plus!

The "Instagram" folder visible from within the iPhone, is just like other iPhone created albums, it provides organization within the iPhone ONLY and the images are in Camera Roll. That's a "really?"

So, last night, I pulled all 700+ pictures off my iPhone via iTools, attempted to organize, aka name as per my needs, then return pictures I wanted into folders of my choice. It was an enormous waste of my time (about 3 hrs and not even completed), and instead of organizing them as per my needs and per creation times as well, importing the pictures & files just went into the iPhone, by how the iPhone wanted, scattered however.

So, not wanting to rant, and judging by the lack of comments here. I recieved comment on another post, telling me unequivocally, "it can't and it doesn't, deal with it". I was even told, "iPhone's memory does not 'behave' like SD or Flash memory" as a justification why we cannot have open access to the folders where our creations are stored.

Everyone is fine with this level of authoritarian control on an item we have purchased? Some people don't exist in an Apple only environment, yet instead of promoting the greatness of the products to convert users, asking for better is openly shunned. 😟

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Answer 2

Jan 17, 2014 12:27 PM in response to HansWorldTravels

oh, PS. I noted in iTools, those "random character generated" DCIM subfolder names seen through Windows Explorer on a PC, are named "100*****, 200****, etc" as I've seen in other comment threads dating back to the iPhone 4S.

I'll just say this.... Strange. I'll accept any answers as to why this happens under a PC environment, software coding needs, file formats, etc., so I don't have to think of it as an attempt to "force" complete conversion from PC to Apple, or vice versa. Thanks.

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,299 points

Jan 17, 2014 12:29 PM in response to HansWorldTravels

Maybe this will help you with a description of how iOS sorts photos. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4221.

As far as creating folders while in Camera Roll, the camera roll is not really designed to store photos on a long term basis, hense why if something happens to the iPhone, you lose your photos. It is designed for you to import the photos to the computer and do your organization there, and then sync the photos back to the device via iTunes. Then, should something happen to the iPhone, your photos are still safe on the computer. The ability to create folders and arrange photos through the Camera Roll is rather new. I'm not sure how it handles them, but earlier versions just put a "shortcut" so to speak in the folders you created, with the original file remaining in the Camera Roll. I'm not sure how that may have changed, but I am not sure how it handles these folders now. Seems you have discovered some of this by your comment on Instagram.

I do know that in Windows, and from what I have read it is the same on a Mac, you cannot use Explorer to put photos back into the Camera Roll. While you can read from the Camera Roll, you cannot write to it with the computer. Someone may be able to dispute that, but natively through Windows I can be sure that writing to the Camera Roll is not allowed.

Regarding your comment about the SD card, it is true, despite the fact the iPhone uses Flash memory, you cannot write to certain areas of the memory, and as I stated earlier, the Camera Roll is one of them. While it will save photos from the camera, and will also allow you to save photos from email, messages or other applications, it does not allow you to copy materials from the computer. This is the way Apple designed it.

I believe I read in your other post that someone suggested you use the feedback channel, but in case I was wrong, here it is. If you want Apple to see your comments, you need to post there, as they do not participate in the forum. The feedback link is www.apple.com/feedback and then click on the appropriate link.

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Answer 4

Jan 17, 2014 12:56 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thanks Chris...

Yes, the "shortcut" feel & implementation does appear to be accurate. Only applicable to the iPhone experience, unlike a PC file management system allowing for access to that "shortcut" from any connected device.

Ironically, I sorted pictures by date created, renamed then all at the same time sequentially, implying "modification" should be in same order, put that didn't happen come "re-import" process.

Agreed 100%, iPhone is not for storing photos long-term... I remove for multiple reasons; work related, personal, all one event, quality varies, etc., but there is need for holding "important" ones long term.

I don't think I am "asking" for access to software, code, etc., rather a little more freedom to access memory (in whatever form it exists) that is already allocated for personally created files, aka pictures & videos. The de facto response to making this happen, is rediculously tedious, "having to email yourself 'important' files" so they can be included. Which then take on a new file name, which compounds snycing abilities, which Apple says they are trying to reduce/solve through iCloud & PhotoStream.

Drag n dropping a folder of images into an already allocated storage space is not some grand scheme to highjack the OS or other software. It a basic need of the user.

I will take your advice, link this in the "feedback" section as well. These questions (in part) arise over and over throughout the support community forums, however they are all too frequently "answered" as I reference above.

Cheers & thanks!

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