Where are photo file names?

If she has entered titles in iPhoto they should show up in Photos below the thumbnails. If they don't, go to View > Metadata and add a check mark by Titles. If the "Name" is the file name, there is a script earlier in this thread to make the title equal to the filename.

Jay

Here's a use case for why filenames to titles are important.

It may also shed light on why Apple's current version did not implement it. For context, Photoshop released around 1990, iPhoto was available in 2002, USB 2.0 scanners in 2002-2004, the first digital SLR (under $1000) in 2003, Aperture in 2005, the first iPhone (including camera) in 2007. [I owned Macs from 1985 to 1993. PCs from 1993 to 2006. Macs from 2006 to present. When I moved back to Macs in 2006, the photos came over as files, mostly TIF.]

So therefore, the photos in my Photos library are of two main kinds: (1) scanned photos from prints or negatives in the era before digital photography. (2) Photos taken with digital cameras.

The scanned photos came from a flatbed digital scanner. They were scanned one by one. And the consumer level scanning software of the day did not allow entry of EXIF or IPTC data. The metadata was the file name and the file date. And the file date was fragile. File operation like copying or restoring from backup often changed it. So one carefully labeled the name of each file.

When I moved to the Mac, they were loaded into iPhoto and the file names showed up and they were useful because I had named each of the scanned photos carefully by hand. It’s this information that I’d like to automatically copy as the initial value of titles. These names are absolutely valuable. And being able to quickly copy them to titles would be wonderful. Applescript seems possible but quirky. I’m hoping Apple addresses this more directly

I agree with Apple that the file names associated with digital photography are much less useful. And also realize than many of their customers have few photos that came from scans. In fact all of this generation photos may be coming only for iPhones. But….....

It is still useful to do this, and I am keeping it up with my digital photos taken with the cameras. I always batch change the filenames on import in aperture to amore descriptive filename.

I agree with Apple that the file names associated with digital photography are much less useful.

It depends on how you are using your photos. The filename with a number is at least a reference to identify the file. A common use of the filenames might be to show the recent Photos in the moments and have the family, friends, or customers pick the ones they want copies from. Now the moments do not even show "IMG 111" or similar below the thumbnails, so that it can be referenced in a list. We have to directly create albums while the photos are selected. I would not want my friends to drag photos to albums while selecting photos from my library. I prefer them to say "Please send me photo 100, 200, 250" and "please delete number 50 immediately".

I have had some interesting discussion on the subject of picture Title and filename. I have a wonderful filename system that has served me well over the years. The pictures are easy to find and when someone wants me to do something on a particular picture all they need to do is give me the number.

BUT, that filename is not embedded in the picture file itself. However, the Title is embedded into the picture file and has a formal space in the IPTC world. The structure of the filename or what is allowed to be the structure of the filename may be different across different operating systems and may also change over time even within one operating system. Given this, the long term stability of a filename may not be as good as one would desire; however, the embedded IPTC Title 'should be more stable long term.'

Since it seems Photos is heavily focused on the iPhone, iPad with integration with the Mac and their different operating systems through the cloud, I can readily understand why Apple is pushing for the use/focus on picture titles.

To facilitate this process, I believe Apple should provide for a tool that takes the filename and inserts it into the IPTC Title field. There are a couple of Applescripts, one of which I can get to work and the other I can not get it to work.

This issue is #1 for me, and I have another thread started until I found this one. I have 22,000+ scanned images, all organized by filename, which iPhoto used. Apple then degraded iPhoto into Photos, without notice, and all my several years' work is negated. I desperately need to sort by, organize and view filenames -- I don't care and don't use the "date and time the photo was taken", it doesn't exist. Maybe moving the filename, or preferably the part to the left of the (.jpg) into the title, and then sorting by title is a good workaround to this bug.

Apple has never responded to any of the posts that I've followed over the years. I don't know what they pay attention to and what they don't. But, if Apple is reading this -- please, please, do not degrade capabilities for your software, especially with no notice. I spent a lot of time getting iPhoto to do my job, now anything I do on iPhoto is not transferred to Photos, and the sorting and the organizing capability in Photos is non-existent. This problem really needs help. I really do not understand how such a degradation can happen.

To those who wrote scripts, I will review them, and contribute to the solution of this important problem. Let's see if we can build a workaround together.

Thank you all!!! - Andy

Thanks for your answer.

No, I don't use iCloud Photo Library.

As I have difficulties to understand all of the explanations you wrote in your latest answer (no experience in script editing and language barrier...), could you just tell me what would be the correct (simpliest) applescript to use in this case?

Thanks

If you are continually getting error messages with the script you are using, either try if it will work better if you only select the photos in the "All Photos" album.

Or try the second version I posted above. It will change the titles of all photos that are in an album named "PhotoDropBox".

This album needs to be a regular album, not a smart album, and at the top level of the library, not inside a folder.

Copy and paste the complete text below into a Script Editor window, save the script, and press the run button, after you created your album in Photos.

set ReadFromAlbum to true

-- set this to true, if you want to pass the photos in a toplevel album

set theAlbumName to "PhotoDropBox" -- change this to the name of the album you will use

set imageSel to {}

tell application "Photos"

activate

if (ReadFromAlbum) then -- the photos will be passed in a toplevel album named "PhotoDropBox"

try

if existscontainertheAlbumName then

set thePhotosBuffer to containertheAlbumName

set imageSel to every media item of thePhotosBuffer

else

error "Album " & theAlbumName & "does not exist"

end if

on error errTexttwonumbererrNumtwo

display dialog "Cannot open album: " & errNumtwo & return & errTexttwo

end try

else -- process the selected photos from the All Photos album

try

set imageSel to (get selection)

on error errTexttwonumbererrNumtwo

display dialog "Cannot get the selection: " & errNumtwo & return & errTexttwo

end try

end if

-- check, if the album or the selected photos do contain images

if imageSel is {} then

error "Please select some images."

else

repeat with im in imageSel

try

tell im

set its name to its filename

end tell

on error errText number errNum

display dialog "Error: " & errNum & return & errText & "Trying again"

try

delay 2

tell im

set its name to its filename

end tell

on error errTexttwonumbererrNumtwo

display dialog "Skipping image due to repeated error: " & errNumtwo & return & errTexttwo

end try

end try

end repeat

end if

end tell

-- display dialog "Done"

return "Done"

Thank you very much; the second script worked perfectly (for thousands of pics)!

Now that it's done, do you know if there is a mean in an album, to have pics sorted by title (alphabetical order)?

(I only see by import date or manually)

I appreciate this dialog.... No, I don't use ICloud for anything, I just want to manage and view my own photos on my own computer.

I did try the script (first one), and although it's a little manually intensive, I did assign my filenames to the title for each image. Thank you!!!! That helps me identify each image, but without the ability to sort on anything but "date taken" (which is completely useless for me), my albums remain a complete mess. I clicked on a folder name, and chose "sort by name", but that sorted the menu, not the contents. No help.

I tried to create a new smart album, see if I can figure out a way to bypass all these problems, but when I edit an image (e.g., delete), it deletes the image no only from my smart folder, but also from the library. So, i clicked on help "delete photos in album", and related variants, but all I get is a list of instructions how I can share these images on line with my family and everyone else..... No help. I cannot figure out how to remove an image from an album only, and leave it in the library).

I looked at my iPhoto albums. All my images are there -- but is that my library? It acts like it's only an album. If so, I can't find the library. Also some of my albums that I used to have, now have no contents. One printed album that I had was called "obsolete", and removed from my collection altogether -- and replaced with a random print album template -- with no content at all.

Waiting for El Capitan to get useful sort options, means waiting at least four months for the first release. In my experience with Mac OS releases so far, every first release, and usually two, have significant bugs. So I don't update my OS for at least three releases. That means, I can't get image sorting for about 4-9 months from now. That's interesting, as sorting algorithms are always included in the most basic programming courses -- this is not difficult.

Being a complainer is not in my character, but so far, with Photos, I can't sort, I can't organize my images, I can't find help on anything but how to share my images, or point me to the menu item with the same name -- neither is useful.

Can I get iPhoto back? That did the job just fine, but most of it's features were simply deleted in Photos....

Finally, I tried other photo organizers: Adobe charges $10/month, but does not simply sell it. Picassa is owned by Google, and I read its "Terms and Conditions", and Google reserves the right to take any an all my images and market or distribute them any way that they want. Figures.

Does anyone have some advice on a good photo organizer, where I can just organize and view my photos?

My apologies for the long list, but this problem is getting rather ridiculous. I can't even help myself....

- Andy

Hi, folks. I've used iPhoto for years and am now coping with Photos. I've read this thread, and find myself more confused than ever.

As I understand it, each photo is a file, with a filename followed by an extension such as .jpg, .tif, .png, etc. iPhoto and Photos allow you to give the photo file a "title," which appears (or not, as this thread suggests) in Apple software and in products purchased from Apple, such as prints, books and calendars. I guess the title becomes part of the photo file's metadata. I have little use for titles, since they tie you to Apple's products, but I DO have uses for the filename.

Your camera gives each photo its filename. These filenames are useful in that they are sequential, but, frankly, names like DSCN3256.jpg do nothing for me. I'd rather have a file named 2014 m12 25 opening mother's gift.jpg. While it's easy to give files in iPhotos and Photos a TITLE, you have to go through **** to RENAME A FILE. I've succeeded in changing filenames (renaming) by exporting the file to the desktop, using Finder to rename the file, finally dragging the renamed file into Photos when it is in "Last Import" mode. Most of the time, this works. double-clicking on the thumbnail of a picture will enlarge it. Then clicking on the "I" at the upper right, you will see "Add a title," and under that, the current filename. If I've successfully renamed the photo file, I delete the duplicate with the original filename.

I came to this thread hoping to get some guidance as to why I can rename some files, mostly videos, on the desktop, and see the new filenames in Finder, but when I drag them into Photos (import them), they lose the new filename. I've tried renaming these stubborn files several times, with no success. I use the Title field to give these renegades some kind of ID. Can anyone shed any light on this problem?

And please, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about the difference between filenames and titles.

Thanks!

Peki,

I went through the same. The filename is the name of the actual file in digital storage (e.g., hard disk). The picture "metadata" is the behind-the-image data that describes the image (e.g., date, faces, location, background). Metadata is really a data base table that is related to the image you view. Title is an entry in the metadata data base. An alternative way to look at it is that it is a translator between the filename and other name. As I understand it, the database can sort through database tables, which apparently include titles but not filenames. I think that iPhotos automatically copied filenames into titles, then allowed manipulation of images by title (also keywords, location, time). Photos does not automatically copy filenames in to titles, and does not allow some basic functions (e.g., sort) to be done on titles; only on date and time in the metadata.

I hope this helps a little?

- Andy

Thank you, Andy. That did clear up my conclusion about metadata. However, I remember that, when using iPhoto, there was always "Add a title" in the information dropdown for each photo. If iPhoto automatically copied the filename into the title, then I would have seen the filename masquerading as a title in the dropdown box, no?

I happened on the thread thinking it might shed some light on why I can rename some files after exporting them, then import them and see that the new filename is there, and with other files, find that the new filename has not imported. (the imported file has its original filename).

Peki wrote:

However, I remember that, when using iPhoto, there was always "Add a title" in the information dropdown for each photo. If iPhoto automatically copied the filename into the title, then I would have seen the filename masquerading as a title in the dropdown box, no?

iPhoto displays the filename (less the extension) if the photo doesn't have a title, but it doesn't actually copy it to the file. Titles, like descriptions & keywords, actually are part of the file itself -- they are "embedded" in standardized Exif directory structures in photo files that many different applications can display or modify.

All recent versions of iPhoto display either the title or the filename below the thumbnails, & in the Info sidebar on the right side of the iPhoto window if that is visible -- there is no dropdown with "Add a title." Instead you add or alter a title by clicking on this text in either place. If the photo had no title to begin with, typing anything there adds it to the file's Exif metadata.

If is much the same in Photos, except that it does not display the filename as a substitute for the title if the photo does not have one, & to see the titles below the thumbnails you need to enable that in the View > Metadata submenu.

Hi Peki and Larry -- and all who contribute to this thread,

Thank you for comments, feedback, and arguments (I mean that in a good way, it's part of problem solving). I think that there are a few conclusions that seems to stick -- and I will assemble them into a coherent feedback to Apple (thanks for the link, Larry). In my problem-solving training, I know that complaining about problems can help define a problem, but solving it requires proposing solutions (even if not complete). So, here goes:

1. The sorting issue highlights that there are two large categories of stored images: Modern images that store metadata, specifically date, time and location; and legacy images that have no metadata at all (about the first 200 years of photography). The two are managed differently. Metadata is better, but if there is no metadata, then filenames is the typical choice. Apple needs to consider that difference as a user need.

2. There is a generational difference in dealing with data. I am 64 years old, and have done very sophisticated programming for work projects -- but today's techniques, methods and organization philosophy is very different. I'm trying to carry my tried and true methods into today, without expending significant effort to modify my techniques. I use public sharing very little. The young person today has little need, and likely understanding, of the requirements to manage data without the metadata layer. The young person uses sharing a lot. I propose that much of this discussion shows that difference.

3. Taking a step back, I think that there is a good solution to this dilemma. For the images without metadata, many filenames contain some metadata information (mine have year, month, subject (sometimes) and location (city, state, country) and time sorted index. For example: 201505-SailingBostonMA-001.jpg. Some of my oldest images, I can only guess at the decade. I'm sure that there are as many file naming conventions as there are people.... I think that the best solution is to write a script that will convert filenames of a defined format, into the metadata of individual images. The order of time of the legacy image can be set by using the sort index (e.g., each sequential image is one minute newer than the last). While the metadata would not be accurate by today's standards, it would be good enough for legacy images.

So, I'm going to try to write a script to do just that. Reading the filename is already included in the scripts in this discussion thread. Parsing the date, subject and location will take some logic design, as there are variations in that part of my filenames. Perhaps a better programmer than I, familiar with current standards and methods, could write an app to do just that. I would buy that in a heartbeat. In the meantime, I'll write one myself and see it it solves this type of problem.

I will send a variation of this note to Apple as feedback.

- Andy

alaz0 wrote:

1. The sorting issue highlights that there are two large categories of stored images: Modern images that store metadata, specifically date, time and location; and legacy images that have no metadata at all (about the first 200 years of photography). The two are managed differently. Metadata is better, but if there is no metadata, then filenames is the typical choice. Apple needs to consider that difference as a user need.

A couple of points to consider about that:

• Regardless of the source, once an image is digitized, it can be managed in a uniform way. Ideally, this should be in accordance with the metadata standards in use worldwide as defined in the exchangeable image file format (Exif) & by the IPTC.

• Filenames are metadata attributes of file systems, not of image files. They are a poor choice for digital image management systems because different file systems impose different limits on filenames regarding length & allowed characters, & because filenames can be changed independently of their content. IOW, they are not very portable, nor do they follow any well defined naming convention that relates their name to their content.

Because of this, it would be very difficult to write software that converts filenames to titles by parsing what could be any of many different user-defined filename conventions.