Want to re-order pictures in a folder

I wish to order image files in a folder in a certain way (ie not
alphabetic or chronologic). I can drag and drop pictures into the
preferred order, but I am not sure how to ensure the permanence of that
re-ordering. Also, I would like to be able to copy these images (in
there new order) to either a new folder or to a CD. Can someone please
tell me how I can do these things in Vista?




--
FastFreddy

FastFreddy wrote:
> I wish to order image files in a folder in a certain way (ie not
> alphabetic or chronologic). I can drag and drop pictures into the
> preferred order, but I am not sure how to ensure the permanence of
> that re-ordering. Also, I would like to be able to copy these images
> (in there new order) to either a new folder or to a CD. Can someone
> please tell me how I can do these things in Vista?
================================
Once you have the images in the order you
prefer...renaming the files using numbers
should insure that they remain in the same
order.

You can rename in a batch if you don't mind
losing your file names. Just select all and right
click the first image...from the menu...choose...
rename.

If you enter...
Christmas (1001).jpg

The remaining filenames will follow sequence
Christmas (1002).jpg
Christmas (1003).jpg
Christmas (1004).jpg

If you wish to add the numbers and retain the
file names....you can add the numbers manually
at the beginning of the name:

(1001) ADB.jpg
(1002) JHK.jpg
(1003) LGF.jpg

The freeware IrfanView can batch number your
files and retain the file names:

IrfanView
http://www.software.com/irfanview
(get the plug-ins too)
http://www.software.com/irfanview-plugin

Begin by opening Irfanview and go to...File /
Batch Conversion / Rename / Batch Rename.

I would suggest that you make a new folder and
add s *copies* of several image files to experiment
with. Open this folder in IrfanView.

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

John Inzer;770424 Wrote:
> FastFreddy wrote:-
> I wish to order image files in a folder in a certain way (ie not
> alphabetic or chronologic). I can drag and drop pictures into the
> preferred order, but I am not sure how to ensure the permanence of
> that re-ordering. Also, I would like to be able to copy these images
> (in there new order) to either a new folder or to a CD. Can someone
> please tell me how I can do these things in Vista?-
> ================================
> Once you have the images in the order you
> prefer...renaming the files using numbers
> should insure that they remain in the same
> order.
>
> You can rename in a batch if you don't mind
> losing your file names. Just select all and right
> click the first image...from the menu...choose...
> rename.
>
> If you enter...
> Christmas (1001).jpg
>
> The remaining filenames will follow sequence
> Christmas (1002).jpg
> Christmas (1003).jpg
> Christmas (1004).jpg
>
> If you wish to add the numbers and retain the
> file names....you can add the numbers manually
> at the beginning of the name:
>
> (1001) ADB.jpg
> (1002) JHK.jpg
> (1003) LGF.jpg
>
> The freeware IrfanView can batch number your
> files and retain the file names:
>
> IrfanView
> 'Download IrFanView 4.23 Free Graphic Viewer - Software.com'
> (http://www.software.com/irfanview)
> (get the plug-ins too)
> 'Download IrFanView 4.22 Graphic Viewer PlugIns - Software.com'
> (http://www.software.com/irfanview-plugin)
>
> Begin by opening Irfanview and go to...File /
> Batch Conversion / Rename / Batch Rename.
>
> I would suggest that you make a new folder and
> add s *copies* of several image files to experiment
> with. Open this folder in IrfanView.
>
> --
>
> John Inzer MS-MVP
> Digital Media Experience
>
> Notice
> This is not tech support
> I am a volunteer
>
> Solutions that work for
> me may not work for you
>
> Proceed at your own risk



Thanks for the suggestions John. I tried your first bit of advice
about renaming in Vista folder, as it would be all that I need.
However, I ran into some interesting behavior. The renaming of a group
of files ordered to my preference (and with your instructions) resulted
in the following: The file at the END of the list received the number
I placed between the parentheses (say the number 1001). The other
files in the list received numbers starting with 2 and running
sequentially from there. Note, the files themselves did not change
position in the listing of thumbnails. Any idea what I could be doing
wrong?

Btw, it seems that the ONLY way I can rearrange the ordering of files
in a folder is to do it from the thumbs viewing - if I view from a list
or detailed list, the system automatically orders these alphabetically
by filename.




--
FastFreddy

FastFreddy wrote:
> Thanks for the suggestions John. I tried your first bit of advice
> about renaming in Vista folder, as it would be all that I need.
> However, I ran into some interesting behavior. The renaming of a
> group of files ordered to my preference (and with your instructions)
> resulted in the following: The file at the END of the list received
> the number I placed between the parentheses (say the number 1001).
> The other files in the list received numbers starting with 2 and
> running sequentially from there. Note, the files themselves did not
> change position in the listing of thumbnails. Any idea what I could
> be doing wrong?
>
> Btw, it seems that the ONLY way I can rearrange the ordering of files
> in a folder is to do it from the thumbs viewing - if I view from a
> list or detailed list, the system automatically orders these
> alphabetically by filename.
==========================================
What happens if you select all the pix and enter the
following: (use any word you like...then a space)
assorted (1001).jpg

If this fails...IrfanView may be your best bet.

Yes, you need to reposition the files in thumbnail view.

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

FastFreddy;770991 Wrote:
> Thanks for the suggestions John. I tried your first bit of advice about
> renaming in Vista folder, as it would be all that I need. However, I
> ran into some interesting behavior. The renaming of a group of files
> ordered to my preference (and with your instructions) resulted in the
> following: The file at the END of the list received the number I
> placed between the parentheses (say the number 1001). The other files
> in the list received numbers starting with 2 and running sequentially
> from there. Note, the files themselves did not change position in the
> listing of thumbnails. Any idea what I could be doing wrong?
>
> Btw, it seems that the ONLY way I can rearrange the ordering of files
> in a folder is to do it from the thumbs viewing - if I view from a list
> or detailed list, the system automatically orders these alphabetically
> by filename.


Update on 6Jan,

I think I figured out the problem I had while trying your suggestion
for renaming. One needs to take care when doing the bulk sequenced
renaming that the "outlined" image is indeed the first image in the
folder. If you start by selecting the top image, hold the shift key
down and left click the bottom image, you will (on my computer) have
all the last images highlighted and the LAST image outlined. This will
result in an offset in the bulk sequenced renaming, in which the last
file in the folder receives the lowest number, the top file receives
the next number and then the rest follow from there. An easy way to be
sure you have the TOP image outlined is to first click on the BOTTOM
image in the list, then SHift key and click on the TOP image second.
This outlines the top image, and your trick of renumbering the files in
the custom-ordered sequence works.

One odd thing - I was not able to get the system to renumber images
starting with anything other than the number 1. Your example of the
name starting name Christmas (1001) resulted in the following

(first file) Christmas (2)
(second file) Christmas (3)
...
(last file) Christmas (1001)

This was not a big problem for me, as incrementing by one starting with
teh number 1 was perfectly fine. But others might want to know what
went wrong here...




--
FastFreddy