How to Sort Photos

cindyinnc

I have tried many times to sort my gallery. I have the files named in numerical order (1,2,3......) I have tried to sort by filenames in ascending order. I have changed my actual gallery settings. Ultimately I would like the file name to match the position in SM so that when I am trying to do things for client if they are talking about photo #2 on the SM site....I can just pull up file #2 on my PC. Make sense? I am having major probs getting this to work! Please help! Here is the gallery http://ashotbeyond.smugmug.com/gallery/3263632/1/180772077#180772686

Thanks
Cindy

rainforest1155

Hi Cindy,

I'm sorry that you're having trouble with the sorting. I see that your photos are named like this:
1,2,10,11,20 etc.

This creates a problem in the computer world, while people don't have any problem with this numbering scheme. Basically computers start of sorting by comparing the first character and only then look at the second, third etc.
A computer therefore usually sorts the above filenames like this:
1,10,11,2,20

With the introduction of Windows XP, Microsoft introduced the so called 'natural sort' into their operating system that would finally start sorting numbers like a human being:
1,2,10,11,20

While this sort works fine in XP and probably Windows Vista as well, many programs don't support it and still sort the stuff the usual way most other computers / applications do it. It is no commonly acknowledged standard yet. SmugMug also doesn't offer natural sort and that's why you're having trouble with the arrangement of your photos.

The common way to make sure that files are sorted correctly on *all* operation systems and in all applications is to adopt the computer's way of sorting. If you're sure that you won't have more than 99 photos, it will be enough to simply add one zero in front of all single digit numbers like this:
01,02,10,11,20

This will make it sorted correctly everywhere. If you have more than 99 photos, just add another digit:
001,002,010,011,020

You can add as many zeroes as you need to. Just make sure that all numbers have exactly the same amount of digits and the same position in the filename. Therefore always add numbers in front of any text that might follow:
01 My house,02 My car,010 our wedding photo ....

If you add the photo description before the file number, the sort will be again according to the general rule by comparing the value of each character one by one.

I hope this helps!

All the best,
Sebastian

cindyinnc

Thanks so much!!!! That does help me understand what the heck was going on. I will definititely be trying this as soon as I get home from work today. Thanks for taking the time to explain all this to me


Cindy

rainforest1155 wrote:

Hi Cindy,

I'm sorry that you're having trouble with the sorting. I see that your photos are named like this:
1,2,10,11,20 etc.

This creates a problem in the computer world, while people don't have any problem with this numbering scheme. Basically computers start of sorting by comparing the first character and only then look at the second, third etc.
A computer therefore usually sorts the above filenames like this:
1,10,11,2,20

With the introduction of Windows XP, Microsoft introduced the so called 'natural sort' into their operating system that would finally start sorting numbers like a human being:
1,2,10,11,20

While this sort works fine in XP and probably Windows Vista as well, many programs don't support it and still sort the stuff the usual way most other computers / applications do it. It is no commonly acknowledged standard yet. SmugMug also doesn't offer natural sort and that's why you're having trouble with the arrangement of your photos.

The common way to make sure that files are sorted correctly on *all* operation systems and in all applications is to adopt the computer's way of sorting. If you're sure that you won't have more than 99 photos, it will be enough to simply add one zero in front of all single digit numbers like this:
01,02,10,11,20

This will make it sorted correctly everywhere. If you have more than 99 photos, just add another digit:
001,002,010,011,020

You can add as many zeroes as you need to. Just make sure that all numbers have exactly the same amount of digits and the same position in the filename. Therefore always add numbers in front of any text that might follow:
01 My house, 02 My car, 010 our wedding photo ....

If you add the photo description before the file number, the sort will be again according to the general rule by comparing the value of each character one by one.

I hope this help!

All the best,
Sebastian