Image location software??

[bobt]

A quick Google check came up with this page http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-ways-...puter-windows/

See if one of those pieces of software will help

Thanks for those tips - currently working my way thorugh them to see whether they can be useful - much obliged.

[bobt]

You know I've always thought that putting the date in a filename was a waste of time. Even windows will sort by date taken in file manager. But, each to his own I suppose. Bob, try right clicking on the header bar in file manager and you can add EXIF fields, and IPTC fields to that, and then sort by them. Hell, you can even sort by whether the flash fired or not.

I must say that EXIF data is one of the most useful inventions known to photographers! The information that is there by default is such a bonus. I use EXIF data all the time (although I am sometimes suspicious of "date created" which I am never sure of). EXIF data has prevailed where my poor housekeeping has failed!

[Warbler]

... (although I am sometimes suspicious of "date created" which I am never sure of)...

Try "Date Taken". Date created refers more to when you copied the file to your computer from memory.

[bobt]

Arthur .... thanks for all your tips and information. I think the best solution might be to employ you to organise all my zillion images, thus cutting out the middle software! 8*)

One solution I have which certainly helps is the idea of a database - and fortunately, ACDSee has already produced that for me - and it is very useful if a tad slow. It's certainly great to have an existing database because any new software has to start from scratch and build one.

The longer term solution is going to be a thorough clean out of my numerous hard drives and backup - but that will require some considerable courage and determination!!! In the meantime I'll be trying out the various options suggested in this thread - yet another demonstration of why many heads are better than one!!

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Try "Date Taken". Date created refers more to when you copied the file to your computer from memory.

Those terms have always puzzled me I must admit. I must research what the default action is in relation to EXIF changes, and which dates remain unchanged. Poor terminology really when "date taken" and "date created" are to me essentially the same thing (or should be in a logical sense.)

[Warbler]

Date created means when the file was created on the media you're looking at. Copy it to another location and that will change.

[bobt]

Date created means when the file was created on the media you're looking at. Copy it to another location and that will change.

Thanks! That explains a lot ...... seems illogical to me, but at least know I know what illogic I'm dealing with!

[Warbler]

A quick and dirty way to do some matching Bob. Use windows explorer to do a search on the root of a single hdd. Search the drive for all image types you're looking for and include the sub-directories in your search. When the results appear, go up to the headings of the columns, right-click and select date taken. Then click on that column to sort by that field. At least it will put all the images unto chronological order of date taken.

[bobt]

A quick and dirty way to do some matching Bob. Use windows explorer to do a search on the root of a single hdd. Search the drive for all image types you're looking for and include the sub-directories in your search. When the results appear, go up to the headings of the columns, right-click and select date taken. Then click on that column to sort by that field. At least it will put all the images unto chronological order of date taken.

The ACDSee database does pretty all that and with thumbnails - so with that and a new understanding of the exif data I'm well on the way to at least visualising the duplicates if not finding a specific one without all the rest as well. The Explorer option also sounds useful.