Sorting JPEG & RAW files

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

Hello

I’d like to create a script that makes sorting my digital camera files much more streamlined, and less prone to error.

I have recently purchased a Nikon D200 camera that can record both JPEG and RAW files, so I have it set to record a JPEG and a RAW version each time I take a picture. After downloading the photos using Image Capture, I am left with a folder with a bunch of JPEG files, and their corresponding RAW files. I then view the JPEG files as a slideshow, and note which images I don’t wish to keep. I then delete them, and the corresponding RAW files. This process is prone to error, so it won’t be long before I delete either the wrong JPEG, the wrong RAW, or both! So I’d like to improve it. Here is my idea:

1a. Download images from the camera into a folder called ‘Downloaded D200 images’

  1. Drag and drop the newly downloaded JPEG files onto a droplet that opens them in Preview.
  2. At the same time, a dialog box (perhaps with ‘radio’ buttons) would be generated, where each button corresponds to a JPEG file name for selection.
  3. I view the JPEG files in Preview, and select (using the radio buttons) the files to delete.
  4. Once selection is complete, the script deletes the JPEG files and their equivalent RAW files.
  5. The retained RAW files are moved to a folder called ‘Stored RAW images’ where they would be placed within a new folder. It would be good if this folder could be named according to the date the photos were taken on.
  6. The retained JPEG files would be exported to iPhoto and added to the Library.
  7. The now surplus JPEG files sitting in the ‘Downloaded D200 images’ folder would be deleted.

The JPEG file naming format is : DSC_xxxx.JPEG
and the equivalent RAW file would be : DSC_xxxx.NEF

Is this really tricky or is there a better way to do it? I have searched around as as yet, haven’t found a script that will do anything similar.

Regards

Matthew

Model: iMac G5, 2Ghz
Browser: Safari 417.9.2
Operating System: Mac OS X (10.4)

#2

I don’t think that you could do this using Preview, though it would be a good candidate for a Studio project.

#3

Preview itself isn’t scriptable, but as a workaround I think you could have a script that repeats through the existing JPGs and

1- opens an image with Preview
2- diplays a dialog with buttons to keep or delete that file - the cancel button would stop the script
3 - closes Preview and deletes the JPG and corresponding RAW images or moves them to their respective locations
4 - repeat

That is just a bare bones approach, there are a few options you could add - like maybe a choose from list instead of dialog so you could have more choices - keep, delete, decide later, etc.

It’s a bit clumsy, but would that work for you?

#4

Hi Matt

I am a photographer and what your after is a decent file browser/viewer that can handle raws/jpegs together. The best bit of kit by far is Photo Mechanic available at http://www.camerabits.com/. Its around 150 US and does everything you want it to do.

Its only downside is that its not applescriptable.

Model: 11 macs, all my babies
AppleScript: 2.1.1
Browser: Safari 417.9.2
Operating System: Mac OS X (10.4)

#5

Hi

Thanks for the link - I’ll take a look.

Matthew

#6

I agree that third party software is your best bet.

If you haven’t already, look at Graphic Converter - Lemke Software: Image Editing, Slideshow, Browser, Batch Conversion, Metadata and more on your Mac - great price, amazing file browser, and scriptable (you can get scripts from the website)