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Generate only even numbered file names?

LancTheoSem
Apprentice

I am about to begin a large, book-digitization project in which I will be photographing around 6000 pages of diary entries from eleven different volumes. Because the books are fragile, they need to sit in a book cradle, and each page has to be photographed separately.

 

It would be quicker if I could shoot all the even-numbered pages first. Is there a way to make the camera (or EOS Utility application) generate only even-numbered file names?

 

After shooting the even-numbered pages, I can shoot the odd-numbered pages. I would like them to have file names with only odd numbers.

 

The resulting files will then automatically fall into sequence when I sort them by file name.

 

Because these diaries are hand-written and lack page numbering, it is very difficult to establish the sequence of the files by looking at the images. Considering that I will have to keep over 6000 images in sequence, I am trying to come up with a way to keep track of image sequence while also using a production-line technique to quickly create the images.

 

I have thought about putting the book cradle on a Lazy Susan. I would shoot the one side of the book, turn the Lazy Susan, and then shoot the other side of the book. In that way I can keep the page sequence, but I will have to rotate and crop the images in batches of "every other file". Although that is doable, it adds some handpicking to the process. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

4 REPLIES 4

trulandphoto
Enthusiast

I thought of a couple of things. Leaving the numbers alone, you could have two sets of the same numbers. When you then added one set to a directory with the other set you can choose "keep both" and it will name the second set as "copy." At least that's the way it works on a Mac.

 

Also, maybe you could photograph in landscape orientation and get both open pages in a single shot.

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That's a good idea about the Mac OS adding "copy" to the name. I hadn't thought of that. As long as the "copy" suffix was consistently added to only the files from one of the folders, that might work great. I will check that out. Thanks for the idea!

 

I could get both pages in one shot, but the pages would not be lying as flat as possible. The books are thick (500-600 pages each) as well as delicate. From what I've read (for example http://bibliofile.commons.yale.edu/files/2011/08/RareBooks12.pdf), old book bindings are usually fragile, so it is best to seat them in a book cradle. Relative to each other, the pages are then at an angle much less than 180 degrees. In order to get a good, square image, I will have to shoot each page separately. 

 

Thanks again!

Sounds like you're on a Mac, but for PC there's a freeware software that I've used that is has a lot of options for naming and numbering files.  I'm not sure about even/odd numbers only, but maybe: http://www.joejoesoft.com/vcms/108/

 

Edit: I just found this PC freeware that definitely does it: http://www.advancedrenamer.com/

Instructions here: http://www.advancedrenamer.com/forum_thread?forum_id=469

Might be worth borrowing a PC from a friend?

Thanks for the tip on AdvancedRenamer. That would do the trick. I am working within a Mac system, but if push came to shove, I could create a Windows environment via Parallels.

 

Thanks!

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