Can Lightroom 4 continue filename sequence numbers across separate exports?
Asked 2/8/2013
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2 answers
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In Lightroom 4, I want an export preset that saves files to the same folder using a base name like foo and automatically continues the numbering each time I export, for example foo-1.jpg, then foo-2.jpg, then foo-3.jpg across separate export sessions. I tried using the File Naming option Custom Name - Sequence with custom text set to foo and start number 1, but each new export starts again at foo-1.jpg and warns that the file already exists. Is there a way for Lightroom 4 to remember and continue the sequence automatically between different exports?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
2
Have you tried activating Choose a new name for the exported file under Export Location > Existing Files in the Export dialog? Then you don't need any renaming schemes to get sequence numbers. The first export uses the original file name (or any renaming scheme you've selected), the second export adds '-2', the third export adds '-3' etc.
Like so:
yourimage.jpg
yourimage-1.jpg
yourimage-2.jpg
Isn't this close to what you want?
Originally by user19528. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user19528
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
No—Lightroom 4 does not reliably keep a running sequence number across separate export batches using an export preset. The Start Number applies to that export, so if it is set to 1, Lightroom will try foo-1.jpg again on the next export.
If foo-1.jpg already exists, Lightroom will warn about the collision. You can then either:
- start with a higher sequence number manually, or
- use the existing-file handling option to rename on collision (
Use Unique Names/Choose a new name for the exported file).
That collision-based method can produce names like filename-2.jpg, filename-3.jpg, etc., but it is not the same as Lightroom maintaining a true persistent export counter in the preset.
So you’re likely not doing anything wrong—the limitation is that Lightroom’s export preset does not automatically remember and increment the sequence across different export sessions.
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