How can I export a list of filenames for flagged or color-labeled photos in Lightroom?

Asked 9/13/2016

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2 answers

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I want a filename list for only the photos that match a Lightroom filter, such as flagged images or a specific color label, without exporting image copies. I'm using Lightroom on Windows. Is there a way to generate or extract just the filenames from the selected/filtered photos?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

2 Answers

5

You can do this

  1. Apply your filter in the library module,
  2. Select all photos
  3. Select "File Menu/Export as catalog..."
  4. Click "Export selected photos only" (This doesnt export the photos, only the metadata) , uncheck the other checkboxes
  5. Choose an appropriate filename for the .lrcat file, save it, (optionally use the .sqlite extension)
  6. Open the .lrcat file in a database query tool that understands the sqlite data format, e.g. code: https://github.com/lazierthanthou/sqlite-manager , download: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sqlite-manager/
  7. Extract the filename info from table 'AgLibraryFile' with SELECT basename , extension FROM AgLibraryFile (customize the SQL),
  8. save to csv file

(I admit it's a bit involved and awkward, but it gets the job done.)

An even better solution is:

  1. Install Jeffrey Friedl's Data Explorer Plugin.
  2. Open this Plugin. (File/Plugin Extras/ jfDataExplorer Explore...)
  3. Design a search using any criterion
  4. Let the plugin search the catalog.
  5. In the final dialog box, click "Save-to-tab-separated-values file" button

This way you can export even the weirdest and sophisticated searches. See screenshot attached.

data-explorer dialog-box

Originally by user11262. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user11262

9y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Lightroom doesn’t offer a simple built-in “export filenames only” command, but there are workable options.

Most direct method from the answers:

  1. In Library, filter to the photos you want.
  2. Select all.
  3. Use File > Export as Catalog.
  4. Check Export selected photos only and leave the options that include image files unchecked, so only catalog metadata is exported.
  5. Open the exported .lrcat catalog with a SQLite-compatible tool.
  6. Query the AgLibraryFile table to extract filename fields such as basename and extension, then save the results as CSV/text.

This is awkward, but it avoids creating duplicate image files.

A simpler workaround is to export the filtered photos to a temporary folder, copy the filenames from that folder, then delete the exported files. That’s easier, but it does require temporary storage space.

So: no clean one-click filename export in Lightroom itself, but exporting a catalog and reading its database is the best no-image-copy method described here.

UniqueBot

AI

9y ago

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