Searching for Multiple Filenames

[ArchStantonAO]

Hello,

I understand that its possible to seach for multiple filenames using the TEXT filter search set to: Any searchable field > Contains. However if I cut and paste a list of filenames separated by a space. Lightroom does not recognise the filenames. I can get LR to recognise the filenames by clicking in the search field and on the space between the filename and deleting then reinserting a space. Obviously this is not workable for 50+ filenames.

Have a I missed something or is this a glitch other users are experiencing?

I am using  Mac OS 10.12.3 with latest Lightroom.

Many thanks for any feedback.

[Todd Shaner]

How was the list created and with what application? Most likely what appears to be a 'space' is some other character that the Filter bar. doesn't recognize. Try this:

1) Copy the text string into any text editor that has a Search & Replace tool.

2) Copy the space character in the text string and paste it into the 'Find What' field.

3) Place an actual keyboard 'Space' Character into the 'Replace With' field.

4) Select 'Replace All.'.

5) Copy the modified text string into the LR Filter bar.

[Rob_Cullen]

To search for multiple filenames has limitations. But to add to the post from trshaner, here is a copy of notes I have-

To find a large selection of images from a text list (a text document) you need to follow a set procedure-

Lightroom needs access to all images that may be in the list-

Click on ‘All Photographs’ in the Library, Catalog panel- left of screen, or select the folder where all the searched images are known to exist.

***Note: This method does not work if you have filenames containing spaces! (Under-scores are OK)

• Edit your list in a text editor (MS-Word or Notepad, etc) so that the list of file-names are separated by commas (One space following the comma separating the filenames is ok.) and delete all Paragraph markers. (This is the time-consuming part!)

• Select this list by high-lighting only the file-name text characters with the mouse. (No paragraph markers, no quote marks, no tabs )
• COPY the text list to the clip-board. [CTRL-C] or [Right-click > Copy]
• In Lightroom:  [Menu > Library > Find],   [CTRL+F]
• or Click "Text" on the Library filter bar, and set it to- Filename / Contains.
• Be sure that you've selected Filename “Contains” in the Library filter bar.
• If there is a space embedded in any of the filenames this approach won't work, (The space following the comma separating the filenames is ok.)
• Click in the Search box and paste the list [CTRL+V]  or [Right-click > Paste]
• You will see thumbnails of all the listed images by Filename. 
• 
• From this Grid view you can add these images to a Standard Collection by-
• Select all [CTRL+A], Click the Collection Panel [+], Check ‘add selected images’.

[Todd Shaner]

wobertc  wrote

To find a large selection of images from a text list (a text document) you need to follow a set procedure-

Lightroom needs access to all images that may be in the list-

Click on ‘All Photographs’ in the Library, Catalog panel- left of screen, or select the folder where all the searched images are known to exist.

***Note: This method does not work if you have filenames containing spaces! (Under-scores are OK)

If the filenames contain spaces try this plugin: Jeffrey Friedl's Blog » Jeffrey’s “Extended Search” Lightroom Plugin

[johnrellis]

My method of gathering the filenames is to copy a folder of low res images to the clipboard and then paste into TextEdit convert to plain text, find unwanted text and space then replace with a single 'space' entry. I then cut and paste this list into the LR Text Search box set Filename/Contains.

I tried this on my CC 2015.9 / OS X 10.12.3, and it worked fine. There's likely something subtle going on in your situation. A Quicktime screen recording showing all the steps you're taking and the result would likely identify the cause.  (You could upload the screen recording to Dropbox or similar and past the sharing link here.)

[ArchStantonAO]

Hi John,

Apologies for the delayed response. Thank you for suggesting I upload a screen recording. I have done so and the link to download from dropbox is as follows:

Dropbox - Lightroom filename search.mov

I hope this yields better information on what I'm doing wrong? Many thanks.

[Todd Shaner]

You need to replace the carriage returns with a space using TextEdit Find and Replace.

Find and Replace Words or Phrases | How to Use TextEdit for Word Processing in OS X Mountain Lion | ...

1. Open the Find and Replace dialog.
2. In the Find field, insert the return character by typing option-return.
3. In the Replace field, insert a space, then click All. This replaces all newlines with a space, so you'll have one long line of all your text.

[ArchStantonAO]

I tried following the instructions for replacing the carrier returns but TextEdit did not find any after entering option-return into the find field. So tried dong this manually so that all the filenames were on a continuous line with no carriage returns. Pasted this into Lightroom and it did find the files. Thanks trshanser!

I made sure that LR search field was set to Contains and not Contains All as it was in my screen recording. Although this made no difference before making sure that the list of file names were on a continuous line.

I'd like to now how to make a list of text filenames pasted from a folder of images into a continuous line without carried returns as this seems to be the solutions but it would still be a long process with lots of images if it needs to be done manually?

[Todd Shaner · Accepted solution]

ArchStantonAO  wrote

I tried following the instructions for replacing the carrier returns but TextEdit did not find any after entering option-return into the find field. So tried **** this manually so that all the filenames were on a continuous line with no carriage returns. Pasted this into Lightroom and it did find the files. Thanks trshanser!

Are you holding down the OPTION key and then hitting the RETURN key to enter a LINE BREAK character into the Find field? If you are then it may be a MANUAL LINE BREAK character. Try holding down the SHIFT + OPTION keys and then hit the RETURN key, which will enter a MANUAL LINE BREAK character.

If that doesn't work you may need to use a full-feature text editor like Microsoft Word or Open Office Writer.

[ArchStantonAO]

Well done trshaner. That sorted it. Thank you much!!

[ArchStantonAO]

Thanks trshaner.

I have been doing exactly as you describe with the same result. My method of gathering the filenames is to copy a folder of low res images to the clipboard and then paste into TextEdit convert to plain text, find unwanted text and space then replace with a single 'space' entry. I then cut and paste this list into the LR Text Search box set Filename/Contains.

I have also tried manually typing the filenames into TextEdit as plain text, then cutting and pasting into LR. The result is the same with LR seeming not to recognise the space until I click and delete or add space.

In addition I have tried the same process as above accept with commas instead of a space. Same result.

If I manually type into the LR search box then the results do appear as expected no problem.

[ArchStantonAO]

Perhaps I should have provided an example the filenames have the following convention 1234_D12_0011 etc, no spaces.

[Todd Shaner]

It works for me on a Windows system using MS Word with Find & Replace. Try the below procedure using TextEdit or MS Word.

Here's the List View exported from Windows Explorer:

Find ^p and Replace with keyboard SPACE BAR character

Copy & Paste into LR Filter Bar

[GilmourB]

Simultaneous searching for multiple files just stopped working for me. After a few hours of tinkering and 2 hours of almost useless support from Adobe, I figured out that during a search for multiple files none of the files can have a space in the filename. If just one file has a space in it's name LR will not find any files from the search.

It's clearly a bug because LR will find a single image with a space in it's name. 

I've asked Adobe Support to fix the bug in the next update and they've assured me they will; we'll see.          

[johnrellis]

Brett (and everyone else), since this is a bug report, let's focus continued discussion in your previous post in the official Adobe feedback forum, where Adobe wants bug reports and product feedback posted: Lightroom: How do I search for multiple file names at once in the Library module? | Photoshop Family... . This will avoid splitting the discussion into multiple threads, and product developers read every post there, but are rarely seen in this forum.

[johnrellis]

I've asked Adobe Support to fix the bug in the next update and they've assured me they will; we'll see.         

Unfortunately, Adobe support is highly unreliable with respect to bugs. They have a reputation of saying anything to close a case. The official Adobe feedback forum is a much better way of getting bugs reported (and tracking their resolution).

[RolandDutzler]

Maybe my problem was already discussed in this forum, but I'm a little bit confused about these complex comments.
Therefore I try to ask for support for my following problem.

I want to list only pictures with filename "190514_Petra Ressmann-8440, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8441, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8492, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8493, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8494, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8495, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8524, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8527, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8529, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8531, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8574, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8592, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8593, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8601, 190514_Petra Ressmann-8619".

But if I select "filename/contains" all picture are shown and not only the mentioned ones.

What can I do, that only these files will be listed / filtered, which have the mentioned filename?

Sorry for my English, but I tried to describe my problem as good as possible.

Can somebody help?

[johnrellis]

Your filenames contain spaces, and there is no way built-in to LR to search exactly for a list of filenames if they contain spaces.  Two options:

1. Use the Extended Search plugin.

2. Rename your files to not contain spaces.  You could use the Search Replace Transfer plugin to do the rename of large batches of files.

[RolandDutzler]

Thank you for your support and proposal. I will try the eliminate the space in the file name.

Have a nice day

[matthewmorgan]

Unfortunately, Lightroom doesn't have a great method for searching a catalog, unlike Capture One's Select By feature (screenshot below), unless the filename are separated by a comma+space.

To change the filename list separated by new line, this method works for a Mac + TextEdit

1. Select all (Command+A) and Copy filenames in Finder (Command+C) 
2. Paste and Match Style into blank TextEdit document (Command+Opt+Shift+V)
3. Find and Replace (Command+Opt+F)
4. Search bar:  Click Dropdown Magnifying Glass > Insert Pattern > Line Break
5. Replace bar: type in comma + single space > ", "
6. Last step might be needed:  depending on how your selects were saved, you might need to eleminte the file extension.  Find ".jpg" and replace with nothing to delete these.  Lightroom doesn't like file extension (.jpeg, .jpg, .tif, etc.).  Deleting these will make the list usable in Lr.
7. Lightroom Filter > Text > Filename: Select "Contains"  and paste text into field.