How do I create automatic name for subfolder on export?

[Starsphinx]

I am a newcomer to both adobe and lightroom and generally I am loving it - it has improved and sped up my RAW editing no end.  However I have hit a problem that it feels there should be a simple solution to but I cannot find it.

I have used the program photomechanic for cataloguing for ages - I tend to be a high volume shooter (4000 shots in a week not unusual) and it does work in partnership with lightroom having necessary presets etc so the companies are friendly to each other.  What I am trying to do is export my developed shots to a subfolder of the original folder, with the name *original folder* - processed only without having to type the original folder name out.  In photo mechanic this is done easily with variables and while lightroom seems to have similar for filenaming I cannot find it for folder naming.  I do not seem to be able to copy the system for file naming as it involves a double right pointing character which I have no idea how to produce on the keyboard.

If anyone could help that would be much appreciated

[Rob_Cullen]

In my experience, I do not know any way to achieve the folder name you want "automatically". Lightroom Export will always insist on you typing the full folder name. If you try to use any "illegal" characters in the naming field, LR always throws up an error message.

Alternatively- is it so annoying that you cannot accept that you might just use a sub-folder simply called *Processed*. This would always have a folder path structure of *original folder* \ Processed  (rather than your need for-  *original folder*\*original folder*- processed)

If you were to accept *original folder*\ Processed then you can very easily make an Export Preset that will Export to a sub-folder *processed*  and no typing of a sub-folder name is required whatsoever.

You might also create several Presets for sub-folders- 1) Processed   2) Favorites    3) Portfolio   etc. The folder tree would then 'automatically' be-

*original folder*

> Processed

> Favorites

> Portfolio

This might have an advantage, for example, when a Smart Collection could search for all photos that exist in "Portfolio" folders. (I know there are other ways to do this, including Keywords, but I only make suggestions. )

[Starsphinx]

I have been used just "processed" since starting with Lightroom but just hit an issue I had not spotted - namely storage.  Like I said I shoot large volumes - I have cloud storage and periodically move older folders from my computer to the cloud (by periodically I mean every 3 to 4 months) but for access, reasons like to keep stuff I have processed on my computer for longer.   So I merrily set about copying the processed folders to move and found myself with 20+ folders with the same name and hence why I want to change the naming protocol to *folder name - processed.

I cannot imagine that this is a particularly unusual thing I doubt I am the only one who has folder 1, folder 2, folder 3, etc that they want to move off their computer while keeping the subfolder in each folder on the machine.  If someone else has found a workaround please let me know and I will put my thinking cap on.

[Rob_Cullen]

I see your purpose for the sub-folder names as essential for the cloud storage.

Maybe only a workaround method can be used in Lightroom-

Export as I suggested with a Preset, then rename the sub-folder in the LR folders panel.

To rename the sub-folder-   (Ignore if you may already be doing this )

1) Right-click the 'parent' folder, choose [Rename...]

2) Press [Ctrl+C] to copy the folder name

3) Click to [Cancel] the 'parent' rename'

4) Right-click the sub-folder, choose [Rename...]

5) Press [Home] then [Ctrl+V] and [Save],  to paste the parent name in front of the sub-folder name.

It looks difficult but with mouse and keyboard shortcuts it becomes fairly easy to do. It beats fully typing in a long folder name though!

[richardplondon]

One approach might be, to use a Publish method rather than Export.

Before considering this though, it is important to grasp that Publish constructs an ongoing 1:1 relationship between a set of images within LR, and an external set of exports. Change to this set of internal images can include later removing an image from the set (resulting in deletion of the corresponding external copy at the next Publish refresh) - or the updating of internal edits, resulting in overwriting the external copy with a newer version, at the next Publish refresh. It's replication, not record keeping.

If that all seems fine, then there is a donationware plugin by Jeffrey Friedl, called Folder Publisher, here:
http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/folder-publisher.

You can set the location of export and then folders are made inside that automatically, to correspond with whatever folders are used by the images within your Catalog. So instead of having "processed" as a subfolder of each imported images folder, you would maintain a PARENT folder elsewhere called "processed", with a subfolder within that corresponding to each imported images folder seen in LR.

This to me, makes a lot more sense given that the usage and management requirements of these two classes of files, can often be quite distinct: in terms of being visible to others; safety from inadvertent deletion or change; backup and archiving regime; what happens if you Sync a given folder from within LR; and so on.

JPG exports can be considered as disposable / ready for use, while imported master camera files are neither of those things.

[IShouldBeOutShooting]

So I just ran in to a similar issue and thought maybe I was missing something.

I ended up writing an app (windows console app) that searches a directory (or directories) based on file type (.jpg) and a filename match.

The app will traverse all directories and files starting from the root specified (or roots if multiple directories or drives are involved) looking for .jpg files also containing the moniker "PROCESSED" which I added during export in the filename.

I added the moniker to avoid moving any valid unprocessed jpg files that may exist for one reason or another.

It will then move them to my master "Processed" directory, retaining their relative path and removing the moniker I added when I exported, again in this case "PROCESSED".

I have it as the application to run after export in the post-processing settings of my export template.

If there is any interest at all let me know and I will publish it, with source.

[dasebasto]

This looks almost like what I need.

Would you mind sharing your code?

I'm really disappointed that LR does not support variables in the folder name fields...

[VideoZappo]

I think that this can be the solution to my problem too, please, can you share the code?

Thank you!