How to change date format in file names for older files

[lukea13]

   Let me start with saying most of my photograph's folder names are merely dates. I use Bridge for file organization and would like to start using Lightroom CC. Somehow years ago the format of the dates for file names are different than they are now, example: 2015Dec13  as opposed to Dec132015.

   I want the file name dates to be in the same format. I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a way to change all the incorrect ones as a batch instead of changing each one separately. Thank you.

[Just Shoot Me]

I think this is something you would need to do manually with the File Manager for the OS you are using.

If you haven't started using LR yet and or have not yet imported all your images into the LR catalog file (a Database file) then it's a simple but possibly time consuming task. If you have already import all your images into LR then I suggest you live with the folder names you have.

LR doesn't care what folder names are and there are many ways to display and or find images in LR.

[dj_paige]

If you're going to spend time to do something like this (and it will take time, there's no automatic way that I know of to do this), then you'd be much better off leaving the folder names unchanged, and add keywords and other metadata to organize.

If you're trying to find photos taken on a specific date, then the Lightroom filter bar will find them for you regardless of the naming of your folders.

So, what I am saying is: I think there are better ways to handle this than renaming folders.

[D.A.R · Accepted solution]

If its simply a case of changing filenames you can batch rename the files.

Library > Rename Photos...

Then choose from the tokens how you want the name to appear. The tokens will pull from the metadata in the file.