How can I match pic description and file names?

Question

I hate bunches of pictures called DCSNXXXX on my HD, as they are imported from my camera. Most of my last two year´s imports have this as file name.
I was thrilled to see in iPhoto 08 a 'Batch Change' option on the menu, and used it right away to change picture names by groups.
I was dissapointed to find out though that the actual file name remains the same.
How can I match name in iPhoto 08 with file name?
Thanks
J

Answer 1

J
You can't. And that Batch Change command has been there for the last several versions too.
When you name a Picture in iPhoto you are adding a title to the photo, not changing the Filename. Filenames are irrelevant in iPhoto. The entire point of iPhoto is that you organise your photos without recourse to your files. So, searching in iPhoto is about searching for a Photo, not a file. Hence the title is more important than the filename.
Are you trying to find the file?
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
For 10.5 users: You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Apple-Click for selecting multiple pics.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
To upload to a site that does not have an iPhoto Export Plug-in the recommended way is to Select the Pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pic to the desktop, then upload from there. After the upload you can trash the pic on the desktop. It's only a copy and your original is safe in iPhoto.
This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. If you're using Gmail you can use THIS
If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.
If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.
Or, if you want to access the files with iPhoto not running, then create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use THIS
Other options include:
1. *Drag and Drop*: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
2. *File -> Export*: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size. Again, producing a copy.
3. *Show File*: Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
You can set Photoshop (or any image editor) as an external editor in iPhoto. (Preferences -> General -> Edit Photo: Choose from the Drop Down Menu.) This way, when you double click a pic to edit in iPhoto it will open automatically in Photoshop or your Image Editor, and when you save it it's sent back to iPhoto automatically. This is the only way that edits made in another application will be displayed in iPhoto.
Finally, if you export the file using the File -> Export command, then you can use the Title as a Filename on the exported version.
If you really want to rename the files, then you will need to do this before you import them to iPhoto. Renaming them once they are in the Library will corrupt your Library.
Regards
TD