Process

Folder Generation

Create structured folder hierarchies for photography projects

Overview

Folder Generation creates folder structures in a destination folder, and works two ways. In hierarchical mode you set the number of levels (1 to unlimited) and name each level: Level 1 is the main folder, and the names you give Level 2, 3, and beyond are repeated inside every parent folder. In CSV-only mode you leave the level fields empty and pick a CSV file, and Archyv creates one folder per entry straight in the destination. Either mode can read folder names from a CSV file (first column only, with header detection). Folder names and path lengths are validated as folders are created, and each new folder appears, selected, in the file list.

When to Use

Reach for Folder Generation when you want a destination structure in place before files arrive, so a shoot, project, or import has somewhere organized to land. It saves building the same folder tree by hand each time, and keeps your naming consistent across projects. Reach for it when a recurring job needs the same nested layout every time — for example a wedding project with Ceremony, Reception, and Portraits folders inside each event, or a season's shoots laid out by month and then by client. Reach for it instead when you already keep the names in a list and just want one folder for each — say a spreadsheet of photographers, a client roster, or a list of survey sites turned into a folder apiece. It pairs naturally with File Transfer, giving you the target layout to move or copy files into.

Requirements

  • A writable destination folder must be selected (both modes)
  • Enough free space for the folder structure (both modes)
  • Path length must stay within 260 characters (both modes)
  • Hierarchical mode: a Level 1 folder name, and a level count (minimum 1, no maximum)
  • Hierarchical mode: every level from 2 on must have at least one folder name
  • Hierarchical mode: no Level 1 folder of the same name may already exist in the destination (so nothing is overwritten); a CSV file is optional
  • CSV-only mode: leave 'Number of Levels' and 'Level 1 Folder Name' empty, and select a CSV file with valid folder names
  • CSV file: the first column is used as folder names (other columns ignored), with header rows detected and skipped; UTF-8 suits international characters
  • Empty rows and names with illegal characters are skipped automatically

How to Use

  1. Select 'Folder Generation' from the process bar (it opens the folder picker)
  2. Choose the destination folder where the structure will be created
  3. For a hierarchy: set 'Number of Levels' (minimum 1), and enter the 'Level 1 Folder Name' (avoid illegal characters)
  4. For multiple levels: name Level 2, 3, and beyond in the fields that appear, and use the + button to add more folders at a level
  5. For a hierarchy, optionally click 'Select CSV File (Optional)' to fill the lowest level from a CSV's first column
  6. For a flat list instead: leave 'Number of Levels' and 'Level 1 Folder Name' empty, then click 'Select CSV File (Optional)' - Archyv creates one folder per entry in the destination
  7. Click 'Start' (enabled once the fields are valid) to create the folders
  8. Check the log to confirm the new folders, which appear selected in the left Folder Navigator panel, then use 'Refresh' to start another

Tips & Important Notes

  • Start with one level and add more as you need them. Each level's names repeat inside every parent folder, so plan Level 1 (project), Level 2 (categories), Level 3 (subcategories) accordingly, and test a small structure first
  • A CSV is optional in hierarchical mode and required in CSV-only mode. Only the first column is read; any header row is detected and skipped, and quoted values and commas within names are handled
  • Use UTF-8 for international characters
  • These characters are blocked in folder names: < > : " / \ | ? *
  • Folder names taken from a CSV are sorted alphabetically; folders you type by hand are created in the order you enter them. The total path is limited to 260 characters - keep names short
  • An existing Level 1 folder of the same name is never overwritten - choose a unique name or a different location
  • In CSV-only mode, all validation runs before any folder is created, so a failed run leaves no folders behind. In hierarchical mode, validation runs as folders are created level by level, so a failure deep in the hierarchy can leave the folders already created in place