Process

Metadata Renaming

Template-based file renaming using metadata variables

Overview

Metadata Renaming renames files from a template you choose. You build a pattern from variables across categories (Photographer, Date / Time, Camera, Descriptive, Location, File, and Utility, plus a Custom group when you have defined custom variables) - for example {artist}-{yyyy}-{seq:4} or {city}-{mm}{dd}-{seq:3} - and Archyv fills the variables from each file's metadata. Sequence Grouping (auto-detect or manual) controls when numbering restarts, three Fallback Modes (Skip, Use Fallback, Prompt User) handle missing metadata, and custom variables let you combine several fields with priority fallbacks and per-variable case. A live preview shows the result before you run, and cloud files get a longer timeout than local files (defaults 120s vs 30s, adjustable in Settings > General).

When to Use

Reach for Metadata Renaming when a batch of files already carries the metadata you want their names to reflect, and you want every file named the same consistent way without typing. It fits standardizing a whole collection on one naming convention, or organizing files so the name itself tells you the photographer, date, or location at a glance. It is the right choice over Manual Renaming when the files hold reliable metadata and the value is in applying one repeatable pattern across the set rather than entering names by hand. It suits mixed collections too: the templating handles missing fields and per-group numbering for you, so a single run can tidy files from several cameras or photographers at once.

Requirements

  • Pick a template from the template menu (built-in, or one you create in 'Manage Templates...')
  • The template's pattern must contain at least one variable (e.g. {artist}, {yyyy}, {seq:4})
  • Supported formats: common images (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, and more), RAW files from major camera brands, and video (MP4, MOV, M4V, and more)
  • Files should carry the metadata the pattern uses, or set a Fallback Mode
  • Cloud-synced files are handled automatically within the cloud timeout (default 120s vs 30s for local, adjustable in Settings > General); very large or slow-syncing files may time out — raise the timeout or download them first
  • For 'Prompt User' fallback: be ready to enter values for missing variables
  • Custom variables must be defined in Settings before a template can use them

How to Use

  1. Select your files in the left Folder Navigator panel
  2. Select 'Metadata Renaming' from the process bar
  3. Pick a template from the template menu — see the Filename Templates page to create or edit one
  4. Click 'Start' - if some files already match the template, choose 'Skip', 'Rename All', or 'Non-Matching Only' when prompted
  5. If 'Prompt User' is set and metadata is missing, enter the values when asked
  6. Watch the log to see each file's old and new name, then use 'Refresh' to reload the list if needed

Tips & Important Notes

  • Renaming changes only the file's name, never its contents — the image data and metadata inside each file are left untouched
  • Turn on Simulation Mode in General Settings first to preview the renames in the log
  • Use {seq:N} for zero-padded numbers - {seq:4} produces 0001
  • The variables before {seq} set the grouping: {artist}-{yyyy}-{seq:4} numbers each photographer-and-year group on its own
  • Custom variables combine fields - for example {code} from {lastname:4|artist:4} - and offer Priority (fallback chain), Concatenate (join values), Fill to Length (pad to a target width), and Distributed (spread a fixed width across sources) modes
  • Choose how the template handles missing metadata: 'Skip' is safest for clean data, 'Use Fallback' renames every file (inserting UNKN), and 'Prompt User' lets you fill in each value during the run
  • Confirm the template's pattern before you run — its preview shows how an example file is renamed
  • Cloud files get a longer timeout than local files (defaults 120s vs 30s); both are adjustable in Settings > General
  • Pattern validation suggests corrections for misspelled variable names
  • Save a template per project so you can reuse it
  • Each grouping value gets its own counter that restarts at 1, so the same number can appear in different groups and folders (Smith-2024-0001 and Jones-2024-0001). Final filenames stay unique because the metadata before {seq} differs, not because the numbers themselves never repeat