Re: Image file naming conventions

From: ELIZABETH RODERICK (eroderic@IGLOU.COM)
Date: Mon Jun 18 2001 - 11:24:50 CDT

  • Next message: Jill More: "Re: Image file naming conventions" 

    Message-Id: <200106181625.JAA29474@dns.ccit.arizona.edu>
Date:         Mon, 18 Jun 2001 12:24:50 -0400
From: ELIZABETH RODERICK <mailto:eroderic@IGLOU.COM>
Subject:      Re: Image file naming conventions
To: mailto:IMAGELIB@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU

    <pre> Greetings - the Library of Virginia has digitized numerous collections of photographs and original documents.

    We first examine the physical arrangement of the collection, then complete an extensive analysis of any existing naming/numbering schemes.

    These vary from straight accession number schemes, topical, geographical, chronological, none, etc.

    We also carefully document any anomolies within these schemes. This is important to predict how to structure the file naming conventions to accomodate items that crop up that don't neatly fit with the rest.

    We nearly always incorporate some iteration of these existing schemes in our file naming conventions for the collection.

    There may even be multiple file naming conventions within one collection, depending upon the nature of the materials.

    Here is one example:

    For our Virginia Historical Inventory Project (http://eagle.vsla.edu/vhi) we had three different types of materials - photographs, maps, and survey report documents - the latter being on microfilm.

    The file naming convention for the documents:

    /VHI/R/01/00001.tif
    /VHI/R/01/00002.tif

    Where /VHI is the name of the collection
    /R indicates that it is a report page
    /01 indicates that the report page exists on Reel #1 of the microfilm
    /00001.tif is the number sequentially and automatically assigned to the
      image by the microfilm scanner

    The file naming convention for the photos:

    /VHI/P/01/0001.jpg
    /VHI/P/01/0002.jpg

    Where VHI is the name of the collection
    /P indicates that it is a photo
    /01 indicates that the photograph is associated with a report that
      exists on Reel #1 of the microfilm
    /0001.jpg is the number sequentially assigned by the cataloger

    We determined that there were FEWER than 100,000 report images, so we reserved 5 digits in the filename (/00000.tif).

    We determined that there were fewer than 10,000 photograph images, so we reserved 4 digits in the filename (/0000.jpg).

    If you are not CERTAIN of the number of photos/pages, etc. within the subset of the collection you are naming, it is better to provide the cushion of an extra digit in the filename, just in case!

    This also ensures a logical organization on the server:

    /VHI
      /Reports
         /Reel #
           /Image number
      /Photos
         /Reel #
           /Image number
      Maps

    I have numerous other examples - let me know if you would like additional information.

    Elizabeth

    >
    > Hello Imagelib
    >
    > I am interested in experience people may have had naming their digital
    > image files. I just tried to search the archives but I just got the
    > "Imagelib filelist" by date.
    >
    > Could someone please tell me how to search the archive by subject, or pass
    > on the benefit of your experience directly if appropriate. We are just
    > about to start digitising our slide collection (100,000 slides). The slides
    > are already on a 4D database and each has a unique 6 digit accession
    > number. We'll be saving them as TIFF files for archival purposes but as
    > JPEGs for everyday use.
    >
    > I am sure there are all sorts of issues to be considered, and that these
    > have been discussed. Just need help to find to find it!
    >
    > Thanks
    > Jill More
    >
    > ******************************************************************************
    > Jill More Tel.+61 2 9385 0720
    > College Librarian Fax.+61 2 9385 0686
    > College of Fine Arts Email mailto:j.more@unsw.edu.au
    > The University of New South Wales
    > P.O. Box 259, Paddington N.S.W. 2021
    > Australia
    > ******************************************************************************
    > 

    --
Elizabeth Roderick                              email (mailto:eroderick@lva.lib.va.us)
Director, Digital Library Program               email (mailto:eroderic@iglou.com)
The Library of Virginia                         phone  (804) 692-3761
800 E. Broad Street                             fax    (804) 692-3771
Richmond, VA  23219

           *****************************************************
                      http://www.lva.lib.va.us
                  The LVA Digital Library Program
       *****************************************************

    </pre>

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