"Sort By Date Added" or similar for navigating folders

Submitted by FRV-Learner on Fri, 06/20/2025 - 08:50
Forums: 
General discussion

Hi there, basically my workflow means that I create a folder per job, import the images into that folder, then use FRV to make selects. The issue is that my main folder with all the jobs in it is always in alphabetical order, so I need to remember the folder name I just made (easier said than done sometimes), then find it. My workflow would improve massively if I could have my WORK folder arranged by Date Created instead of A-Z. Does that make sense? Is this possible at all?

lexa

Fri, 06/20/2025 - 09:08

FastRawViewer supports two sorting modes for folders in Folders panel:

  • 'Natural' sort order (consecutive digits are treated as a number) - this is default order
  • Alphabetical sort order

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Alex Tutubalin/FastRawViewer team

FRV-Learner

Fri, 06/20/2025 - 09:16

Hmm, I'd definitely like to put in a request for ''date added'' sorting order so I don't need to search for my newest shoot, do you think it's possible? 

lexa

Fri, 06/20/2025 - 13:50

While this is possible in principle, there are at least two problems that make sorting folders by creation date a rather unusual solution:

  • The top-level folders will also be sorted by date, and going through all the nested folders to get to the one you need will be a non-trivial task, most likely requiring manual linear browsing at each nesting level (the folders at the top levels will be arranged in an order that seems random)
  • Not all file systems/file services support separate dates for creation date and last modification date. And a folder is changed when files are added/removed to it. Thus, in some cases, sorting folders at the level you are interested in will also be random: the first (or last, depending on the sorting order) will be the one in which, for example, the next XMP file with metadata is written

Therefore, we recommend that you consider a folder naming scheme that includes the creation date at the beginning of the folder name.

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Alex Tutubalin/FastRawViewer team

FRV-Learner

Fri, 06/20/2025 - 09:20

Oh wow, just as an example of the issue - I foolishly started to edit a job from Feb instead of yesterday's shoot because they looked so similar! My naming structure needs to stay the same because the client requires it.

Dave Stargazer

Fri, 06/20/2025 - 12:12

Hi - I deal with this problem (that many programs have) by renaming:
 
In both the folder containing the captures (e.g. raw files) and the files themselves rename them so that YYYYMMDD-HHSSMMMS is at the start of the name.
 
This makes so that any program that can sort alphabetically will also sort by date.
 
Use a 24 hr timestamp (important) and MS Milliseconds (important for high frame rate cameras). I use adobe bridge for the file renaming.
 
Solves many problems across applications. Cheers!
 
...Dave...

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