XnView Software

This suggestion is a reaction to this post.

In batch rename, fullscreen information and thumbnail label date and time format is fully customizable, default format is <Date Taken [Y-m-d_H-M-S]> - for example: 2009-05-08_18-43-58. First - "EXIF date taken" is a bit hidden in the submenu, perhaps it should be in main menu, there are 3 other (quite useless) date items, so why not also EXIF date taken?

Regarding the standards, I found it on wiki, the standard for time is hh:mm:ss or hhmmss, but the colon can't be used in the file name. Perhaps a deafult format for date taken in XnView should be changed from Y-m-d_H-M-S to Y-m-d_H.M.S or Y-m-d H.M.S.

I'm not sure about the date/time standards, but if there is a standard, it should be used also in XnView, by default.

Perhaps we should start a poll later, here are my suggestions:

A)
Y-m-d_H-M-S | 2009-05-08_18-43-58

B)
Ymd_HMS | 20090508_184358

C)
Y-m-d_H.M.S | 2009-05-08_18.43.58
Y-m-d_H:M:S | 2009-05-08_18:43:58

D)
Y-m-d H.M.S | 2009-05-08 18.43.58
Y-m-d H:M:S | 2009-05-08 18:43:58

There are two formats in some cases, because different format need to be used in batch rename and in fullscreen info / thumbnail label - colon can't be used in the file name. I think D would be the best, it's a standard. Both formats should be used - in the main menu, not just in EXIF - Image submenu. Some users don't know about the EXIF time and some (most) don't want or don't know how to change a default date/time format. There are also no templates in batch rename, so few date/time formats in the main menu would help IMO.

Here is a link to wiki - ISO 8601 - international standard for date and time.

What do you think? Do you have more suggestions for date/time format (poll)?

Personally, I prefer the A solution:
Y-m-d_H-M-S | 2009-05-08_18-43-58
or better in a next future...(or for screen capture files names):
Y-m-d_H-M_S-1/100S | 2009-05-08_18-43_58-82

C or D, either works, would be preferrable IMO.

D looks more natural but a custom format would be nicer using small (ex: 1, 2, 3 etc), zero filled (ex 01, 02, 03 etc) or long format (for day/month) &/or format selected in Control Panel - Regional and Language Options - Regional options (Customize - Date/Time) replacind ":" character from time with spaces.

example. I use for system long date format: dddd, dd MMMM, yyyy ---> Sunday, 14 June, 2009

Jaff wrote:example. I use for system long date format: dddd, dd MMMM, yyyy ---> Sunday, 14 June, 2009

Using the system long format in a sorted list plays havoc with the sorting itself.

ISO-format, or total custom, would be the way to go.

adrian_vg wrote:

Jaff wrote:example. I use for system long date format: dddd, dd MMMM, yyyy ---> Sunday, 14 June, 2009

Using the system long format in a sorted list plays havoc with the sorting itself.

Right, but as I said, different format is needed in the file name and in fullscreen info or thumbnail label.

adrian_vg wrote:ISO-format, or total custom, would be the way to go.

Exactly, but not everything is possible. Time format hh:mm:ss can't be used in the file name, hhmmss would be confusing especially if using the same for date (YYYYMMDD), for example 19581212 194711. Using YYYY-MM-DD HH-NN-SS is not a standard (AFAIK) and it might be confusing too. Therefore I think the best solution is to use this format for the file name by default:

Y-m-d H.M.S | 2009-05-08 18.43.58

For fullscreen info and thubmnail label it's not so important to have a good default option, because it's easy to change. Change the file name of thousands of pictures might be no just easy, but even impossible - if you send the pictures to friends, or burn them on DVD. Perhaps the option from Windows might be used by default, because it's different for each country.

BTW Pre-defined templates for batch rename including the EXIF date and time would be very useful.

Dreamer wrote:Right, but as I said, different format is needed in the file name and in fullscreen info or thumbnail label.

adrian_vg wrote:ISO-format, or total custom, would be the way to go.

Exactly, but not everything is possible. Time format hh:mm:ss can't be used in the file name [...]

Should've written ISO or as near as possible. Otherwise I agree with you!