Import originals for referenced images into folders

When you import photos as referenced images, you can have Aperture place their originals individually into a selected folder or create subfolders to hold the files. For example, you might have the imported image files placed in subfolders identified by date. You can create folder name format presets that you can quickly choose to select the folder name format you prefer.

To create a folder name format, you select the name elements in the Folder Naming Presets dialog. You can specify a combination of name elements to create custom folder names.

Create a custom folder name format

  1. In the Import browser, choose Pictures or another folder from the Store Files pop-up menu, then choose Edit from the Subfolder pop-up menu that appears.

    The Folder Naming dialog appears.

    Figure. Folder Naming dialog.
  2. Click the Add button (+) to create a new name format, or select the preset name format you want to change.

  3. Drag name elements into the Format field in the order you want them to appear.

    You can also create a hierarchy of folders within folders. For example, you can specify that Aperture place your referenced images in a subfolder named Date, and within that folder you can create subfolders identified by the time the photo was taken.

  4. Drag a slash between the elements where you want subfolders created.

  5. Enter a custom name in the Custom Name field, if you like.

  6. Click OK.

Your new folder name format now appears in the Subfolders pop-up menu.

Reset the starting number of a counter in a folder name format

When using a counter in your folder name format, you can specify the starting number and the number of digits, from one to six, that appear in the counter. When you use a folder name format with a counter, reset the initial starting number. Otherwise, on the next import, Aperture will continue numbering the image folders starting from the last number of the previous import.

  • In the Folder Naming Presets dialog, type “0” (zero) in the “Incrementing counter starting at” field.