Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Rapid Photo Downloader
Is it possible to download RAW images into one folder, and JPEG images into another?
Yes! It is very easy: you can use the file extension to automatically create download subfolders. See the documentation for more information.
Can version 0.9 move instead of copying files, like in version 0.4?
Not currently. The feature will be introduced only after a photo and video consolidation feature is implemented.
Does the program recognize XMP sidecar files?
As of version 0.9.0, it will rename XMP files. However, the XMP filenames must conform to the Adobe XMP specification. That means filename.xmp, not filename.ext.xmp. See the discussion on pixl.us if you are interested in learning more about this topic.
How can I copy files other than photos or videos?
THM, XMP, WAV, and MP3 files will be downloaded and renamed if they are in the same directory as a photo or video with a matching base filename.
Rapid Photo Downloader is a tool to get data off the camera / memory card / smart phone / external drive and onto the computer, with on-the-fly back ups and file renaming being optional. It's not a general purpose renaming tool for files you have already worked on using a photo editing program — so it will not copy and rename data files created by photo editing programs. Other tools already exist to bulk rename files.
Rapid Photo Downloader is a tool to get data off the camera / memory card / smart phone / external drive and onto the computer, with on-the-fly back ups and file renaming being optional. It's not a general purpose renaming tool for files you have already worked on using a photo editing program — so it will not copy and rename data files created by photo editing programs. Other tools already exist to bulk rename files.
Does it copy PNG files?
No. Cameras do not produce PNG files. PNG files on smartphones (such as screenshots) do not contain EXIF / IPTC / XMP metadata.
Why does the program create empty directories after having scannned a device?
These folders preview where your files would be downloaded to should you download every file from the device. They are the folders whose names are italicized in the destination folders in the main window. Should you not download files into the the subfolder, they will be deleted when the program exits or the device is removed.
Ideally, of course, the program would not have to create the preview folders on the filesystem to be able to preview them in the main window. They are created on the filesystem because of a limitation in toolkit the program uses to create the user interface. Specifically, the class QFileSystemModel cannot be extended with virtual folders.
When a download is not running, the Download button is enabled only when:
- 1No devices from which to download are being scanned.
- 2One or more files are marked for download.
- 3The destination folder to which files will be downloaded has been specified and is able to be written to.
- 4The destination has sufficient space in which to download all the marked files.
Unfortunately downloading from and generating thumbnails for a smartphone is painfully slow compared to regular cameras, and sadly nothing can be done to speed it up. Unlike photos produced by cameras, smartphone photos do not contain embedded preview images, which means the entire photo must be downloaded and cached for its thumbnail to be generated.
Compounding the problem is that transfer speeds from the phone are slow to begin with — typically considerably slower than from a pocket camera or DSLR.
Compounding the problem is that transfer speeds from the phone are slow to begin with — typically considerably slower than from a pocket camera or DSLR.
Which RAW images does it work with?
As of version 0.9.23, the following RAW image formats are supported: 3FR, ARW, CR2, CR3, CRW, DCR, DNG, FFF, IIQ, MEF, MOS, MRW, NEF, NRW, ORF, ORI, PEF, RAF, RAW, RW2, SR2, SRW, and X3F.
Can I download videos?
Supported video files are 3GP, AVI, M2T, M2TS, MOV, MP4, MPEG, MPG, MOD, TOD and MTS.
Does it work on Windows or Mac?
Not currently. Given it is programmed in Python and Qt, it could be ported to both macOS and Windows 10/11. The problem is integrating with the operating system, such as detecting when drives and cameras are attached or removed, and so forth. Windows and macOS simply work differently to Linux. Another issue is that gPhoto2 is barely supported on Windows.
Sometimes my photos have no metadata (EXIF or IPTC tags). What happens then?
If you do not use metadata in the generation of subfolder or image filenames, then it is no problem.
If you do use metadata in the generation of subfolder or image filenames, the program assumes you do so with the expectation they will be present in the images. If metadata is used to generate subfolders, or is the only way to create unique image filenames, then the image will not be downloaded. If some of the image filename can still be generated using elements that change (such as the filename), then the image will be downloaded, and a warning will be issued.
If you do use metadata in the generation of subfolder or image filenames, the program assumes you do so with the expectation they will be present in the images. If metadata is used to generate subfolders, or is the only way to create unique image filenames, then the image will not be downloaded. If some of the image filename can still be generated using elements that change (such as the filename), then the image will be downloaded, and a warning will be issued.
Saving to a NAS — or over a network in general — requires the network be configured so that files can be written at relatively high speed using standard Linux file operations. Consult the documentation for your device to ensure you have configured the mount options and device settings correctly. Downloading from a network is not officially supported and is undertaken at your own risk.
In almost all situations, the program's directories are:
- Installation: ~/.local/lib/python3.X/site-packages
- Executable: ~/.local/bin
- Configuration: ~/.config/Rapid Photo Downloader
- Cache: ~/.cache/rapid-photo-downloader
- Data: ~/.local/share/rapid-photo-downloader
- Man pages: /usr/local/share/man/man1
If you like this software, please consider making a contribution. Thank you!