Automatic image naming

**Rob-Xar** · 18 November 2019, 02:35 PM

Hi all,

So quick question, I'm hoping to push for (in the next update) the ability to keep or set image names on export. There's been a bit of discussion about this internally and I'd like to check what you guys would prefer to happen on import:

a) Keep filename on export (you can still change it).
b) Do not use filename, but allow changing of image name in Web Properties.

I suppose its more of a workflow question. Rename images before or after they are imported into Xara (most images from stock providers / digital cameras are named something like fotalia-123456789.jpg which from a SEO point is poor).

In my personal opinion, I prefer option A but I'd like to hear what you think.

**Acorn** · 18 November 2019, 03:03 PM

@Rob, can you or the team describe exactly what happens if a named image is added to the design page and then "mangled". Stretched, cropped, toned, filtered variant-scaled, etc. Are all these effects going to become CSS Classes so there is one export image and not 20 derivatives?

Acorn

**Rob-Xar** · 18 November 2019, 03:09 PM

Once it gets implemented I'll have a play and send an installer around to the beta testers, will have to let you know on that.

It's likely there will be image copies (or even duplicate names) in which case it will keep the name but add an incremental integer at the end.

**Acorn** · 18 November 2019, 05:22 PM

Don't overlook all the prior proposals and faults identified:

My main concern is the current disconnect between the Bitmap gallery filename [Right-click > Save > Export], the Names gallery [filename="yetAnotherFileName"], the Page and Layer gallery [Photo 'importFileName (Optimised)' (318 dpi)] and the export image filename [26.jpg & 26@2.jpg].

Acorn

**Boy** · 18 November 2019, 08:57 PM

Really good additions, Acorn!

**mwenz** · 18 November 2019, 09:45 PM

Rob, wouldn't true image linking be a solution for webby stuff using an original filename and keep larger sites more responsive? This would also be true for people making books, brochures, large format stuff, to also keep files more responsive?

**Egg Bramhill** · 18 November 2019, 10:07 PM

I'm all for naming images rather than the current numbering system where by on each publish all the images are given newer, higher numbering.

I'd like it to be roughly as my suggestion in Acorns 4th link above.

You'd also need to sort out the very bad bug present in all releases so far whereby an image named under 'filename=myImage' and used across variants alternately exports the image at different resolutions on each subsequent publish.

I've brought this matter up a few times but it's never been seriously addressed as far as I'm aware.

I attach a xar file showing this bug.

**letsgofishing** · 22 November 2019, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Acorn

Don't overlook all the prior proposals and faults identified:

My main concern is the current disconnect between the Bitmap gallery filename [Right-click > Save > Export], the Names gallery [filename="yetAnotherFileName"], the Page and Layer gallery [Photo 'importFileName (Optimised)' (318 dpi)] and the export image filename [26.jpg & 26@2.jpg].

Acorn

Agree totally!
Really like Egg's suggestion as per he 4th link above