How do you name files?

[Cameron]

Curious about peoples file naming structure.. we currently name files for a job with the work ticket number in the name. That seems to be a bit labour intensive to me when you have reapeat jobs to have to go rename the files. We have them attached in our mis system. Also there can be instances where an old file gets grabbed from our server it someone gets the wrong order number version.

Im curious if anyone wants to discuss if theyve come up with what they find as a really straight forward way to manage files, that keeps errors to a minimum.

thanks!
Cameron

 

[kdw75]

I am anxious to hear about others. We save every file we have ever received or created since we went to computers in 1988. We even have the cassette tapes from our old Itek Quadritek that we got before that in the basement along with the machine. We save everything. lol

We have our files named like this "XXXX Craftsman 43286 Prybar #78285" The XXXX represent the client ordering the job, sorry I don't want to share everything, and the brand name followed by their part number. Then the # sign is always proceeded by our internal job #. We have them organized in 3 main places. One folder is for raw files and content to be stored while waiting for an order to be entered. A general holding area. Then they are put into working folders, once they are given a ticket number, named after employees. So one would be "Keith's Working Files" and that is my area to keep in progress jobs until I finish printing them I will move them to the general archive folder for long term storage. We keep everything on a 6 disk raid so that even if two drives fail at the same time you don't lose any files and that is backed up to the cloud.

 

[NicolasClaunch]

You can name the files after client name and date that will give unique name to each file. If the client have two order in the same day you can add another reference such as clock time.

 

[HPC]

Job number and customer on the folder, contents will carry the old original numbers. To combat the problem of the old file getting tossed, I backup different on a third drive. Drive one is in use with all, drive 2 is of course a backup of drive one. The third drive gets files added to it only, no jobs are what we call "rerun" therefore everything is still available. All done with external drives, sounds mickey mouse but it works.

 

[wonderings]

I save my files like this "client - #10 envelope - date/job number". It is long, but I find it much easier to quickly find. We are a bit antiquated compared to other shops, only some of our dockets have job numbers for those that will repeat. One of jobs we do not use them.

 

[bill kahny]

Our server lists Job number for the folders, inside that folder we have; as supplied, working, proof, layout, final print) folders. Exact reruns are tracked with MIS system and run from previous job number. Revised reruns are pulled forward into the new numbers supplied folder. No exact rerun files are moved forward because they would be re-time stamped and older versions could suddenly look newer than the true good file. Our job ticket shows 3 job numbers (current & previous). The third we manually add in pre-press notes, that field automatically caries forward when a job is duplicated in our mis system. It is the job number for the files on our Server. - typing it out seems less logical than in practice. Drives are mirrored and have an off sight backup run nightly.

 

[prepressdork]

For a single file job, we use: <Job Number>_f<proof number>.<file extension>
If there is more than one file/version, we use: <Job Number>_<Version Name>_f<proof number>.<flle extension>

In correction cycles, we make the requested changes and export a single page PDF file for each updated page: <Job Number>_<version name if applicable>_f<proof number>_p<page number>.pdf

Best regards,
pd

 

[bmiller4jah]

We name our files like such:

[job#]_[Shortened description of project/version]_[page #].[file extension]

This is specific to a marketing department creating files to go to a printer. Hence, the lack of [client name].

 

[EZPower]

We have ours on the server. 2017 Jobs folder, May 2017 Folder, 132568 Xerox Lhd folder, All files related to that job are inside that folder, links, fonts and working files. Each working file and PDF are listed as 132568 Xerox Lhd.pdf ( Job Number, Customer, Project)

Every moth we start a new folder. Each reprint gets a new Job number. we copy existing job bolder and re name the file to reflect the new Job number.

searching jobs are usually done by job number. Some times a smart salesperson will have us look up something we did on year 2016, June, Lhd. Much better to spend an hour looking up this way, than getting a job number.

 

[Slammer]

My system is, for instance, let´s pick a name out of my ass: "Slammer´s delight" Then Slammer´s delight 1 through 10, then Slammer´s delight final, then Slammer´s delight final final, after that we get to. Slammer´s delight final, final final, then Slammer´s delight honestly the last frikking version, after which we would see: Slammer´s delight honestly the last frikking version 2, and that is before we get to adding the months.

 

[bmiller4jah]

My system is, for instance, let´s pick a name out of my ass: "Slammer´s delight" Then Slammer´s delight 1 through 10, then Slammer´s delight final, then Slammer´s delight final final, after that we get to. Slammer´s delight final, final final, then Slammer´s delight honestly the last frikking version, after which we would see: Slammer´s delight honestly the last frikking version 2, and that is before we get to adding the months.

Truth.

 

[Prepress_Sam]

I've noticed some of you are using non-alphanumeric characters in your file names, this is not a good practice, especially slashes. Even though a Mac will recognize these characters they will give a Windows machine fits. It is best to limit your file name to numbers, letters, dashes, and underscores. The total number of characters in a path of folders and the file name are something to consider too, the maximum on a Windows machine I believe is 255, this includes spaces. I've seen cases where the name of a file told a story.

 

[David Watson]

Folder on file server is JobNumber_Customer.
Inside the job folder are 7 folders:
Art - All placed or embedded files go here. (Any file that gets edited is duplicated and renamed with an e_ at the beginning. The original is moved to a separate folder.
JobNumber_Fonts - I include the job number so when I get sidetracked I know which job's fonts I have loaded.
Original - All original layout files are copied here, and NEVER TOUCHED. That way we can always have a record of what the cost supplied.
Working - Layout files to produce the job go here. Renamed to just JobNumber.ext
Imposition - Preps layout and exported files go here.
The last 2 folders are used for our RIP: PDF (The PDF or EPS files written by us to produce the job), and FPO.

Jobs are kept live on file server until we need space then transferred to a Raid 5 NAS. This has an area to copy jobs by number to folders that hold 500 jobs. The NAS gets backed up nightly.

Exact reprints are copied back to the file server from the NAS using the old job number. The plates will still have the old job number which is the real number anyway. The new job jacket references the old job. The only time it's a pain is if we reprint a job a few times and the CSR doesn't bother to read the old job to see that it was a reprint as well.

 

[joshlindsay]

On our server our job bags are grouped by year
Year / CustomerName / JobNo - JobName /

Our custom build MIS software creates the customer and job folders automatically which saves a lot of time.

Inside that folder is depending on the job
- Supplied
- Artwork
- Proof
- Data
- Data to use
- Final Print
- WIP

For reprints we'll copy the final print file to the new job bag and rename.
If we duplicate a job in our system the old job number is added as a comment but that doesn't work if we're converting another quote to a job - something we're trying to find a solution to now.

 

[michaelejahn]

In Our PressWise system - The Default naming pattern for the batch file name in the example below is paperID.batchID.press sheets.copies-simplex or duplex-time stamp

Sample batch file name: D215.b6879.p51-c51-duplex-1426783556.pdf

Just thought I would share how we designed it so, when a press person sees that in the cue, they know what paper to load and how many sheets need to be printed using the file name.


https://kb.presswise.com/admin/system-preferences/batch-options

 

[namelessentity]

My print controller truncates file names after I think 16 characters so too much info is actually a huge pain in the ass.
Ideally, all I want in a file name for printing is the job number and the line item #. I don't care what it's called, and I don't care who the client is. All of that information is in my job jacket, so I just need a number to match it to.

 

[Craig]

Job Number - File Name. Nice and simple. Print ready files are placed in a folder for the operator to grab and then go into a printed folder for a week before being deleted (in case of an immediate re-print in bindery). Original files are stored in native format in their own folder. Re-make PDF's for reprints with the new job number.

 

[AC Prepress]

Job#_Client_Desc
New folder and copy of final PDF for reprints.

 

[dabob]

Well . . . we file ours alphetically in a folder under the customers name and then with a unique job number and then with the customers name, job description and any other relevant information that might help identify the file if its "misfiled". This way you are not required to go to your MIS system to retrieve a file for example, or if perchance your MIS system didn't have it entered correctly by job #you have a pretty good chance of finding it by looking at the customer and description alone.