Montana History Portal - File naming conventions for Collections
Before you begin to scan and name files for your Portal collection(s), decide how you would
like to name your files. This will ensure consistency, uniqueness in file names, and
efficiency.
It is important to know the scope and details of the collection, prior to establishing a file
naming convention. Take the size of the collection into account; the naming convention
should allow for unique file names for each item.
Required:
Required:
- All filenames should be unique
- The file-naming schema should provide a logical sequence that can be easily
identified and reproduced
- Use only alpha-numeric characters for both files and folders. Exceptions are dashes (-) and underscores (_)
- Do not use special characters. Examples include: / > < + = ^ { } [ ] #
- Use a three-character file extension (i.e. “.tif,” “.pdf”, etc.) at the end of each file
name
- Do not use spaces in file/folder names — use underscores instead
- All letters should be lower case (Some operating systems are case sensitive. Using lower case consistently prevents problems.) Use leading zeros. When file names need numbering, use zeros as placeholders. Example: a collection of 900 items should be numbered: abc001.tif, abc002.tif, etc. This will facilitate proper sorting and file management
- When dates are used, base the date on the Portal standards. Example: yyyymmdd, 20121030, or 2012_10_30
- File names should contain necessary descriptive information, independent of their storage location. Examples: For a Helena Independent Record newspaper from February 13, 1910: hir1910_02_13_001.tif (Helena Independent Record; February 13, 1910 Page 1) hir1910_02_13_002.tif (Helena Independent Record; February 13, 1910 Page 2).
Naming tips:
Naming tips:
File pages will be alpha-numerically sorted.Example:Herald, April 1, 1900 (folder name)0001_Title page.tif0002_Masthead.tif0003_Page1.tifWill appear in the navigation pane as: Daily Herald April 1, 1900Title PageMastheadPage 1Portal Images File Naming Sample:FlatheadLake001FlatheadLake002FlatheadLake003JohnSmith001JohnSmith002JohnSmith003
Sources referred to:
http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/systems/digitalinitiatives/docs/filenameguidelines.pdf https://digitalriceprojects.pbworks.com/w/page/35749942/File%20naming%20conventions http://www.library.illinois.edu/dcc/pdfs/best_practicespdfs/02_best_practices_for_file_naming_opt.pdf
http://library2.usask.ca/spcoll/Content%20DM%20tutorials/Working%20With%20Content%20Types/11managing-newspapers.pdf
Related Articles
Montana History Portal - Folder Hierarchy
Create a Folder Hierarchy for a Portal Collection: Introduction The folder hierarchy determines the structure of the item display. Before you begin scanning, decide how you would like your collection to display on the Montana History Portal If, ...Montana History Portal- Digital Preservation Policy
Purpose: Preservation of existing digital master files makes it possible to ensure digital collections will live on despite changes in technology. Policy: It is the policy of the Montana State Library (MSL) that contributors to the Montana History ...Montana History Portal - Glossary of Terms
Digital Imaging Vocabulary Bit Depth - Bit depth quantifies how many unique colors are available in an image’s color palette in terms of the number of 0’s and 1’s, or “bits.” See also: Dynamic Range Compression - The reduction of image file size for ...Montana History Portal - Frequently Asked Questions
What is it? The Montana History Portal (Portal) is a statewide project designed to provide access to digital collections of items relating to Montana’s cultural heritage and government. It is sponsored by the Montana State Library and the Montana ...Montana History Portal - Metadata Guidelines
Title Element Name Title Dublin Core Definition A name given to the resource. Is Field Required? Required Is Field Repeatable? No How to Use? Title may also be an identifying phrase or name of the object supplied by the contributing institution. Take ...