Describe the archive you want to see

A rule answers three questions

Which files? Rules are assigned by extension. Combine several extensions into any group that makes sense to you — NEF, ARW, CR3, for example — or create a separate rule for one specific file type.

Where? Every rule has its own base destination. RAW files can go to an archive drive, video to a separate high-capacity volume, JPEGs to a working folder, and documents to the Mac itself. One set of rules distributes files across several drives in a single run. Save the complete path — from base destination through the entire sorting tree — as a preset, then switch drives when circumstances change without rewriting the rule.

Along which path? Within the base destination, ShotPorter builds folders from ready-made elements: dates in several formats, camera models, content types, and more. Once you have a useful structure, save it as a template and reuse it in other rules.

Filenames themselves remain unchanged. If the destination already contains another file with the same name, ShotPorter never overwrites it: different versions keep their original names in adjacent VERSION folders.

What can a path contain?

We deliberately keep the list of available elements — tokens — focused. Every token should produce a predictable result that is easy to verify before copying begins, rather than bury you under a million obscure options with little use in real life.

If an important element is missing, tell us what it is and why it matters. We will do our best to add it in a future update.

Alongside the standard elements, you may use text, spaces, and any special characters allowed by the operating system. A slash / creates another level of nesting — a subfolder. There is no need to memorize the tokens: the visual editor helps you assemble any pattern.

Folders should read well and sort correctly

The same idea can be written several ways. The difference may not matter today; it will matter after a few years, when the archive contains hundreds — perhaps thousands — of folders.

The language of month names is set in ShotPorter’s General settings. Classic English is the default, but the archive can speak your own language instead. For an entirely numeric structure, use {yyyy}/{mm}/{dd}; for easier reading, combine the number and name.

Do not force every fact into a folder name

A path answers where the material lives. Keywords explain what the material contains. Those are different jobs, and ShotPorter does not squeeze them into one field.

When enabled by your rules and processing scenario, the application asks for variable values as soon as a run starts. The value entered for {custom} becomes part of the path. Keywords are embedded in fully supported formats; other files receive Finder tags.

Authorship and copyright information need not be re-entered for every shoot either. They live in separate named templates that you can switch as needed.

Examples from real life

Find a situation that resembles your own. The closed row states the problem and recommendation; open it to see only the relevant rules, templates, and resulting paths.

How to begin untangling an old archive

You do not need to turn an old archive into a perfect source by hand. Select any folder or available drive, and ShotPorter performs the same process: scan, copy, verify, and sort.

1. Start with a small but representative folder. It will quickly reveal extensions that still lack rules and the kinds of conflicts present in the real archive.
2. Run the first pass manually. Check destinations, {custom} values, and final paths before entrusting large volumes to the system.
3. Leave unknown files alone at first. A file without a rule remains untouched in the source folder. Later, assign its extension to a suitable group, ignored types, or junk.
4. Work in batches. After several folders, you will see which rules are truly universal and which were invented for a single exception.
5. Do not confuse organization with backup. A major reorganization of an old archive still calls for an independent copy beforehand.

Begin more simply than you are tempted to

A flexible system makes it tempting to account for everything down to the last support file. It is usually better to begin with a few obvious groups — RAW, finished images, and video, for example. After several real runs, you will know what genuinely needs a separate destination or template.

This is precisely why ShotPorter does not impose ready-made groups. A photographer, a videographer, and a mixed team mean different things by “order.” The best system is not the most detailed one; it is the one you understand and will actually use every day.

Then stop spending effort on keeping it that way

Run the first jobs manually: check destinations, see real conflicts, and make sure the outcome matches your intentions. There is no reason to keep repeating decisions you have already made.

Once the rules have settled, register your working cards and let Hands-Free mode perform the routine steps. On future connections, ShotPorter applies the same system and stops only for a decision you did not delegate. The order remains yours; maintaining it ceases to be a separate job.