# How to merge all of my photos



## MzAtl (Apr 28, 2012)

Help! I have photos all over the place and want to merge them into one file or program. I have them on old drives from my XP, from my Vista (some in my old Canon Powershot program, and in my Windows Pictures), and even on my current HP Win 7 PC they are all over the place. I never liked the HP Media Smart, nor my new camera's Panasonic Lumix software which automatically opens, and also currently hold photos. I currently like Windows Live (from my previous Vista I'd try to move them from my Canon Powershot software and put them into the Window pictures program.* I like software that will automatically download photos from my camera and put them in files chronologically by date taken.* And from that point, I sometimes like to crop them, but have never done complicated editing. As it stands, I am sure I have lots of duplicates. Most of them I have not named, and they only have the original date and jpg number. (I don't know if somehow duplicate numbers might appear or not.)

I also have duplicates in Picasa, which is great for sharing, BUT which I later realized degrades the photo so much that it can never be printed off even is a 3 x 5 format.)

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions, I would love to merge them into one place and in one program. Tks for your help!!!


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

if you copy them all into pictures directory - most programs use this directory anyway 

then the program to use really depends on your preference 
windows live
canons zoom browser
Picasa

with windows 7 - it should be able to be set up to bring pictures in and 
1) create folders based on the date the picture was taken 
or
2) create a folder based on the date you import the photos


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## MzAtl (Apr 28, 2012)

So are you saying that whenever pictures are downloaded into Windows 7, that even if a different program downloads them, that they automatically all go into the Pictures folder? Is this what you are referring to as the picture directory? I just now opened up the HP MediaSmart, which I haven't opened for months, and saw a lot of photos being populated into it as I was looking. 

What do I look for under each individual program, otherwise, to make sure it is transferred into Windows main "Pictures" folder, as in neither the HP MediaSmart, nor the Panasonic PhotofunStudio5.0, nor the Windows Live Photo Gallery, do I see any way to send them to the Windows 7 "Pictures" folder. Are all photos downloaded in to Windows 7, regardless of what program it downloads into, automatically sent to the Windows 7 "Pictures" folder. Sorry to be so dense. Maybe I don't have duplicates like I thought. Hope you understand my dilemma. Maybe I just don't understand how it works. Tks.It always seemed like some other program - like the Panasonic - downloaded the pictures into one place in the Windows 7 system.


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## MzAtl (Apr 28, 2012)

Sorry, I need to correct the last sentence...It always seemed like some other program - like the Panasonic - downloaded the pictures into their individual system (Does the original imported photo actually go into the Windows 7's "Picture" folder which is then visible in the individual program that downloaded it? 

Thanks for you help!!!


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

> So are you saying that whenever pictures are downloaded into Windows 7, that even if a different program downloads them, that they automatically all go into the Pictures folder?


Not necessary - but a lot of the programs I have used do

Photoshop
Elements
Zoombrowser
windows
and a few others - i cant remember


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## wowzer (Dec 28, 2009)

Sounds like you have created quite a mess... unfortunately.

Just my thoughts...

I would open each program you have and copy...not cut... the pictures to a new named folder on your hard drive somewhere, My Pictures if you like.

Then, when you have done that with all the various programs you have, double check that the pictures have been transfered.

Then and only then, uninstall all the programs, and begin sorting out the ones you want from the ones you don't.

Time consuming, yes, but in the end you'll be happier and better off for the effort.

Then pick one program, not camera supplied, and stick with it.

Good picture management, in the end, make taking them much more enjoyable.

have fun...


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

> *I like software that will automatically download photos from my camera and put them in files chronologically by date taken.*


You describe Picasa's function to a tee right there, by default it puts them in your Pictures folder as well, and it will tell you if the same pictures are already on your system and don't need to be downloaded to the computer again. I don't think it detects duplicates already on the system.

Don't know exactly what problem you are describing with degrading photos, you mean when uploaded to albums and shared? If so there are options you can choose for the quality sent to your online album, all the way from 800 pixels to original size which might take a long time to upload but there would be zero loss of quality to any recipient.


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## MzAtl (Apr 28, 2012)

I didn't try to make it a mess. My new HP PC came with the HP MediaSmart that automatically kicked in, and then when I got my new Panasonic Lumix, it kicked in, and because I didn't like either of them, I'd switch to the Windows Live that put them in the right order - automatically populating. I agree. I will spend some time and see what's on them. 

Can anyone tell me if when they are originally downloaded, whether that be HP MediaSmart, the Panasonic Lumix, or the Picasa, IF all of the originals go to the Windows 7 "My Pictures" file that etaf described in the first response of this thread?

Thanks everyone! I will let you all know what works, as I am going to try all of your suggestions to see which one works best and easiest. Thanks all of you!


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