I rename all my files using a date related paradigm (today’s = 1402_LosAngeles_001….) checking the ‘Apply to Original Files’ box in the Batch Change dialog so the original and version names match up. My referenced master files show up in the finder with the correct new file names and Bob’s your uncle. Right?

Not so fast. When I send a file to Photoshop from Aperture 3 it always comes back with the original camera file name. What!? Why does it still retain that info? A bit of an annoyance having to rename the PSD files every time after round tripping, but so what?

Now the BIG PROBLEM. One of my Aperture projects has become corrupted. Aperture is confused about which reference files are associated with which images. A ‘Locate Referenced Files’ issue… NOT!

The actual referenced files are where they should be but images from another project are showing up when I view them in Aperture. OH NO! If I ask Aperture to show me the referenced file (File->Show in Finder) it points to a file from another Aperture project that resides in another referenced folder in the finder. In Aperture, the image from that other project is ALSO pointing to that same referenced finder file! Luckily, the correct image file is still sitting in the referenced finder folder NAMED THE SAME NAME as its Aperture library project, and the file itself is NAMED THE SAME NAME as the Aperture ID-ed version/master.

AND I can’t find a way to point Aperture back to the right file! The File->Locate Referenced Files method only seems to work if Apeture has ‘lost’ the file link. By unchecking the ‘Show Only Files Not Found’ box I can point Aperture to the right file in the ‘Referenced Files in Selection’ dialog, but hitting ‘Done’ does not make it stick as Aperture is convinced it is already pointing to the right file. IE if an Aperture-referenced image is already linked to a file, it will not let me change that link to another file.

I suspect that Aperture got confused about what file to link to because it is clinging to the residual master camera file names. Since these repeat (usually after XX_999999) Aperture may be confusing images that have the same residual camera file name.

2 1/2 BIG QUESTIONS:

1. Why is Aperture holding onto the original camera file names (I believe Lightroom has an option to keep or discard them when renaming masters), and why is that the name the Photoshop is seeing/using them when creating new files?

2. MOST IMPORTANT! How can I redirect Aperture to the right referenced files without dumping and reimporting the whole 8000 image project and loosing all the associated image adjustments.

Any geniuses out there?

Thank you!