Using Photo Browser in Apple Mail

[RogerS]

A question for the Apple cognoscenti.

In Mail, there is the very useful Photo Browser that lets you choose photos from iPhoto that you want to use as an attachment. Only slight problem is that any keywords or metadata in iPhoto don't come over with the photo and so the actual attachment is labelled something like DCS01393.jpeg which isn't that helpful if you have a lot of photos.

But I can't see an easy way of renaming them in Mail

TIA

Roger

 

[petermillard]

You can rename the individually attached pictures one at a time in the usual way - select the text of the label by clicking on it and changing it to what you want - but I don't think there's a way to batch-rename from within the email, if that's what you meant??

Must admit, if I use Mail's photo browser to add pictures, they don't come with any kind of label - only if I use the 'share' option from within iPhoto. This is on OSX 10.8 (mountain lion) - which version are you on?

HTH Pete

 

[RogerS]

I don't have any labels or see any picture filename in my Mail (Snow Leopard). Right-click throws up the usual menu but nothing to do with renaming.

 

[petermillard]

Sorry Roger, confused now...

I don't have any labels or see any picture filename in my Mail (Snow Leopard).

but previously you wrote...

...and so the actual attachment is labelled something like DCS01393.jpeg

If I use the photo browser option from within Mail, the pictures aren't labelled in any way; if I use the 'share' option from within iPhoto, they're labelled with the filename - but this is just a line of text in the email directly beneath the picture, and can be edited in the usual way.

 

[RogerS]

Sorry for the confusion.

If I create an email using Mail and then add an image using Photo Browser there is no way to see either any labels, tags or keywords. While you are in the process of creating the email, there is no way at all to see even the actual filename of the photo. You can...if you save the email as a draft.. close the email and then re-open the saved draft. You will then see the actual filename eg DCS3848494.jpeg. However there is still no way whatsoever to change the name as it is a hyperlink (effectively).

Using the share option in iPhoto only lets you email one photo at a time (plus it seems a bit clunky to use). True the photo label does come through but is disassociated from the photo as it is simply inserted into the text.

 

[petermillard]

If I create an email using Mail and then add an image using Photo Browser there is no way to see either any labels, tags or keywords.

I see filenames in the photo browser window, but these don't transfer across to the email when they're added via the browser.

While you are in the process of creating the email, there is no way at all to see even the actual filename of the photo. You can...if you save the email as a draft.. close the email and then re-open the saved draft. You will then see the actual filename eg DCS3848494.jpeg. However there is still no way whatsoever to change the name as it is a hyperlink (effectively).

Images in Mail are placed inline ('in place') by default; if you right-click on one and choose 'view as icon' the image will change to an image icon with the filename and file size - but yes, there's no way to change the filename from here. You can change the filename and add a description within iPhoto, and these will be added when using the 'share' option.

Using the share option in iPhoto only lets you email one photo at a time (plus it seems a bit clunky to use). True the photo label does come through but is disassociated from the photo as it is simply inserted into the text.

You can attach several photos at a time just by selecting several of them (shift+click or CMD+click) before hitting 'share' - or just drag them onto the Mail.app icon in the dock, and it'll create a new email with the images attached. The only way I know to get the filename or description in the body of the email though, is to use the 'share' option - and as you say, it simply inserts as text; must say though, that I've never known any email app to 'associate' the filename or description with an image that's shown inline i.e. not as a generic file icon.

Also, regarding 'clunky to use' - excuse me if I'm teaching granny to suck eggs, but in Mail > Preferences > General, there's an 'Email photos using...' option that lets you select Mail from a drop-down menu, otherwise the 'sharing' option defaults to sending emailed photos from within iPhoto, which is, indeed, clunky

Anyway, hope this helps - and there's always Flickr

 

[RogerS]

...... The only way I know to get the filename or description in the body of the email though, is to use the 'share' option - and as you say, it simply inserts as text; must say though, that I've never known any email app to 'associate' the filename or description with an image that's shown inline i.e. not as a generic file icon.

The ability to rename the attached image would be perfect as then you could rename DCS12273.jpeg to be something like 'Tenon joint.jpeg' which would then have some relevance to the text.

Also, regarding 'clunky to use' - excuse me if I'm teaching granny to suck eggs, but in Mail > Preferences > General, there's an 'Email photos using...' option that lets you select Mail from a drop-down menu, otherwise the 'sharing' option defaults to sending emailed photos from within iPhoto, which is, indeed, clunky

Nice link ...I think you meant iPhoto > Preferences ? Mine preference is already set to Mail.

I guess the only way to do it is to drag a copy of the photo onto the desktop, rename it there then attach it

 

[petermillard]

The ability to rename the attached image would be perfect as then you could rename DCS12273.jpeg to be something like 'Tenon joint.jpeg' which would then have some relevance to the text... I guess the only way to do it is to drag a copy of the photo onto the desktop, rename it there then attach it

You can rename them in iPhoto from within the 'info' panel (and add a description) and both the filename and description will show if you attach them using the 'share' option. AFAIK that's the only way to get the info inserted beneath an inline image in an email - even dragging the photos to the desktop to rename them, then attaching them to an email (which incidentally, has to be clunkier than share > email!) won't include the filenames unless you choose to 'view as icon' - in which case you don't see the images, just a generic image icon.

Nice link ...I think you meant iPhoto > Preferences ? Mine preference is already set to Mail.

Duh! My apologies, I meant iPhoto, of course - but you're there already, so no harm done!

HTH Pete