Underscores in File names
by Jason Joly
on
Jun 22, 2009 at 6:34:14 pm
I'm looking for some documentation to support my position in a "difference of opinion" between me and an editor at my office. She claims that using underscores in file names is not allowed when editing on Avid. I don't know the specific machine/Avid platform she is using but I was contending that underscores are about as basic of a naming convention as possible and should work no matter the platform.
We use PCs and Macs here so I have been developing a naming convention for GFX files that need to go to both avid and PC. Underscores have ALWAYS worked in the past - but they never do when she takes the files. She claims that when she changes the name to remove the underscore - it suddenly works.
Anyone know of documentation I could turn to so I can tell her that there is nothing wrong with using the underscore? Right now she has me creating alternate filenames for her edits and I don't have time to deal with it!
Re: Underscores in File names by Jon Zanone on Jun 23, 2009 at 12:29:31 am
I don't know about cross platform, but on the PC I ALWAYS use underscores. I use them in sequence names, bin names and project names - NEVER a problem. We've got some Mac guys at work - I'll ask them and post back.
Jon
"Jamming our heads full of figures and angles
And telling us stuff that we already know"
Re: Underscores in File names by Jon Zanone on Jun 23, 2009 at 2:33:27 pm
Jason -
I've talked to my 'Mac' guy - he knows of no prohibition on using underscores in file names. In fact, using underscores instead of spaces is the safest way to deliver a product for the web, especiallly when you have to put a workorder number in the title.
As for documentation, I checked my "Missing Manual for OS X" book (kinda' like a dummies book) and there is no prohibition on underscores in the file naming convention. I suspect your editor may be working on knowledge gained from the days of 'Mac and PC shall never talk to each other'.
As far as documentation, I googled "underscores in avid mac files" and found this:
Re: Underscores in File names by Kenton VanNatten on Jun 25, 2009 at 1:49:36 pm
You certainly can use underscores in file names - filenames are a function of the OS, not the Avid software anyway.
It is actually recommended by Avid that you use underscores in Workspace names when using Unity in a Mac environment.
Is your co-worker on the PC and you on the Mac or vice versa?
If she is on the PC then she should be aware that files created on a Mac will appear to show two instances of the same file one named "filename.mov" and another file named "._filename.mov" The one with the "._" is unreadable to the PC and may be what she's doing. I've never tried it, but I'd imagine that removing the ._ in the filename would allow it to work correctly. But, in truth the correct file should be there and she should just ignore the ._ files.
