Match your client's filename list to the right originals.
A client sends four filenames. Your folder has two cameras, duplicate names and RAW files with different extensions. Start by deciding what counts as a match.
1. Use filenames, not gallery positions.
DSC_0412.jpg can point to DSC_0412.CR3 if the gallery preserved the base name. “Picture 412” or a screenshot of the grid cannot safely identify that original. Ask for the actual filenames or your gallery's filename export.
2. Try the tools you already own.
For a catalog-only job, try Lightroom Classic's Library text filter for filenames, or Capture One's Select By Filename List. Inspect the results before flagging them. Pixieset documents the workflow and warns that a Contains search for a short name can include additional files. See Pixieset's official guide. No tool purchase is necessary if this meets your needs.
3. Check the full stem and camera folders.
| Client asks for | Available original | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| DSC_0412.jpg | camera-a/DSC_0412.CR3 | One full-stem match |
| DSC_0450.jpg | camera-a/DSC_0450.CR3 + camera-b/DSC_0450.CR3 | Ambiguous: narrow the source |
| DSC_9999.jpg | None | Missing: check renamed or excluded files |
Do not assume the first result is right. Matching by filename does not prove two files contain the same photograph. Case-only filename differences are treated as ambiguous in SelectPack.
4. Make a separate output.
If a retoucher or an archive needs actual files, keep the originals and copy confirmed matches into a new folder. Preserve relative paths. Include a report of requested names, matched paths and unresolved entries so a partial delivery is visible.
5. Use the demo to test your situation.
SelectPack's free demo checks the whole list and exports up to five files. Its synthetic example has two matches, one missing request and one ambiguous request. No account or upload is required.
Check a selection locally →Public preview: the demo is free, and the full download is planned at $5 USD. Checkout is not available. This guide does not require an account or purchase.
Common fixes
- Wrong extension: use RAW stem mode when the gallery exports JPG names.
- Duplicate camera names: choose a narrower source folder and process each camera separately.
- Filename changed by a gallery: export its original filename list. Do not guess.
- ZIP too large: use folder copy in supported desktop Chrome / Edge or split into smaller batches.
- Catalog virtual copies: this tool handles real files only, not catalog objects.