LDS Media Talk

This post describes the file naming convention for audio, video, PDF, PDA, and other files provided on Church Web sites for download. (Note: This post replaces my previous post MP3 File Naming Strategy.)

The purpose of this file naming approach is to provide users with a consistent experience as they manage files that come from Church sites, and at the same time, provide Web site managers and databases with both flexible and consistent elements for file identification.

Basic principles:

• Each file should have a unique name.
• Filenames should have consistent structure that enables users to clearly identify products.
• The file naming approach for a product should be consistent for all files within the product.
• Product managers should adjust the file naming approach for differing products in ways that make sense for each product.

Details:

• Filenames have ten unique parts or elements.
• Underscores delimit elements.
• Elements 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 are customizable and optional for different product types.
• Element 4 must contain Track information.
• Elements 7 through 10 must always contain: item number, language, segment number, and file type information.
• Files that contain the complete product are designated by “00″ in Track (4th element) and “Complete” in Track Descriptor 2 (6th element).
• This pattern is maintained even if there is no information available to fill a given element of the file name.

Date-based Products Files for date-based products like magazines, general conference, and other broadcasts should be named in a way that sorts by product first, then date, and then item. See below for a typical magazine example:

1. Product – The product in this example is Ensign, using the abbreviation ENSN.
2. Product Description 1 – year of publication.
3. Product description 2 - month of publication.
4. Track – In this example, the track is 02 (the second file in this hypothetical Ensign).
5. Track Descriptor 1 - author or speaker (last name and first initial).
6. Track descriptor 2 - title of the talk or article.
7. Item - the 5-digit item number printed on Church publications.
8. Language - the ISO alpha language code indicating the language of file.
9. Segment - segment number from the XML file. (This is meaningless to the user, but assists in the production and management of the files.)
10. Extension – the file extension type. (doc, pdf, wma, mp4, vob, brf, etc.)

Additional Examples:

ENSN_2006_10_01__WelcomeToThisIssueOfTheEnsign_26910_eng_003.pdf
ENSN_2006_12_02_MonsonTS_FirstPresidencyMessage_26912_ase_004.mp4
GC_2006_10_40__ CompleteSession_26991_ase_022.wmv
GC_2006_10_65_HinckleyGB_WeBearTestimonyToTheWorld_26991_eng_035.mp3
Chapter Products

Files for chapter products like manuals and study guides are named in a way that users can easily recognize. See below for a typical example:

1. Product – The product in this example is the Preparing for Exaltation manual. Since there is no standard abbreviation for this product, the full name is used.
2. Product Description 1 – This example uses Teachers Manual. The system will sort all teacher manual files together and separate from the student manual files.
3. Product description 2 – This example does not require further sorting at the product level, so this element is left blank. (Notice the two underscore delimiters together.)
4. Track – In this example, the track is 17. This will cause this file to display 17th in the list.
5. Track Descriptor 1 - 16 in this example, because it is chapter 16 in the manual.
6. Track descriptor 2 - Chapter title HoldToTheRod.
7. Item - the 5-digit item number printed on Church publications.
8. Language - the ISO alpha language code indicating the language of file.
9. Segment - segment number from the XML file. (This is meaningless to the user, but assists in the production and management of the files.)
10. Extension – the file extension type. (doc, pdf, wma, mp4, vob, brf, etc.)

Additional Examples:
BM_GospelDoctrine_StudyGuide_01__Introduction_00000_eng_002.mp3
DutiesAndBlessingsOfThePriesthood_PartA__01_1_Introduction_31111_eng_004.pdf
TPTC_2007_SpencerWKimball_01__Introduction_36500_eng__.wma
YW_PersonalProgress__00__Complete_ 36035_ase_000.mp4

Simple Items

Simple products are typically stand-alone items with no subdivisions or chapters, such as feature videos, pamphlets, guidebooks, and so forth. See below for a example:

1. Product – The product in this example is the Family Guidebook. Since there is no standard abbreviation for this product, the full name is used.
2. Product Description 1 – This example does not require further sorting at the product level, so this element is left blank. (Notice the two underscore delimiters together.)
3. Product description 2 – This example does not require further sorting at the product level, so this element is left blank (notice the two underscore delimiters together).
4. Track – In this example the track is 00, which indicates that it is a file containing the entire product.
5. Track Descriptor 1 - This example does not require further sorting at the track level, so this element is left blank. (Notice the two underscore delimiters together.)
6. Track descriptor 2 - “Complete” in this example to keep file name consistent across product types.
7. Item - the 5-digit item number printed on Church publications.
8. Language - the ISO alpha language code indicating the language of file.
9. Segment - segment number from the XML file. (This is meaningless to the user, but assists in the production and management of the files.)
10. Extension – the file extension type. (doc, pdf, wma, mp4, vob, brf, etc.)

Additional Examples:
YW_GuidebookForParentsAndLeadersOfYouth__00__Complete_ 36415_eng_001.mp3
BetweenHeavenAndEarth___00__Complete_56666_eng_000.wmv
TheLivingChrist_TheTestimonyOfTheApostles__00__Complete_00000_ase_000.mp4
TheFamily_AProclamationToTheWorld__00__Complete_00000_eng_000.pdf

Scriptures (this section was added February 15, 2007)

The track for the scriptures is in the 2 field, rather then the 4th. It follows the book identifier, and is before all other elements unique to the chapter. We do not pad with underlines to make the track the 4th element.

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