HX9V - deleting photos when imported

[elegantsufficiency]

I am a long time Sony Cybershot user (T series, W series and now an HX9V)  I use Picasa to upload and manage my photographs efficiently and have always been able to select whether to delete or keep photos when importing to my PC.  The new HX9 doesn't open that option in Picasa for me and reading around the ubject online leads me to think it's a setting on the HX9 which is locking those images.  The trouble is, I can't find that option!

Help please.  I think there must be some setting which is protecting the images from accidental deletion but until I find it, I'm just going to accumulate images on the memory card rather than be able to maintain only those images I want to keep there.  All advice gratefully received!

[Mick2011]

Hi, welcome to the Sony Forums.

I'm not convinced the issue is with your direct upload to Picassa, so I've messaged a colleague who might have some advice on camera settings that might help.

Hope to get back to you soon.

Cheers

Mick

[elegantsufficiency]

Thank you, Mick.  I agree with you and feel sure the answer lies within the camera - some setting or other.  I checked the SD card wasn't "locked", have scrolled through the menus in the hope of finding one with a likely option but have had no success.

I can't help feeling that the answer isn't that far away or difficult.  But it doesn't seem to be very obvious!

I appreciate your help on this one.

Best wishes,

Gill

[Mick2011]

Hello again Gill

It just occurred to me that you might not be using PMB to upload images to your PC before transferring to Picassa. There is a setting in PMB related to this problem of repeated uploads, a description of which can be found on this FAQ: Videos and photos that have already been imported to the computer are imported again and again

If you have PMB installed, it might be worth trying this out. Let me know if it helps; it's always good to try out the simple solutions before we go researching more difficult ones

Cheers

Mick

[elegantsufficiency]

Oh heck, I fear I'm going to present one of those difficult ones!

Mick, you're right, I'm not using PMB.  I didn't install PMB simply because I didn't feel I needed another piece  of software clogging up my computer and offering to perform the same  tricks that existing programs already do.  All I want (?need) to do is to transfer the files from camera to computer quickly and efficiently and being a creature of habit, was hoping I'd be able to do this as I've always done...import the files via Picasa into the folder of my choice, creating a thumbnail as I go so that I can find them again.  As I import the files, I usually opt for "delete imported files from camera" within Picasa - though sometimes, when importing to my laptop, I choose to leave them all on the memory stick until I get home, when I can import them all onto my desktop (and get them backed up automatically)

I take lots of photographs - at least ten a day - and upload one of them each evening to my 365 blog, which is why  "quick and efficient" is key here.  I can do this directly from Picasa - and whilst I'm not particularly wedded to that particular program forever, it's fulfilling my needs for the time being.

So, although I can still import photos from my HX9 using Picasa, that option of "delete imported files" (or not) is greyed out and unavailable to me.  I can see that installing PMB on my computer could be an option, but I'm not sure that I'm ready to change my workflow right now...my T900 is still working brilliantly (love it!)  and I can carry on taking my daily photos with it and importing/deleting as I have been doing rather than use my HX9.  Trouble is, I'm a bit of a dog with a bone :smileymischief: The more a mere machine tells me I can't do something, the more I want to prove it wrong  :smileygrin:

I really appreciate your suggestions on this - and your prompt response.  I'm not trying to be obstructive honest!), but merely hoping to fit my new (and really terrific) camera into my life with the minimum of upheaval!

Best wishes,

Gill

[Mick2011]

Hello again Gill

I competely sympathise with you - I can be at least as stubborn as the most defiant hardware. Software on the other hand often brings me to my knees

I'm quietly confident we can find a solution to this. I've asked around and should get a response in due course.

Meanwhile it's good to hear you have a workaround. Just wondering: have you tried uploading your files from a card reader, rather than the camera? I know that has helped with upload issues in the past.

Mick

[elegantsufficiency]

Mick, I appreciate your efforts and perseverance with such a pesky forum member as me!  I don't know whether to feel pleased that I am not missing a really obvious trick here or sorry that it's not more easily resolved

We're a Sony household, so yes, it's eay peasy to whip out the SD card and slot it into the side of my Vaio.  Interestingly, when I do that, all the options are open to me in Picasa - just the same as when I connect my T900.  So, I suppose that's the confirmation if we needed any, that it's the actual HX9 which is giving us the challenge?

So, why don't I simply plug in that SD card all the time to import my photos?  Well, previous experience with an earlier T series camera (T70? sorry, can't remember) makes me anxious about using that small and comparatively flimsy catch on the battery/card slot frequently.  Remember, I'm doing this every day, at least once, and for the want of the tiniest bit of plastic which broke on that old T-series camera, I had to replace it.  I'd rather than didn't happen again and whilst I'm comfortable opening up that catch to replace the battery and so on, would really rather not be opening and shutting it to pull the card in and out more often than I need.

Anyway, I'm sure you and your colleagues love getting the occasional challenge (!) - please know that I am very thankful for all thoughts and of course, look forward to the answer

Glad I'm not the only stubborn one around here!!

Thanks!!

Gill

[Mick2011]

Ah, that's good news. We can safely assume it's a camera setting, as you say, but also good to know there's a workaround if needed. I'll pass that on and see what we can find out.

Appreciate your feedback, Gill

Mick

[elegantsufficiency]

Mick, this one is going to run and run.

this morning, I took three photos and went to upload them to Picasa as always.  Connected my HX9 with the wire and went through the import procedure in Picasa, noting that those option buttons were greyed out as usual.  When I went to clcik "import", another dialogue box opened with "are you sure you want to delete imported photos?" (even though that option had been greyed out).  I went ahead and imported - and the photos were deleted from my camera just as I'd like to be able to do every time.

So, it did it this time but I have no idea how/why.  I've attached a screenshot of that page.

My computer moves in mysterious ways.  I'd just like to be in control!!

Gill

[Mick2011]

Hello again Gill

I had to smile reading that: typical contrary computer

Seriously, have you downloaded or installed any new software prior to this 'change of heart'? While it's clearly not ideal to have no selecatble option, it's certainly odd that the default behaviour should change like that without (say) a new version of PMB.

You screeen shot was a little small to see what was going on.. could you upload a larger version, say 1000 pixels wide?

Cheers

Mick