likelyhood for a previous file to be named like that is close to zero and removes any problem of the need to check if the randomly produced number has been used before. Also the added information has some value as metadata, particulary in comparison to a random number. But still, DSC_XXXXX or IMG_XXXXXX style file names should be prevented. *Med vänliga hälsningar, Jan Ainali* Verksamhetschef, Wikimedia Sverige <http://se.wikimedia.org/wiki/Huvudsida> 0729 - 67 29 48 *Tänk dig en värld där varje människa har fri tillgång till mänsklighetens samlade kunskap. Det är det vi gör.* Bli medlem. <http://blimedlem.wikimedia.se> 2014-09-01 20:13 GMT+02:00 werespielchequers &lt;werespielchequers(a)gmail.com > I wonder if we could change the upload so it added a random suffix to > non-unique file names? That way the uploads would still work, and we > wouldn't lose the meaningful part of file names - sometimes the best bit > for search results. > > > Jonathan > > > -------- Original message -------- > From: Racso > Date:01/09/2014 17:54 (GMT+00:00) > To: Wiki Loves Monuments Photograph Competition > Subject: Re: [Wiki Loves Monuments] Wiki Loves Monuments 2014 has > notstarted yet... > > It's clear that obscure names should be discouraged (for Wikimedia > Commons standards), but right now we may discourage participation with that > limitation. There isn't even an option to pick a new filename when an error > occurs in the UploadWizard; you have to start the upload process all over > again. Also, there isn't a quick way to check if the filename that is about > to be used is already occupied or not; you have to save, get the API error, > and start over again. > > Also, please note that the problem isn't limited only to obscure names. > The "Eiffel TowerX.jpg" (for several values of X, and with no X) name is > already occupied. The same may happen to popular monuments on each country. > > That said, I insist: we should make participation as easy as possible. > In most photo repositories (everyone except Commons?), you don't even need > to assign names to uploaded files; they are automatically generated. Yes, > they end being obscure, random names such as 12309803.jpg, but nobody cares > about that! We can't change Commons naming policies right now, but we can, > at least, help participants by reducing name collisions or making the > error-fixing process as easy as possible. > > For now, I'll try to explain in WLM-CO instructions that an "api-error-unknownerror" > means that the photo filename should be changed. > > Racso > > > > 2014-09-01 4:53 GMT-05:00 &lt;aktron(a)centrum.cz&gt;cz>: > >> Yes, >> >> >> >> I have received some e-mails from various people that they do have this >> issue in WLM CZ. I do believe however it is a filename issue, as it is >> highly logical to expect files named IMG_401.JPG to be kinda problem to >> upload... as pretty much everyone tried to do so in past 10 years. >> >> >> >> So they were kindly asked to change the filename... >> >> >> >> >> >> Aktron >> >> Wikimedia Czech Republic >> >> chairman >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> > Od: KaewWiki &lt;KaewWiki(a)gmail.com&gt; >> > Komu: Wiki Loves Monuments Photograph Competition < >> wikilovesmonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org&gt; >> > Datum: 01.09.2014 11:11 >> > Předmět: Re: [Wiki Loves Monuments] Wiki Loves Monuments 2014 has >> notstarted yet... >> > >> Hi Rasco, >> >> I confirmed that "<api-error-unknownerror>" is a filename problem. >> >> We should >> (1) tell the uploader that it is a filename issue. >> (2) allow them to go back to the page where the uploader may give a new >> name -- rather than give an option to retry. >> >> Taweetham >> >> >> On 1 September 2014 14:06, Jan Ainali &lt;jan.ainali(a)wikimedia.se&gt; wrote: >> >>> DSC0001 - 28392 is an obscure file name and should really be >>> discouraged. File names should be descriptive. If anything, the help text >>> for that field can be made clearer. >>> >>> >>> *Med vänliga hälsningar, Jan Ainali* >>> >>> Verksamhetschef, Wikimedia Sverige >>> <http://se.wikimedia.org/wiki/Huvudsida> >>> 0729 - 67 29 48 >>> >>> *Tänk dig en värld där varje människa har fri tillgång till >>> mänsklighetens samlade kunskap. Det är det vi gör.* >>> Bli medlem. <http://blimedlem.wikimedia.se> >>> >>> >>> 2014-09-01 9:00 GMT+02:00 Racso &lt;racso(a)colombia.com&gt;om>: >>> >>> I had that error when doing a test upload. I retried, changing the >>>> filename, and it worked. >>>> That made me wonder: Is there a way for making the UploadWizard to >>>> append a random number to the default filename? I'm pretty sure lots of >>>> participants will have trouble because of trying to upload images with >>>> already occupied filenames, specially if the names come from cameras (e.g. >>>> DSC0001). If a random number is appended to the name (e.g. DSC0001 - >>>> 28392), we would heavily reduce this problem. >>>> Racso >>>> >>>> >>>> 2014-08-31 22:42 GMT-05:00 KaewWiki &lt;KaewWiki(a)gmail.com&gt;om>: >>>> >>>> However, it now has another problem at "Describe" stage: >>>>> >>>>> 77px-Örebro_slott_resynth.jpg >>>>> <api-error-unknownerror> >>>>> None of the uploads were successful. >>>>> >>>>> Retry failed uploads >>>>> >>>>> Anyone has done a successful test upload? >>>>> >>>>> On 1 September 2014 10:09, KaewWiki &lt;KaewWiki(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: >>>>> > It is now fixed. Thank you. >>>>> > >>>>> > On 1 September 2014 09:21, Romaine Wiki &lt;romaine.wiki(a)gmail.com&gt; >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >> I think this is a known bug of the upload wizard. Is it still say >>>>> that the >>>>> >> contest has not started yet? >>>>> >> >>>>> >> Romaine >>>>> >> >>>>> >> >>>>> >> 2014-09-01 2:16 GMT+02:00 Saqib Qayyum &lt;saqib.qayyum(a)hotmail.com >>>>>>>>>> >> >>>>> >>> Same here Pakistan >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> ________________________________ >>>>> >>> Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2014 02:15:51 +0200 >>>>> >>> From: pierre-selim(a)huard.info >>>>> >>> To: wikilovesmonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>>>> >>> Subject: Re: [Wiki Loves Monuments] Wiki Loves Monuments 2014 >>>>> has not >>>>> >>> started yet... >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> Same here when I tried to submit an image to UK contest :-) >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> 2014-09-01 2:13 GMT+02:00 KaewWiki &lt;KaewWiki(a)gmail.com&gt;om>: >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> Hello All, >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> This is a message from WMTH. This is about 7:05am Thailand time >>>>> or >>>>> >>> 00:05 (UTC). I try to do a test upload and see the following >>>>> message. >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> "Wiki Loves Monuments 2014 has not started yet. >>>>> >>> Wiki Loves Monuments will start in September. You may still >>>>> share your >>>>> >>> images, but they will not be eligible for the competition." >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> The URL is >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:UploadWizard&ca… >>>>> 13.759925059999986&lon=100.5016259999999 >>>>> <https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:UploadWizard&campaign=wlm-th&id=0000024&descriptionlang=th&description=%5B%5B%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B3%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B4%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A8%5D%5D&lat=13.759925059999986&lon=100.5016259999999> >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> Anyone got the same problem? Any solutions? >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> Many thanks, >>>>> >>> Taweetham >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> >>> Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list >>>>> >>> WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>>>> >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments >>>>> >>> http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> -- >>>>> >>> Pierre-Selim >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> _______________________________________________ Wiki Loves >>>>> Monuments >>>>> >>> mailing list WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>>>> >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments >>>>> >>> http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org >>>>> >>> >>>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> >>> Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list >>>>> >>> WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>>>> >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments >>>>> >>> http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org >>>>> >> >>>>> >> >>>>> >> >>>>> >> _______________________________________________ >>>>> >> Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list >>>>> >> WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>>>> >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments >>>>> >> http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list >>>>> WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments >>>>> http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org >>>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list >>>> WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments >>>> http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list >>> WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments >>> http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org >> >> >> >> ---------- >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list >> WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments >> http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list >> WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments >> http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list > WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments > http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org > _______________________________________________ Wiki Loves Monuments mailing list WikiLovesMonuments(a)lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikilovesmonuments http://www.wikilovesmonuments.org