Forcing a Lumix DMC-FS35 back to Folder 100, Photo Number 1

  There is no way using the FS35's menus to get it to reset its
  photo number counter back to Folder 100, Photo Number 1, even if
  one formats the SD card, or resets the FS35 to its "Factory Settings".
  Hence the following convoluted procedure!

  The following description is aimed at the linux pc community using
  the bash shell's command line interface. There are naturally
  equivalent commands available under MSwindows using the command
  line window. See, for example:

             http://www.michna.com/panacount.htm

  for some hints on how one might do this.

  I have tried to be overly detailed in the command examples given below
  for the benefit of inexperienced users of the bash shell. Any such user
  should be warned that white-space characters can be important to the bash
  shell, especially around the "[", "]", and "=" characters.

  The technique relies on the fact that the FS35 tries to create a new
  folder when the frame number in the current folder reaches 999.
  And when Folder 999 is full, it wraps around to Folder 100 again.

  To summarise, the steps are:
       Save all photos on the SD card.
       Format the SD card to erase all photos.
       Get the FS35 to use Folder 999.
       Fill up Folder 999 and remove all other folders.
       Take a photo.
       Erase Folder 999 and its contents.

  a) Save all photos on the SD card.

  b) Use the FS35 Setup Menu item "Format" to delete all files and folders
     from the SD card.

  c) Take a single photo and find its number using the camera's playback
     mode. In the following examples it is assumed that the number is:

          104-0025

     i.e. Photo number 25 in Folder 104. If the folder number is already
     999, continue at Step (e).

  d) Get the FS35 to change to Folder 999. This involves filling up the current
     folder with pseudo photos, and then creating all folders up to, but not
     including, Folder 999 as follows.

      i) Move the SD card to a pc (or use a USB connection). Hopefully it
         will get "mounted" automatically. If not one will need the "mount"
         command and, possibly, super-user privileges.

      ii) Let's assume that the SD card is mounted as (use the "df" command
          to get the information):

               /media/315C-0DB0

      iii) Fill up the "current" folder with photos:

          mountPoint=/media/315C-0DB0   #  \
          folderNumber=104              #   > Modify accordingly
          photoNumber=25                #  /

          folder=$mountPoint/DCIM/${folderNumber}_PANA
          x=$(expr $photoNumber + 1)
          while [ $x -lt 1000 ]; do
            newPhoto=$folder/P${folderNumber}0$(printf %03d $x).JPG
            echo $newPhoto   # An optional command to see things happen
            touch $newPhoto
            ((x++));
          done

      iv) Create all higher numbered folders up to, but not including 999:

          mountPoint=/media/315C-0DB0   #  \ Modify accordingly
          folderNumber=104              #  /

          y=$(expr $folderNumber + 1)
          while [ $y -lt 999 ]; do
            newFolder=$mountPoint/DCIM/${y}_PANA
            echo $newFolder   # An optional command to see things happen
            mkdir $newFolder
            ((y++));
          done

      v) Dismount the SD card from the linux system (use the umount command,
         maybe), and insert it into the FS35 again. Take a photo. It should
         have number:

          999-0001

  e) At this point, the FS35 is saving photos in Folder 999. We shall now
     fill up this folder with pseudo photos, and delete all other folders,
     as follows:

      i) Move the SD card back to the pc and mount it again as described
         in Sub-steps i) and ii) of Step d). The card should have the same
         mount point, but don't forget to check it to be sure ("df" command).
         So, the mount point in the example below is:

               /media/315C-0DB0

         Assume that the last photo taken is:

               999-0001

      ii) Fill up Folder 999 with photos:

          mountPoint=/media/315C-0DB0   #  \
          folderNumber=999              #   > Modify if necessary
          photoNumber=1                 #  /

          folder=$mountPoint/DCIM/${folderNumber}_PANA
          x=$(expr $photoNumber + 1)
          while [ $x -lt 1000 ]; do
            newPhoto=$folder/P${folderNumber}0$(printf %03d $x).JPG
            echo $newPhoto   # An optional command to see things happen
            touch $newPhoto
            ((x++));
          done

      iii) Delete all other folders except Folder 999:

          mountPoint=/media/315C-0DB0   # Modify if necessary
          folderNumber=100
          z=$folderNumber
          while [ $z -lt 999 ]; do
            newFolder=$mountPoint/DCIM/${z}_PANA
            if [ -e $newFolder ]; then
              echo $newFolder   # An optional command to see things happen
              rm -Rf $newFolder
            fi
            ((z++));
          done

      iv) Dismount the SD card from the linux system (use the umount command,
           maybe), and insert it into the FS35 again.

  f) The next photo that is taken should be number:

          100-0001

  g) Once at least one photo has been taken, the Folder 999 can be erased.
     This is done by moving the SD card back to the pc and issuing the
     commands:

          mountPoint=/media/315C-0DB0   # Modify if necessary
          rm -Rf $mountPoint/DCIM/999_PANA/


                                                            David Maden
                                                            CH-5223 Riniken
                                                            22 Nov 2012