Shipbucket

FILE NAMES

Below are the set of rules that are to be followed for the purpose of naming files posted for upload in the main archive.

General patterns
Basic file name is to consist of up to three main elements (application of which will be further explained below) plus a filename extension:
1) hull classification symbol denoting the ship's purpose,
2) ship name, further subdivided into:
2.1) pennant number (if applicable),
2.2) name itself,
3) other information as needed,
and filename extension (preferably ".png")

For example: It should be noted, that SB hull classification symbols are meant to serve as clear reference regarding the ship's purpose and to ease browsing the archive folders. Therefore these symbols, besides certain general simplifications, generally take precedence over classification peculiarities of particular operators. For example, we have accepted the convention that symbol MS (motor ship) denotes passenger(-capable) ships, while MV (motor vessel) denotes cargo/freight carrying ships (without significant passenger-carrying capabilities). Many operators, however, use either symbol for both these categories, therefore in the filename this distinction is to be observed, while the name of the ship given on the template is to be applied as in the real-life.

Vessels of the US uniformed services (US Navy, USCG, NOAA) using modern system of hull classification symbols (instituted on 1920 July 17), as well as ships of certain other navies that have adopted these rules (Republic of China Navy since 1950s, Republic of Korea Navy, Japanese Maritime Self-Defence force, Royal Canadian Navy since 1950s) use appropriate hull classification symbols in lieu of both point 1) and 2.1).

For example: Files with all other vessels of these countries will be named according to basic rules.

Particular parts of the file name should be divided by space, but since many of the picture sharing services do not allow for spaces, the sign " _ " can be used instead.

Hull Classification Symbol (Hull Code)
For practical reasons three sets of hull classification symbols are to be in use.

1. Generic set, largely derived from the US Navy set of symbols but for practical purposes not identical with it - in fact significantly diverging from it in some places. List of officially-approved symbols is posted below.
2. Set of codes used by the US uniformed services and several other navies (as mentioned above) - these are to be followed literally along their real-life counterparts.
3. Set of codes in the Russian language (but written in Latin alphabet) used by the Soviet/Russian Navy and navies created after the break-up of Soviet Union, with the exception of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Symbols used by the Soviet Navy often did not correspond properly with the western warship classification, therefore a separate set is needed. Warships used by other countries (and posted to their respective folders) but built by Soviet Union will have generic set applied to them, though, NOT the Soviet one.

It has to be remembered, that sets 2) and 3) are to be used only for the appropriate navies and only in the valid timeframe. Civilian ships or military vessels that existed before the real-life implementation of these sets are to be named with "generic set".

If a drawing represents some very specialized ship, whose purpose can't be properly described by any of the mentioned symbols, Administrators may allow for additional symbol to be introduced. It would be suggested, however, to avoid creating new categories unless genuinely unavoidable.

Ship's name
This part consists of two elements: pennant number and name itself.
Pennant number is added whenever applicable, typically only on military vessels, in such form as in the real-life.

When a picture represents a whole class of ships, then the name and pennant number of the name ship of the class are used.
When a picture represents a particular ship from the class, then the name and pennant number of that particular ship are used.

In case of ships being obtained from outside sources, only the local name is used, with original (previous, in case of second-hand vessels) omitted, for example:
picture showing British frigate HMS Broadsword (pennant number F88) after it was sold to Brazil and named there Greenhalgh (pennant number F46) should not be named "FF Broadsword - Greenhalgh.png" or anything like that, but simply: If a particular navy uses some country-specific class naming, like Soviet/Russian "project numbers" (Pr.205, Pr.956 etc.), German "type codes" (Kl.122, Kl.143 etc.) or Mainland Chinese "type numbers" (Type-053, Type-092 etc.), then a drawings representing whole classes may use such names instead, but only in their country of origin. Ships exported abroad will have only their local names given. Only partial exception to this are Soviet-bloc countries, where Soviet "project numbers" were/are functioning as de-facto local names, and also applied similarly to local designs (Poland, East Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea, partially Mainland China).
In the case of Soviet/Russian and Mainland Chinese ships, the filename for is to contain the project/type number and NATO code, for example: When a ship class did not have NATO code (for the ships chronologically preceding creation of NATO) or has more well-known other name, the NATO code could be skipped or replaced with that name, for example: In case of Soviet/Russian ships transferred to Chinese Navy, pictures showing the whole class may be named with Soviet project number and Chinese type name instead of NATO code, for example: The last rule is for ships with MARAD hull type codes - these are much more rare (and mostly US), but are rendered with the Hull code with spaces as the breaks followed by the ship's name: We do not use prefixes like HMS, USS, SMS, ARA, ORP etc.

Other information as needed
Here additional information can be posted, like year, a digit extension (if there are more than one drawing of a ship at a particular year, or if there is a series of drawings representing several sub-variants of particular class etc.) or a brief bit of text.
For example:
The following is a list of the core codes to be used:

• CV - Aircraft Carrier
• CVN - Aircraft Carrier, Nuclear
• CVE - Aircraft Carrier, Escort
• CVS - Aircraft Carrier, ASW
• BBCV - Battlecarrier
• BB - Battleship
• BBG - Battleship, Guided Missile / Arsenal Ship
• BBGN - Battleship, Guided Missile / Arsenal Ship, Nuclear
• BBCD - Battleship, Coastal Defence
• BC - Battlecruiser
• BM - Monitor, seagoing
• CA - Armored & Heavy Cruiser
• CL - Protected & Light Cruiser
• CLG - Light Guided Missile Cruiser
• CG - Cruiser, Guided Missile
• CGN - Cruiser, Guided Missile, Nuclear
• CH - Cruiser, Helicopter
• CM - Cruiser-Minelayer
• AMC - Auxiliary Merchant Cruiser
• DD - Destroyer
• DDG - Destroyer, Guided Missile (air defence)
• DDH - Helo carrying Destroyer
• DL - Destroyer Leader
• DT - Torpedo Boat (applies to vessels from which destroyers evolved in 19th century, NOT to PT/MTB's)
• FF - Frigate
• FFG - Frigate, Guided Missile (air defence)
• FFH - Helo carrying Frigate
• FS - Corvette
• FAC - Fast Attack Craft, Missile
• MON - Riverine Monitor
• OPV - Offshore Patrol Vessel (Large)
• PT - Motor Torpedo Boat
• PG - Gunboat
• PB - Patrol Boat (less than 30 meters/100 feet)
• PC - Patrol Combatant (more than 30 meters/100 feet)
• PR - Patrol Riverine
• PS - Submarine Chaser
• SS - Submarine, Diesel/Diesel Electric
• SSB - Submarine, Ballistic Missile
• SSBN - Submarine, Ballistic Missile, Nuclear
• SSG - Submarine, Guided Missile
• SSGN - Submarine, Guided Missile, Nuclear
• SSK - Submarine, Attack, Conventional
• SSN - Submarine, Attack, Nuclear
• SSM - Submarine, Midget
• SSX - Submarine, Special
• MCM - Mine Countermeasures Ship (combined Minehunter/Minesweeper capabilities - applicable only to ships built since 1970s)
• MCS - Mine Countermeasures Support Ship
• MH - Minehunter
• ML - Mine Layer
• MSO - Minesweeper, Ocean
• MSC - Minesweeper, Coastal
• MSB - Minesweeping boat
• LCC - Landing Command Ship
• LHA - Amphibious Assault Ship
• LPH - Landing Platform, Helicopter
• LPD - Landing Platform, Dock
• LSD - Landing Ship, Dock
• LSM - Landing Ship, Medium
• LST - Landing Ship, Tank
• LKA - Amphibious Transport Ship (equivalent of USN - LKA, LPA, LPR)
• LCA - Landing Craft , Assault
• LCH - Landing Craft, Heavy
• LCM - Landing Craft, Mechanized
• LCP - Landing Craft, Personnel
• LCT - Landing Craft, Tank
• LCVP - Landing Craft, Vehicles and Personnel
• ACV - Air-Cushioned Vehicle
• AC - Coiler
• AD - Destroyer/Surface Craft Tender
• AF - Stores Ship
• AFS - Combat Stores Ship
• AG - Miscellanous Auxiliary
• AGB - Armed/Military Icebreaker
• AGS - Hydrographical Survey Ship
• AH - Hospital Ship
• AN - Net Layer
• AO - Fleet Oiler
• AOE - Fast Combat Support Ship
• AOR - Replenishment Oiler, underway
• AP - Transport
• APL - Barracks ship
• AR - Depot and Repair Ship
• ARS - Salvage Ship
• AS - Submarine Tender
• AV - Seaplane Tender
• AVC - Catapult Ship
• AX - Training Ship
• JSS - Joint Support Ship
• RV - Research Vessel
• AHTS - Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel
• FB - Firefighting Vessel
• FPSO - Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Vessel
• FT - Factory Stern Trawler
• FV - Fishing Vessel
• HLV - Heavy lift vessel
• HSC - High Speed Craft
• IB - Icebreaker (civilian)
• LS - Light Ship - floating lighthouse
• MS / MV - Motor Ship / Motor Vessel (passenger/cargo)
• MSL - Pusher tug
• MT - Motor Tanker
• NS - Nuclear Ship
• OSV - Offshore Supply Vessel
• PSV - Platform Supply Vessel
• RMS - Royal Mail Ship (not all UK ships were certified to carry mail)
• RV - Research Vessel
• SAR - Search and Rescue Vessel, incl. firefighting
• SS - Steam Ship
• ST - Steam Tanker
• SV - Sailing Vessel
• TS - Training Ship
• TUG - Tug
• TV - Training vessel
• YT - Yacht
• ZN - Airship, blimp
• ZR - Airship, rigid

There are, on occasion, reasons to use options not on this list, but they should be handled and justified on a case-by-case basis. Just ask.

The first draft of this post was written by eswube, and thanks go to him for his work. If there are any questions, feel free to ask.

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𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐍𝐄𝐓- 𝑻𝒐 𝑪𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆

For soviet War ships (this mainly applies to ships build after 1945- though, but naturally I assume those who draws, have done their homework) use the listing I posted about year ago. Use the classification only for the ships in Soviet and Russian naval service.
There are still some irregulars in here, and for commercial vessels, I suggest using the standard practice, as well for the tsarist warships, since back then there weren't any offical clasification system to be used in way of prefixes and abbrevations. (you can naturally, by your own judgement use the designations listen when they apply offcourse)
When you drawn these ships used by other navies, (small combatants in most cases, all the larger ones should allready be in the archive anyways), use the general titles listed above in Timothy's post.
I also address that DO not use the pennant (or hull) numbers, since they were not used in same sense as in USN and other western fleets, the irregular and random changes of the pennant numbers was way of disinformation and disquise and we don't want that in our nice new archives do we?

What comes to transliteration of the foreing languages of non latin letters, I suggest using what en.wikipedia uses for their place to be sure. We are not translationbukcet but shipbucket.


Also I like to add as a general addenda to Timothy's post: Study it. Try to grasp whats the idea of it and the logic of our naming system, becouse once you realise how it should work, you are lot better armed when it comes to some weirdness that seems not to fit into the said guidelines. Its still then lot better if the artist would be wise enough to come up properlyish file name than to burden us to come up with it in every occasion.

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