diff --git a/image_list.py b/image_list.py
index 969be3c..ae4d0c3 100755
--- a/image_list.py
+++ b/image_list.py
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ def setup_options():
                      help="Minimum pixel width/height of stored image for --small search [%(default)s]")
     parser.add_argument("-r",action="store_true",dest="random",default=False,
                      help="Create randomized files for landscape and portrait images [%(default)s]")
+    parser.add_argument("-R",action="store_true",dest="relative",default=False,
+                     help="Try to find relative path of files, if --measuring from a different machine [%(default)s]")
     parser.add_argument("-s",type=str,dest="search",default=False,
                       help="Search list based on path pattern")
     parser.add_argument("--measure",action="store_true",dest="measure",default=False,
@@ -194,7 +196,7 @@ def add_recurse(options):
                                 sys.exit(1)
                         # if file mentioned, and hash same, no need to change entry
         conn.commit()
-    append_data(conn)
+    append_data(options)
     return
 
 def add_single(conn,filename,change=False,hash=None,minsize=0):
@@ -213,7 +215,9 @@ def add_single(conn,filename,change=False,hash=None,minsize=0):
         print("adding: %(f)s (%(x)s)" % {'f':filename, 'x':humanize_size(fsize)})
     return
 
-def append_data(conn):
+def append_data(options):
+    conn=sqlite3.connect(options.sqlfile)
+    conn.text_factory=str
     print("Append basic metadata...")
     db=conn.cursor()
     dbh=conn.cursor()
@@ -228,6 +232,7 @@ def append_data(conn):
         filename=hash2file(conn.cursor(),row[0])
         if filename==None:
             continue
+        filename=check_path(filename,options)
         dims=get_dims(filename)
         if int(dims[0])<int(dims[1]):
             portrait=1
@@ -356,8 +361,8 @@ def call_viewer(opts, files):
     devnull = open('/dev/null', 'w')
     subprocess.call(opts.viewer.replace('%f', " ".join(files)), stderr=devnull, shell=True)
 
-def append_colors(sqlfile):
-    conn=sqlite3.connect(sqlfile)
+def append_colors(opt):
+    conn=sqlite3.connect(opt.sqlfile)
     conn.text_factory=str
     db=conn.cursor()
     dbh=conn.cursor()
@@ -368,15 +373,11 @@ def append_colors(sqlfile):
         filename=hash2file(conn.cursor(),row[0])
         if filename==None:
             continue
+        filename=check_path(filename,opt)
         colors=get_colors(filename)
         dbh.execute("UPDATE data SET R=?, G=?, B=?, BR=?, BG=?, BB=? \
                WHERE hash=?",(colors[0][0],colors[0][1],colors[0][2],
                               colors[1][0],colors[1][1],colors[1][2],row[0]))
-        filebase="  "+os.path.basename(filename)
-        dirname=os.path.dirname(filename)
-        if dirname!=dirname_old:
-            dirname_old=dirname
-            filebase=filename
         print("%(i)d: %(f)s (%(r)s %(g)s %(b)s)" % {'i':count-i,  'f':filename, 'r':colors[0][0], 
                                     'g':colors[0][1], 'b':colors[0][2]})
         if (i%50==0):
@@ -499,8 +500,8 @@ def get_ratio_diff(d1,d2):
     
     return abs( float(d1[0])/float(d1[1]) - float(d2[0])/float(d2[1]) )
 
-def append_fingerprints(sqlfile):
-    conn=sqlite3.connect(sqlfile)
+def append_fingerprints(opt):
+    conn=sqlite3.connect(opt.sqlfile)
     conn.text_factory=str
     db=conn.cursor()
     dbh=conn.cursor()
@@ -511,15 +512,11 @@ def append_fingerprints(sqlfile):
         filename=hash2file(conn.cursor(),row[0])
         if filename==None:
             continue
+        filename=check_path(filename,opt)
         fp=get_fingerprint(filename)
         dbh.execute("UPDATE data SET fingerprint=? \
                WHERE hash=?",(fp,row[0]))
-        filebase="  "+os.path.basename(filename)
-        dirname=os.path.dirname(filename)
-        if dirname!=dirname_old:
-            dirname_old=dirname
-            filebase=filename
-        print("%(nr)i %(f)s" % {'f':filebase, 'nr':count-i})
+        print("%(nr)i %(f)s" % {'f':filename, 'nr':count-i})
         if (i%50==0):
             conn.commit();
     conn.commit()
@@ -663,8 +660,8 @@ def find_fingerprint_nearest(opts):
         call_viewer(opts, (cmp,this[0]))
         
 
-def append_sharpness(sqlfile):
-    conn=sqlite3.connect(sqlfile)
+def append_sharpness(opt):
+    conn=sqlite3.connect(opt.sqlfile)
     conn.text_factory=str
     db=conn.cursor()
     dbh=conn.cursor()
@@ -675,15 +672,11 @@ def append_sharpness(sqlfile):
         filename=hash2file(conn.cursor(),row[0])
         if filename==None:
             continue
+        filename=check_path(filename,opt)
         sp=get_sharpness(filename)
         dbh.execute("UPDATE data SET sharpness=? \
                WHERE hash=?",(sp,row[0]))
-        filebase="  "+os.path.basename(filename)
-        dirname=os.path.dirname(filename)
-        if dirname!=dirname_old:
-            dirname_old=dirname
-            filebase=filename
-        print("%(nr)i %(f)s %(s)f" % {'f':filebase, 'nr':count-i,'s':sp})
+        print("%(nr)i %(f)s %(s)f" % {'f':filename, 'nr':count-i,'s':sp})
         if (i%25==0):
             conn.commit();
     conn.commit()
@@ -965,6 +958,25 @@ def import_metadata(options):
     
     print("Imported %d metadata, %d tags." % (after-before,tagsafter-tagsbefore))
 
+def check_path(path,opt):
+    """ return relative path name to DB if real path doesnt exist """
+    if os.path.isfile(path):
+        return path
+    if not opt.relative:
+        if not os.path.isfile(path):
+            raise IOError("File %s not found. try -R for relative search" % path)
+    
+    sqlpath=os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(opt.sqlfile))
+    rel=os.path.join(sqlpath, path)
+    searchpath=path.split(os.sep)
+    while not os.path.isfile(rel):
+        searchpath=searchpath[1:]
+        if len(searchpath)==0:
+            raise IOError("File %s not found" % path)
+        rel=os.path.join(sqlpath, os.sep.join(searchpath))
+        #~ print(rel)
+    return rel
+
 
 def main():
     options=setup_options();
@@ -982,12 +994,13 @@ def main():
     if options.search:
         print_structure(searchdb(options.sqlfile,options.search))
     if options.measure:
+        append_data(options)
         print('Measure colors...')
-        append_colors(options.sqlfile)
+        append_colors(options)
         print('Measure fingerprints...')
-        append_fingerprints(options.sqlfile)
+        append_fingerprints(options)
         print('Measure sharpness...')
-        append_sharpness(options.sqlfile)
+        append_sharpness(options)
     if options.random:
         print('Random lists...')
         random_lists(options.sqlfile)