Anyone use windows file to organize scrap files?

[suzanne]

I'm interested if there is anyone not using ACDSee or Bridge or PSE Organizer to organize their digital files. I just cannot put the money into a new program just to organize all these download things.

I'm looking for ideas on organizing scrap downloads using windows files only. I know I can use search to find things if they are named right.

Thanks!!

[maureenreynolds]

Suzanne, while I'm not on Windows, I started out the same way you are describing with Folders. I have a master called Designer Digitals (even tho there are some others in there). The categories I have are Actions, Ali, Alphas, AV, Brushes, Christmas, Elements, Frames, Halloween, Journaling, Kits, KP, Masks, Overlays, PKnox, Styles, Templates and Tutorials. There is another folder for all the things I create and also a Z Download Archive. The Z is just so it stays at the bottom of the master file section. These are what work for me. (AV, KP etc are designer initials.)

In Windows, you can pick the preview to be the pic on the folder icon. That will give you some ability to preview the contents. The visibility is the key to what I want so I am still working with Iphoto (which came on my Mac) and Bridge (which came with PSE6 for Mac). I think if you check the icon view when your are in Explore (? sorry I am forgetting what the equiv of Mac's Finder is....) you can see the contents of your folders.

Hope this helps you. I still keep all my digitals IN that actual folder. The programs I am testing are ways to see inside that folder and do searches.

[beckie_weckie]

I just made the move to CS4 and love the easy transition of bridge to PS.

[dugarner]

Suzanne,

Before I used Elements, I browsed in Windows.

I keep my folders in a folder called "Digital Scrapbook Kits." I keep them all in the folders they come in, which is where the tagging system comes in handy.

However, if you have a handle on what you've downloaded, and you know pretty much what was in each kit, I think you'll do just fine.

Like Maureen said, if you go into your digital supplies folder and choose View: Thumbnails, you will see a few items in each folder. If there is a preview jpeg that came with the kit/paper, whatever, rename that file folder, and it will become the thumbnail associated with that particular folder. So you can see what is in it.

Alternatively, you could right-click on the master folder, or any folder inside your scrapbook supply folder, and left-click "Explore." That will open the directory tree on the left-hand side of the screen and will open every folder as you click on it on the left. If you set View--->Thumbnails, you'll have everything right there. It's a little more tedious than a tagging system, but as long as you don't have too much, I think it works just fine. I have about 5,000 scrapbooking items, and I pretty much know where everything is, and where to go to find it.

Someone else may have a work-around; there may even be a Windows plug-in that lets you tag your items.

Hope that helps! I apologize if I wound up telling you something you already knew. I just thought I'd pass along the way I used to do it.

[hendon]

I have a 'Digital Kits' folder and an 'Individual Elements' folder.
I download and unzip everything I buy and keep a copy under store - then by designer - in the 'Digital Kits' folder - with a gif of the preview so I know what the kit/paper pack looks like.
Then I make a copy of all the individual elements within that kit and put them into the 'Individual Elements' folder which has folders called - paper - flowers - fasteners - alphas, etc.
It sounds like double the work and it is double the hard drive space, but I'm used to it now so it's just automatic. It helps me find what I'm looking for fast too.

[lesvrolyk]

I use Picassa to preview my digi-folders. It's free from google. It does have a tag option as well, but I haven't bothered to use it much myself. I guess the thought of going through ALL my stash and tagging it is just too daunting! I also browse all my photos from picassa. The nice thing about picassa is that once I choose which photo I want and can just drag it over into my photo editing program (I use Paint Shop).
I also like Picassa because I use their photo sharing site, so it makes it easy to upload. Picassa is actually a photo editing program too, but it makes a great file preview program.

Oops! It's Picasa. Just google that and you will see a link to the free download.

[Kayleigh]

This is totally do-able Suzanne!! Here is my system:

I am on vista & just use the windows to organize my files. I have my folders set up as follows & then have a preview folder that has a copied version of each preview in the same folder set up.

Ali's Words, Alphas, Brushes, Dates, Distress/ Paint, Elements, Frames, Journaling Spots, Kits, Masks, Overlays, Page Templates, Paper Packs, Ribbon, Sentiments, Stitching

This works best for me b/c I can then see the image of each download under my catergorized previews & then skip to the other folder to get to that item. I never break up anything from it's original download. Changing the previews in the thumbnail is a pain in & it doesn't even last. (I can't tell you how many times i reset them only to turn on my computer the next day & they were gone again!) That's why this preview system works & will never fail. The whole tagging system doesn't work for my head & seems like it would take FOREVER!! Hope this all makes sense, if not just ask!

[shellb]

I use windows on my main computer (and thanks to Heathers tutorial for Bridge I use it on my laptop.) And as it happens I organize just like Mareen. I use recognizable images for the thumbnails like for Katie's Kits I would use the store thumbnail on my thumbnail. As for search I pretty much just keep my Digiscrap file open whilst I scrap (as I'm a big drag and dropper)

Hope this helps?

[shellb]

So Kaliegh you have two folders named digiscap (or whatever) and one has the actual items and the other just has previews? I'm a little confused how that works...what do you mean by previews. You make a really good advocate for your system and I am intrigued.

[maureenreynolds]

I like that idea of a Previews folder also (Kayleigh). What I hear is that she copies the preview for each download and puts that in a Previews folder e.g. the Elements folder has all the elements dowload incl preview and the Elements Previews folder has copies of all the elements previews.

Hmmmmmm, sound intriguing.

btw, I love the Brush Pilot and I did pay the $15 for the full version. I put ALL my brushes in one Brushes folder and love being able to see them all.

[Kayleigh]

Yes that is right. So all my downloads that are elements (ie Anchor Its!) are put into the element folder & then I right click on the PREVIEW & then copy it into the Element Preview folder. So the preview folder only holds the previews. Clear as mud? lol

[hendon]

If you change the PREVIEW to a 'gif' and name it 'Folder' it will AWAYS come up as the preview picture (just change it is PSE).
I used to hate the way they disappeared until I found this way.

[elseepe]

I'm just using Windows Live Photo Gallery (free), you can tag in it and it is much faster than PSE's organizer.

[lesvrolyk]

I forgot to mention that I do the same thing as Kayleigh with the my digi-stash. I have seperate preview folders where I copy in just the preview jpgs. Then those are the folders that I browse with picasa.
It seems strange to use a different program for previewing, I guess, but I'm an old school windows explorer user and I hate thumbnails in there...gotta have full file extensions and details or I'm lost!

[Serenoa]

I use Picasa , same as Les does. It is FREE and works great. I have thousands of pictures (also do ceramics and glass work in addition to digital art). I have 2 monitors connected to my PC and always have Picasa active on one of them. Just scroll thru the folder thumbnails, find what you want to use, and then drag it across to Elements or PSP, whichever I have open on the other monitor. I am using Vista for this and have an upgraded graphics card which supports dual monitors.

[suzanne]

Originally Posted by elseepe

I'm just using Windows Live Photo Gallery (free), you can tag in it and it is much faster than PSE's organizer.

Oohh I didn't even think about Windows Live...I have that on the new computer. I'll definitely have to check it out. Thanks!

Thanks everyone for the replies!! I do have previews on the folders and I have been trying to sort into different folders (i.e. paper packs, kits, templates, brads, flowers, etc.) Just wonder if there was a better organization for these things.

[faerywings]

I I know that you are not looking to use something like acdsee, but if you go to Organizing Styles
there are organizing styles that may be helpful to you when you set up folders in Windows.

They might be able to give you some ideas on how to get started. For me, I always need some sort of "jump off" point to get me going.