ACDSee

[scrappychar]

I am trying to figure out how to organize all the digi files I have been collecting. I am new (January) to digi scrapping and wondering, is ACDSee a good program to use? I have been using "bridge" and it just doesn't seem to be working right. Is ACDSee better? Different? What is different?

Thanks!
Char

[anxela]

I loved ACDSee when I was in Windows. I would definitely start using it. I think Jessica Sprague offers a class in how to use ACDSee?

ACDSee lets you assign categories to files. You choose which categories you want to use, and that depends on how you like to organize. I organized papers in different colors, and by type (floral papers, graphic papers, solids, and so on). I had a "preview" category, and categories for different types of embellishments. You can find a lot of info here: Welcome to DigiScrapInfo!. They are dedicated to digital scrapbooking, and to organizing with ACDSee. They have a few suggestions on how to choose categories, and you can download them too.

Here are suggestions for categories: http://digiscrapinfo.com/joomla/acds...anizing-styles

Here is the download page for organizing styles: http://digiscrapinfo.com/joomla/acds...yles-downloads

I have never used Bridge, so I don't know how it's different from that...

[Amson]

I love ACDSee. I used to be up to date tagging supplies but am behind at the moment so will spend time this week catching up. It is a wonderful program but you need to think about how you are going to catetorise before you start. It is so wonderful to look at a photo and be able to find exactly the paper you want to use in a couple of clicks without having to sort through kit after kit. Good luck!

[faerywings]

I have been using ACDSee Photo Manager for several years now. I joke that I cannot scrap without it- and it is true! :lol:

I use it to keep my scrap supplies organized as well as my photos. Some of my favorite features are being able to import my photos and "tag" them as they are downloading.
I love being able to find the paper/element I need with just a few clicks or a Quick Search.
I use the Caption and Author Fields to add my Kit name and Designer name so it is easy to credit what I am using.
And last- I am a Brush and Font collector and I am thrilled that I can use PM to view and load brushes and fonts.

You can get a free trial at acdsee.com
If you go to digiscrapinfo.com, you can also get some good tutorials to get you started. There are also a lot of good threads on it right here.

[bjrobie]

I couldn't scrap without ACDsee. How did I manage without it!

[janedee]

I've been using ACDSee for over a year now and absolutely love it!

[Jen D]

I love ACDSEE... it really helps me have all my supplies at my finger tips!!! What I like is that you can customize it to what categories/tagging method help you! We all have different systems and that is a beautiful thing =)

[twirlerzmom]

Just curious what version each of you use? I'm running Pro Photo Manager 2.0 and it crashes often, although not as often as 2.5. Do the rest of you just use Photo Manager 2009? Is it pretty stable?

[Amson]

Photo Manager 2009 is very stable for me although I had a few problems after installing the beta version of Lightroom. Just a matter of ensuring lightroom is fullly closed prior to downloading photos in ACDSee.

[lorrieimages]

I just purchased ACDSee this weekend. It's on sale 40% off and there is a rebate code so the price is $25.40 or so right now.

I used to unzip my zip files using Windows Explorer. Now that I'm opening them in ACDSee I'm having a bit of a problem remembering to Extract the zip first, since it allows you to see the file before you even unzip it. I'm sure over time I'll correct my mistake but I've emptied several zip files which is a problem. It's wonderful, but overwhelming at first. Tagging old supplies is taking a very long time.

[cheska99]

I use ACDSee too, in a simplified way. I just tag everything with keywords and skip the categories part. Works pretty well for me. BUT I find that ACDSee is a highly unstable program. It hangs over and over again, sometimes so badly that I have to reboot the computer.

[twirlerzmom]

I haven't encountered any hanging problems. My problem has been "Acdsee has encountered an error and needs to close" with no warning whatsoever that it was going to crash. Everything works fine one minute and shuts down the next. That's why I was wondering if it was something specific to the pro version and perhaps didn't do that so much in the plain manager version.

[janedee]

I guess I've been pretty lucky. I've only had ACDSee hang on me a handful of times over the past year. I do try to keep my database optimized regularly. I'm running a five year old computer with Windows XP and 2GB Ram.

[cheska99]

In addition to my hanging problems, I do get the "ACDSee needs to close" message, but compared to hanging, that's great. I can just repopen ACDSee. I think, though, I should look into optimizing my data. Jane, if you're still reading this thread, can you tell us more about doing that? Thanks!

[maureenreynolds]

I don't have ADCSee (and am waiting to hear if the copy I won in the chats can be the Mac one when it is finally birthed) but I don't understand about optimizing data.

Can someone explain that to me please? I had the kind of hanging, then departing on its own issue with Bridge too. I let that program alone and went to iPhoto but am curious if the optimizing, whatever that is, would have cured the issue.

I'm a Mac user with PSE6.

[janedee]

Originally Posted by cheska99

In addition to my hanging problems, I do get the "ACDSee needs to close" message, but compared to hanging, that's great. I can just repopen ACDSee. I think, though, I should look into optimizing my data. Jane, if you're still reading this thread, can you tell us more about doing that? Thanks!

From within ACDSee, go to the Database heading at the top. Within the drop down menu, the 2nd choice from the bottom should be optimize. When you click on this you begin the Optimization Wizard which says it removes any obsolete database info, reduces the amt of space required by the database fields, and enhances database performance by re-indexing the database tables.
This removes any redundant info but does not remove any actual files.

Also don't forget to back up your database regularly.

HTH!

[scrappychar]

Originally Posted by janedee

From within ACDSee, go to the Database heading at the top. Within the drop down menu, the 2nd choice from the bottom should be optimize. When you click on this you begin the Optimization Wizard which says it removes any obsolete database info, reduces the amt of space required by the database fields, and enhances database performance by re-indexing the database tables.
This removes any redundant info but does not remove any actual files.

Also don't forget to back up your database regularly.

HTH!

Thanks for that! I just pickjed up ACDsee, and finally got everything sorted.

Couple questions:

How do I back up the database? Is there any way to have the program open and automatically be at my digi files?

Char

[cheska99]

Originally Posted by scrappychar

Thanks for that! I just pickjed up ACDsee, and finally got everything sorted.

Couple questions:

How do I back up the database? Is there any way to have the program open and automatically be at my digi files?

Char

Not quite following you on the "be at my digi files?" Can you be a little more specific (LOL hope I don't sound like the English teacher I once was!)?

[scrappychar]

When I start the program it starts with the window open on folders that I don't need to "see", just wondering if there is a way to when I open it, to have it already at my digi files?

Char

[janedee]

Back up database is another option under the database drop down menu.

To have ACDSee point to a specific folder on start up, go to Tools, Options, then Browser. There is an option under Browser to pick a specific default start folder.

[scrappychar]

Oh perfect! It seems to be working much better than bridge was for me now!

Char

[faerywings]

I am currently using ACDSee Photo Manger 2009 and I have had very few issues with it. I think this is my this version upgrade. I am looking forward to the next one coming out. It is supposed to be even faster than 2009, and how lots more editing options.

ITA with making sure you back up and optimize. I try to do that at least once a week.

I tag all of my scrap supplies- color, style, type of element, subject.
My photos get keyworded when I import them off my memory card.