How do you organize your downloads?

[justannie]

I am new to digital scrapbooking. I am loving all my new files, but I have a hard time finding them now I am getting a stash. Anyone have an idea for a good working system? Thanks!

[earlofoxford]

If you're on a PC, ACDSee is terrific. The Mac version is supposed to be coming out later this year, I think.

[justannie]

Thanks, I just found their website. Which version do you recommend?

[blhdvm]

If you PS Elements you can also use the Organizer. That is what I do.

[earlofoxford]

I think the most recent version of ACDSee is 12. I have 9 and love it.

[anke]

yes, searching without a good system is becoming really tedious! I can't wait for the Mac version to come out!

[ValerieP]

I have ACDSee 12 and it seems to work best with the new Windows operating system, my old 9 version kept freezing

[Elena]

I just keep supplies organized in files like this (this is not a complete list, but you get the idea):

Alphas
Animals/Birds/Insects
Dates
Distressed
Flowers Leaves Trees
Frames
Holidays/Seasons/Weather
Journaling Spots
Masks
Paper Packs
Templates
Words

I have the previews in the main folder to browse and then the kits in a subfolder.

[donna goar]

I have a file for each designer and then I use PSE organizer to tag my kits/elements with as many of the key words as I need to locate them easily. Having a good system let's me PLAY more and seach less!

[klr]

I was using Picasso on my old PC - haven't added it to the new the new PC yet though.

[faerywings]

I just posted in another thread how I keep my folders organized. I am an ACDSee user as well. I recently upgraded to v 12. I love it, nice and fast and since I use a lot of social media to share my scrap lo's, it is really helpful that I can use the new ACDSeeOnline.com as well as uploading to Flickr right from in the program.

My best advice however, is to get organized early on, before you have gigabyte upon gigabyte of scrap kits to sort through! :lol:

[JulieSade]

Originally Posted by Elena

I just keep supplies organized in files like this (this is not a complete list, but you get the idea):

Alphas
Animals/Birds/Insects
Dates
Distressed
Flowers Leaves Trees
Frames
Holidays/Seasons/Weather
Journaling Spots
Masks
Paper Packs
Templates
Words

I have the previews in the main folder to browse and then the kits in a subfolder.

I really like this idea, Elena--does your OS allow you to tag PNG items? Mine (newest version of Windows) won't, but it does let you tag 'regular' files like paper files and photo files. Do you also rename your files to more descriptive names?

[maureenreynolds]

I know you were asking Elena, but I NEVER change the name except to put the designer's name 1st, i.e in front of the store name (c.f. AASPN for Anna Aspnes and PKnox for Pattie Knox). Most designers here already do that. I have learned the hard way that if the name doesn't match the store name, you can find yourself ready to buy one of the same thing. Like it once? well at least it tells me I still like it.

I now have most of my items sorted by designer, and after a year or two can often remember what I had in mind when I search. While I'm patiently waiting for the Mac ACDSE, I am using iPhoto also. I sort a lot by keywords there.

[Crissy]

I have a folder for Designer Digitals and sub folders with all the designers and what they create. I also use the ACDSee which is a huge help

[Jen D]

Another huge ACDSEE fan...just make sure to back up your catalog! Don't want to lose all that work. I was worried going from an older version to ACDSEE 12 and it took me two seconds to get all my tags on the new version... a breeze!

[anxela]

I would get ACDSee if I were you. Great program. I have one folder called DD, then subfolders for each designer. Within the designer folder, I have folders for kits, paper packs, templates, alphas, elements, ...

[JulieSade]

Whoa! I thought ACDSee 12 was, I dunno, $30 USD or so. Yipes, it's $70!

[JulieSade]

Maureen, your system goes something like this, then?

Digital Designs> designer> alphas
>templates
>brushes
> etc etc
>designer
>their stuff, also categorized
and so forth?
Do you also files all the brushes together, all the templates and so forth regardless of designer for an alternate search system? (that would take a lot of memory space, though).

[maureenreynolds]

Julie, I dont' sub divide in the folders I have for the major designers I use. For other designers that I might not buy from as often, I have the folders as papers, elements, brushes, templates, tutorials etc.

I don't break down the elements on my hd folder but I do tag them in a lot of ways in iPhoto (hearts, twill, dates, swirls, are some of my favorites). I DO take all the brushes out of their original files and keep them in a hd folder called...brushes. Then I use BrushPilot to 'see' them. I think that software was well worth it.

As soon as ACDSee arrives (I won a copy here, so be sure to get involved in the quarterly chats!), I will eliminate the Digitals iPhoto library I created.

Are you on a Mac or PC? that would help us give you platform related answers.

[JulieSade]

I'm on a PC Dell computer, with Windows 7 Premium (if that means anything!).

I'm starting to wish I was born organized!

[maureenreynolds]

I've never heard anyone say they didn't like ACDSee Julie, so start saving! I bet you'll find you can learn organization better than you might think.

Until then, you might want to be sure each of your purchases has the 'photo', i.e. the jpeg preview image, as the folder image so you can also have a visual way to search through your categories. I love 'seeing' items that way on my hd.

[Debbyo]

Well, I must not have the right kind of mind to use ACDCee, as I tried with a trial version a while ago...but maybe its because I think of my Digi-products in a whole different way & I'm too old to learn any new tricks.
I DL the zip files and they are kept in a folder called "Downloads" Then I extract the contents into an "Extracted" folder and then I sort them from there. I keep a folder with the previews of DD products that I have bought, but sometimes I don't check it too well to see that I already have something, and then I buy it again. (as Randy will attest) ! That's why I love DD so much, the customer service is so great.

When I sort them from the Extracted file I put them into files &/or sub files:

Alphas: with sub files: red, blue, green etc
Embellishments: with sub files: frames, tags, hardware, brads & charms etc.
Templates:
Brushes: sub files: word art, flourishes, corners and edgers etc.
Backgrounds: with sub files: green, red, blue, white, multi etc.

Then when I need them, I keep the files open and just flip around till I find the element that I want to drag into PSE. I have found that it works much better since I put in a 2 monitor system to keep all these windows open.
I don't know why I can't seem to get the hang of ACDCee like the rest of you, but this system works for me, so I guess I'm stuck with it.

[JulieSade]

How do you that? Make the Jpeg the folder image? I would LOVE that so much--it would make my searches so much easier! (Windows 7, PC)

[Debbyo]

The png images show up in the folders-just make sure you have chosen the proper *icon* in the box below and to the right of the address bar. Easy-Peasey.

[maureenreynolds]

This link tells how to link a photo to a folder in Vista.
Change Folder Picture - Windows Vista - Explorer

I tried to find a link to the process for Win7 and the only thing I found was a complaint about an inability to do this in that version. I hope someone with this hardware will chime in since I last used Windows prior to Vista and am not familiar with the newer versions. Sorry.

[Elena]

Originally Posted by JulieSade

I really like this idea, Elena--does your OS allow you to tag PNG items? Mine (newest version of Windows) won't, but it does let you tag 'regular' files like paper files and photo files. Do you also rename your files to more descriptive names?

Julie, I used to use ACDSee (and loved it while I used it) but when I switched to Windows7, I somehow lost everything (probably my mistake!) I started to tag things using Windows7, but honestly it was a drag! I asked around as to what people were doing other than tagging, and Kayleigh's method just sounded right to me... file folders (organized by however makes sense to you)... a system that will never fail no matter what changes you make in the future! It's just what I decided works for me. It takes very little time to organize after I unzip the files (once your basic framework of folders is set up.) I still think ACDSee is great, but I just couldn't go there again! I'm over tagging!

Let us know what you decide to do

eta: I DON'T rename any file names... the designers already have done a good job with that!