PSE Organizer ... tips, anyone?

[handmadebyamy]

Okay, so I'm new to the world of digital scrapbooking, though I have done graphic design. I started "collecting" supplies a while ago, knowing I wanted to make the switch from traditional scrapbooking. So as I downloaded new things I was creating folders, which was somewhat organized, but it's not really working for me as I've been buying more and more.

I use PSE's organizer for my photos and really like it, though I haven't been taking advantage of the tagging. I thought I'd try to organize all my digital supplies by creating a separate catalog within the organizer. But I'm getting a little overwhelmed trying to create the appropriate keyword tags, categories, subcategories...

If anyone using PSE Organizer would be willing to share their tips I'd greatly appreciate it!!!

Thanks!
Amy

[lizj]

Hi Amy -- I'm one of the few people that uses the PSE organizer and likes it. I add categories all the time, but a good starting place are some basics, like paper, each type of embellishment (i.e. buttons, clips, brads, etc.), templates, ribbon, stitches... you get the idea. Then within each main category, you'll want sub-categories (i.e. in ribbon, each color, bows, straight, curved, scalloped). If you think you'll look for something based on a type of style (graphic, child, artsy), you can create categories for those too. You can tag each digital item as often as you want, so you increase your chances of finding something if you include it in every category you think you might look for it under. HTH and good luck.

[handmadebyamy]

Thanks, Liz! I do think it will be great once everything's organized. What is it that people don't like about it?

I suppose I just need to take it one small step at a time...

Amy

[lizj]

You're very smart to start out organizing, it's much easier than trying to tackle it after you have a huge stash. I think that a lot of people have found that the organizer can run kind of slowly, and the more you import into it the more it can bog down. However, I found a trick a long time ago that if you tell it (in preferences? I think) to sort on the date, and give it a broad date range, that speeds things up (as opposed to sort on category). Also, I don't keep my photos in the organizer, I keep them in folders on the desktop. I know you said you are keeping photos in the organizer, so you may find it does run a bit slowly the more stuff you add. You'll have to see how much of an issue that is for you. For me, I didn't want to get yet another program (ACDsee or Picasa or whatever), so it suits me fine. HTH

[dugarner]

I am another resident PSE Organizer fan. If you search threads for "PSE Organizer" you'll find me chiming in on almost every thread, with a lot of screen shots. I have less than 1 GB RAM on my system, so it runs slowly anyway, but it's not that bad. I'm used to not having a screaming-fast system.

I used to be a database administrator and so I am really obsessive about computer organization. I've messed around with every method, and I find that I use PSE Organizer mostly because I'm familiar with the interface, and because when I go to friends' houses, they all have PSE on their laptops (I don't have a laptop) and so all I have to do is bring my EHD.

I download everything into a folder on my EHD called "Digital Scrapbook Kits." I leave everything in the folder it came in. I used to separate everything into their own folders (like a paper folder, thread folder, brad folder) but that got really frustrating. On top of that, some product wouldn't have the designer's name on the file, and so if I separated buttons, paper, and ricrac, I had a hard time finding whom to credit in a gallery. Also, I like to use kits and coordinated elements together (yes, I know you can recolor anything---but frequently, I don't want to reinvent the wheel!) so if I separate things out, I had a hard time remembering what went with what.

All that said, everything stays in the folder it was in when I downloaded it, except I rename the folders with the designer name, kit/element name. It's the database geek in me.

Once I've put them in my folder, I open my Organizer and import all my files. I do have separate catalogs for photos and scrapbook supplies. I don't tag my photos, because they are in folders by year_month event_name so I can find them easily.

I tag everything. I have the following categories, and some things go in multiple categories:

Alphabets
Buttons---Brads---Fasteners
Christmas
Embellishments---Stickers---Stamps
Fibers---Threads---Ribbons
Journaling Spots
Paper
Photo Frames---Photo Corners
Stitching
Tags
Templates---Quick Pages
Textures
Tutorials
Word Art

HTH!

Sarah

[handmadebyamy]

That is great information, Sarah! Thanks so much for taking the time. I think I'm headed in the right direction. It's funny, I haven't been digital for very long but seem to have a TON of supplies already! At least it feels that way when you're trying to tag everything.

Do you have subcategories or additional key tags below the categories you listed?

I will do another search for PSE Organizer and see what else people are talking about.

Thank you!
Amy

[dugarner]

Amy,

I feel your pain, friend. Three times---THREE---I went to a weekend scrapbook retreat. Friday, everything was fine. Saturday morning, I got up, sat down to start work, and my catalog was corrupt. UGH! I have spent three retreats re-tagging all my stuff. That's why I keep my catalogs on my EHD now and every week or so, I back them up to my C drive. Losing the tags is frustrating. I have around 8,000 or 9,000 scrapbook items. Take it in small chunks. Spend 30 minutes a day. Or do all your paper at once, then take a break.

I do not have subcategories. I used to have paper broken out into patterned and solid, then by predominant color. It got hard for me to decide which category some paper went in. And with the recoloring thing, it's not such a big deal. I have messed around with other categories; I thought about doing Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Birthday categories. If I find my stash gets unmanageable with the list I have, I will add some more.

Some things go in more than one place. For instance, I have a lot of clipping masks that I consider to be both photo frames and textures. I know that tagging and searching by tags frequently limits creativity, since you can use just about everything in one way or another. But I find the tags most helpful for finding templates and paper. Most of the other stuff, I don't search by tags because I know where it all is.

I keep the view option on "By Folder Location," so I see my folder tree on the left and I can find supplies quickly if I know the designer. (See screen shot below.)

It's a very personalized thing. Some people use ACDSee and love it; others use the PSE Organizer. Some use Windows Live, others use Picasa. It's all about what works for you and what helps you be most efficient. My system runs slowly anyway; I bet if I had 4 GB of RAM I wouldn't notice much slowness with Organizer. It's always a good practice to shut down fairly frequently anyway to release the RAM that gets held up in Windows.

HTH!

Sarah

[Scrapbird]

Amy, I teach a digi scrapping class at our community college, and do a lesson on the PSE Organizer. I love it, and I have a four-page handout with screen shots that I made for my class. If you PM me with your email address, I'll send you a copy. (It's in Microsoft Word.)

Diane

[geekgirl415]

Originally Posted by dugarner

I am another resident PSE Organizer fan. If you search threads for "PSE Organizer" you'll find me chiming in on almost every thread, with a lot of screen shots. I have less than 1 GB RAM on my system, so it runs slowly anyway, but it's not that bad. I'm used to not having a screaming-fast system.

I used to be a database administrator and so I am really obsessive about computer organization. I've messed around with every method, and I find that I use PSE Organizer mostly because I'm familiar with the interface, and because when I go to friends' houses, they all have PSE on their laptops (I don't have a laptop) and so all I have to do is bring my EHD.

I download everything into a folder on my EHD called "Digital Scrapbook Kits." I leave everything in the folder it came in. I used to separate everything into their own folders (like a paper folder, thread folder, brad folder) but that got really frustrating. On top of that, some product wouldn't have the designer's name on the file, and so if I separated buttons, paper, and ricrac, I had a hard time finding whom to credit in a gallery. Also, I like to use kits and coordinated elements together (yes, I know you can recolor anything---but frequently, I don't want to reinvent the wheel!) so if I separate things out, I had a hard time remembering what went with what.

All that said, everything stays in the folder it was in when I downloaded it, except I rename the folders with the designer name, kit/element name. It's the database geek in me.

Once I've put them in my folder, I open my Organizer and import all my files. I do have separate catalogs for photos and scrapbook supplies. I don't tag my photos, because they are in folders by year_month event_name so I can find them easily.

I tag everything. I have the following categories, and some things go in multiple categories:

Alphabets
Buttons---Brads---Fasteners
Christmas
Embellishments---Stickers---Stamps
Fibers---Threads---Ribbons
Journaling Spots
Paper
Photo Frames---Photo Corners
Stitching
Tags
Templates---Quick Pages
Textures
Tutorials
Word Art

HTH!

Sarah

Hers... and i also use Seasons, Holidays (with subcategories for the main ones we celebrate), Food/Recipe and Calendar. Organizer does slow things down, but I still like it...

I do tag my photos as well, because I like the searching combos tagging provides.