How do I create smart albums in iPhoto?

[jaylee]

Hey guys! I'm new to DD, registered a while ago, but am only just now getting into digi scrapping. I'm a slow learner, but have finally found what works with organizing my items in iPhoto. I love the previews in iPhoto, but need to learn how to tag and or create smart albums, so I don't have to look through every "event" in my catalog. Can anyone offer any help? Thanks!

[lizj]

I use iPhoto for libraries of specific digital items, in separate libraries (I only have pp and templates so far). I was told early on that you shouldn't put too many elements in your libraries as it slows it down (too many being more than 2,000). Templates were the most used item for me, so I started with those.

To create a smart album go to file>new>smart album, and then you select your criteria. I use key words to tag the item, and then I set the album's criteria to the keywords. Here's how:

To set a smart album to locate all templates for 2 photos (for example), under the file>new>smart album, I select keyword>is>2 photos (ok, and that creates your smart album).

Then, under window>manage keywords, I add "2 photos" and click on assign it a shortcut, which will allow it to populate the whole phrase each time without typing it each time.

Then, import your PSD, and click on info, and under keywords (to the right) start typing your phrase and it should pop up the keyword phrase. Then, when you click on the smart album for 2 photos, you'll get the hits of all PSDs you imported into iPhoto and assigned the keyword of 2 photos. HTH

[AllynD]

I use smart albums extensively, but I almost never bother with tagging. I wrote a long description a long time ago that you might be able to find if you search.

I have over 15,000 items in my iPhoto library, with no problem. It does probably depend on your computer capacity.

[jaylee]

AllynD: thanks! I actually found your post a few days ago when I was researching the best way to organize my items. My mother in law introduced me to DD and she uses ACDSee, but I have a new mac with iPhoto and didn't want to spend any more money. In researching, I found your AMAZING instructions on how to create a library for my digi stuff, separate from my photos. You mentioned that you used smart albums, so I looked around more posts to see if I could find instructions, but was unsuccessful.

lizj: THANK YOU!!! This is exactly what I was looking for!

[lizj]

Oh, you're so welcome, I'm glad! I too, used Allyn's instructions to get started, and I still refer to them.

[AllynD]

Hi, Jaylee, I am glad you found it helpful.

[maureenreynolds]

Lynn, I went back and read your long, patient post and I'm still wondering what criteria you use for smart albums if you don't tag. I am wondering in particular about colors and specific elements. Would you explain what you use as the search criteria for the smart albums you've created for me? Slow to get it, I know but...

I DID learn the hard way that iPhoto is limited in the number of keywords that can be viewed at once and if it can't be viewed, it can't be selected. There is no scroll capacity in my iPhoto 09.

[jaylee]

ohhhh! Good question! I was wondering the same thing myself!

[AllynD]

I have a terrible headache tonight, so I will give you a short answer for now. I use the "any text" field a lot, for example, "any text contains stitch" or "any text contains alpha" and I sometimes combine that with other selection criteria. I do some very limited keywording when necessary, but usually apply them globally.

I have all my papers selected by a combination that is probably not elegant, but works for me. I use "filename contains .jpg", "anytext does not contain PREV", "filename does not contain terms", "filename does not contain tou". That left me with a few odd items in my Papers smart album that were not papers, so I selected all of those few items and globally tagged them "notpaper" and then added the criterion, "keyword does not contain notpaper". I don't tag for color, because I can quickly scroll through all my papers and pretty quickly see what I have.

[Maybelline]

to AllynD...hope you got the victory over your headache. Also, can you or anyone in this thread tell me where to find your long explanation of organization. I really need it. Thank you

[lizj]

I had the link: http://www.designerdigitals.com/digi...-supplies.html

Lynn I'm in awe that you use "not" parameters in your smart albums -- so smart!