ACDSee Organization

[KimR+]

I've had ACDSee for a few years and I used to be really good and tagging my digi goodies. I've made a goal to get back in the habit to make scrapping easier, especially with making DD my new home! However, my lists don't seem to make a lot of sense to me. Does anyone have a system that works really well for them that they'd be willing to share? Any tips or things that you really love? I'd love any advice, input, category ideas before I get to deep into my tagging! Thanks so much!

[Jen D]

Honestly... I tagged everything much how the DD store is categorized. As I went through the kits I would add another category if needed. It took me awhile to get everything how I wanted it. I have to go help my husband finish up his hair cut... but I can come back and add my categories if you want Let me know. I couldn't live without ACDSEE!

[KimR+]

Thanks Jen! I would love more info! LOL, I have to help my DD finish his hair cuts too!

[scullen2]

Hi Kim, I've had much the same experience. I set up a tagging system before I really knew how I wanted/needed it. Then I tried adding categories over time, but it was overwhelming to think of going back and 'picking up' everything for those categories...so....it was getting less and less useful. I got a new computer a couple of weeks ago and I decided to install the newest version of ACDSee and literally start over. I'm no where near done retagging everything, but I am super excited about having the filing tree set up from the beginning in a way that I know will help me! I've also got to run and get kiddos out the door, but I can return and tell you more about my categories if you'd like!

[KimR+]

I'm getting kids ready as well!! Any help would be appreciated!! If it's easier than writing it all down, how about opening up your categories and sharing a zoomed in screen shot? Thanks again ladies!! I'm getting excited to get organized!

[Jen D]

Screen print! Brilliant idea Here you are... this is just the way it works in my brain. May not work as well for you but it can be a place to jump off!

[scullen2]

Wonderful idea...but my list is long enough that it would be several pics....and I can't remember how to do it...so hey, I'll just write it out.

The big thing for me was to make more subcategories.....it wasn't that useful to have an enormous 'alphabets' category. It didn't really help me find anything. I usually have some idea of the kind of look I'm after, so I broke them down quite a bit. I tag every letter, because sometimes the way a particular letter looks makes the difference in whether or not I want to use that alpha. Also, I bring things into PS via ACDSee, so having them all there is faster for me.

Same idea with elements, fasteners, frames....lots of subcategories was way more useful than one big categroy.

I have a whole folder with subcategories for holiday stuff....anything that's Christmas gets tagged for that list, whether it's paper, word art, etc.

I tag every individual element from every kit with as many tags as appropriate, but I also tag the kit previews in a separate area, to give me a quick look at options there. Breaking them down by designer really helped me, as I know the 'look' the designers have and where to go for a given page. Similar idea with paper. I used to tag paper by color, but it took a long time and I almost never used that feature. More useful for me is to have paper pack previews tagged, then also tag the individual papers by 'type,' like linen, cardstock, etc. as well as by designer.

Breaking out ribbons into categories, templates into designers, word art and stitching into categories was useful, too. And I have a filing tree for things with a particularly 'seasonal' feel....like 'holiday,' any kind of element can go there.

It's been a big project, but it works for me.

*Alphabets
Acrylic, Buttons/Tabs/Bit, Felt/Fabric, Glitter/Bling, Hand Drawn, Jelly/Epoxy, Metal, Paper/Chipboard/Rubber, Stamped/Masks/Fonts, Tags, Wood

*Baby
*Dates
*Elements
Acrylics, Animals/Pets, Arrows, Banners, Birds/Butterflies, Blendables/Transfers, Bling, Branches, Buttons, Charms, Clocks, Clusters, Corners, Doodles, Edge, Epoxy, Felt, Flourish, Flowers, Glows/Flares/Sparkles, Hearts, LetterBox, Loops/Twists, Novelty/Miscellaneous, Postage, Snowflakes, Stars, Watery, Wraps

*Fasteners
Brads, Hinges, Miscellaneous, Pins, Screws, Staples, Tape
*Frames
Basic, Clipped/Stacked, Clusters, Embellished, Epoxy/Resin, Fastened, Hanging, Notebook/Film, Numbered/Dated, Postage, Stamped/Doodled, Stapled/Bradded, Stitched, Tags/Cardboard, Vintage, Wood

*Holiday
Birthday, Christmas, Easter, Father's Day, Halloween, July 4, Mother's Day, New Year, Thanksgiving, Valentine
*Journaling
*Kit Previews
Andrea Victoria, Katie Pertiet, Lynn Grieveson, Maplebrook Studios, Mindy Terasawa, Pattie Knox
*Masks
*Mats
*Number Sets
*Overlays
*Paper
Ali Edwards, Andrea Victoria, Background/Texture, Cardstock, Creased/Roughed Up, Katie Pertiet, Kraft, Linens/Ribbed/Sacked, Lynn Grieveson, Maplebrook Studios, Mindy Terasawa, Pack Previews, Patterns, Pattie Knox, Polka Dots, Striped, Trashed
*Ribbons
Bows, Curls/Twists, Flat/Twill, Lace, Yarn/Fibers
*Seasonal
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
*Stitching
Bits/Lines, Borders/Frames, Circles/Twists, Flossy/Crosses, Shapes, Stamped
*Tags/Labels
*Templates
(Categories for every designer, and when I've got a 'series' I have separate tags for those....like Katie's 'Stamped Stiched' for example)
*Texture
Grunge, Paint
*Words
Cut Ups, Elements, Hand Drawn, LetterBox, Overlays/Blendables, Titles/Readymade, Word Art

In the words category, I always tag the previews for Ali's supplies right in with the elements, as her titles for each element don't really tell you what pack they came from. It's WAY easier than hunting around forever in order to give credit/link to the right product when uploading!

Like a said, a massive project, but I'm really happy with the results!

[ElizabethW]

OK, stupid question time! I have the ACDSee App for Macs. I've tagged every single thing (I think) and all the previews. Jen, I see that you sometimes tag only the previews (like for alphabets).....so, do you then go to your digital folder and do a search for the item you want? I've been pulling items directly from ACDSee into Photoshop Elements, but maybe that isn't the best way....and I have to say, the app seems to run very slowly for me. Thanks so much for the helpful screenshot!

[KimR+]

WOW!! Thanks ladies!! I am so excited to dive into this and get organized! Last night when I was working on my page I purchased something and I couldn't find it in my stash because I couldn't remember what it was called! So I had to go into my account history to find my purchase and look it up! LOL!! Right now I have to go and get my DD from school! Hope to play with this during my baby's nap time!

BTW, Connie, screen shots are so easy!! Just hit the print screen putton on your keyboard, and then open a new document in photoshop! Then just ctrl+V to past it in! I use it all the time!

Again, thanks so much ladies!

[scullen2]

Thanks Kim! I knew I'd done it before and it was easy....but for the life of me I couldn't remember exactly how to do it. It was almost TOO easy...lol!

Elizabeth, you can do it either way, sounds like Jen goes back and pulls folders after just using ACDSee to chose them, I actually pull them in with ACDSee. Personal preference I guess!

[Jen D]

Originally Posted by ElizabethW

OK, stupid question time! I have the ACDSee App for Macs. I've tagged every single thing (I think) and all the previews. Jen, I see that you sometimes tag only the previews (like for alphabets).....so, do you then go to your digital folder and do a search for the item you want? I've been pulling items directly from ACDSee into Photoshop Elements, but maybe that isn't the best way....and I have to say, the app seems to run very slowly for me. Thanks so much for the helpful screenshot!

When I tag a preview I right click the preview and towards the top it gives you the option to "go to folder". Then it takes me to the rest of the alphabet or kit Does that make sense?

[KimR+]

Connie, I know that you have your's all organized, but one way you could see what's what (ie Ali's brushes that havea different file name) is this:
In the upper right corner, in the properties-database secion, in the caption type in the name of the kit, and under author, put the designers name! That way you can see what kit to find the gooides in!

[KimR+]

Oh my word! I woke up at three this morning and I was dreaming about tagging! Lol! What do you ladies do for dates? Use the preview? Seperate for days, months and years?

[scullen2]

It's fun to find confirmation that you can learn something (or a lot of new things!) every day, even once you're soundly middle aged! Thanks Jen and Kim!

[Jen D]

I have everything date related in one folder. Since, they all come in their own element packs and not in a kit it is easy for me just to run through them quickly to find what I need.

[KimR+]

Yay!! I finished tagging all of Katie's goodies (my biggest folder of designer goodies)!!
I'm leaving Ali's for last, it's kinda scaring me! Not sure yet how I'm going to organized those ones!

[vfleslie]

lol, I tagged Ali's first since I felt they were the easiest! I set up my Word Art Catagory and created subcatagories on the fly as I went through her wordart sets.

Leslie
(tagging via Lightroom keywording and loving it!)

[lizj]

Originally Posted by KimR+

What do you ladies do for dates? Use the preview? Seperate for days, months and years?

I am just setting this up for the first time, so I'm interested in the answer to this. I created a category for dates, and am dragging everything into that category (previews and individual pngs).

But, I don't understand the difference between a tag (which seems to be a checkmark on the bottom of the item, but after that what happens?) and a category. Can someone explain the difference and the value of tagging vs categorizing? (Sorry if this has been answered a million times, I did do a thread search but didn't see this specific question.)

[KimR+]

I ended up making several categories, a few with subfolders! I'm not on my computer right now, so I'm gonna just give you an idea.
-date
--date preview
--date (number)
--day of the week
--month
--year
---2010
---2011
---2012 etc

After tagging your goodies into the various categories, you can use ACDSee and your categories to search for what you're looking for rather than trying to remember the name of the kit. You can set it up to search for "all" for instance I could click on three categories: Katie Pertiet, red, flower and it would show me the various red flowers from the kits that I have!! Such a time saver, and it helps me remember other kits or different items that would work better!

Hope this is what you were asking!

[lizj]

Originally Posted by KimR+

After tagging your goodies into the various categories, you can use ACDSee and your categories to search for what you're looking for rather than trying to remember the name of the kit. You can set it up to search for "all" for instance I could click on three categories: Katie Pertiet, red, flower and it would show me the various red flowers from the kits that I have!! Such a time saver, and it helps me remember other kits or different items that would work better!

Hope this is what you were asking!

Thanks, Kim. I guess I'm just confused about the difference between a category and a tag in ACDSee. I created the date category, and dragged each item I wanted in that category onto the heading, which gave each item a little folder icon. (And, ITA, the subcategories you picked would be helpful.) But, what does it do in ACDSee if I check the little box to the bottom right of each item? Is this to allow searches on anything checked? What's the check box for? TIA

[sarahdg]

Originally Posted by KimR+

If it's easier than writing it all down, how about opening up your categories and sharing a zoomed in screen shot? Thanks again ladies!! I'm getting excited to get organized!

I would love to share my screenshot, but I don't know how to insert it into the comment! When I click "insert image," it wants me to put in a URL. The photo is just on my computer though. Is there a way to browse to a file on my HD to put up my screenshot?

Sarah DG

[carollee]

Pop it in your gallery and then insert image here perhaps?

[anke]

does anybody know the answer to Lizj's question? I don't know either and now I am curious!

[KimR+]

Originally Posted by sarahdg

I would love to share my screenshot, but I don't know how to insert it into the comment! When I click "insert image," it wants me to put in a URL. The photo is just on my computer though. Is there a way to browse to a file on my HD to put up my screenshot?

Sarah DG

You could always upload to photobucket or flicker (or similar sites) and share that way!

[KimR+]

Originally Posted by anke

does anybody know the answer to Lizj's question? I don't know either and now I am curious!

Don't understand this either! Sorry! I don't drag to different categories. I click on the items and then click on whichever categories I want them tagged on.

[schnerbear]

lizj, i do my 'tagging' that same way. and (someone correct me if i'm wrong) i think when everyone says they are 'tagging' they are actually 'category-izing' just like you and me. that's the more powerful organization because you can label things specifically.
maybe the problem is that everyone says 'tag' but the ACDSee name for that process is actually using categories.
the 'tag' that you're referring to is just like on/off right? again i use that sparingly...one example is for my december daily album--i was using the same supplies over and over, so i "tagged" those so i could bring up that set whenever i wanted. when i was done with that album, i "un-tagged" that set.
does that help?

[lizj]

Yes, I agree we are all using the term"tag" but in ACDSee that appears to be synonymous with categorizing. You can either drag an item into the category or highlight the item and click on the category to apply the category to the item (this much I figured out, yay!). But I still don't get how checking the little box next to each item is utilized. If you check them to flag December daily lo's, for example, how do you then call up those checked items when you want to use them? Thanks.

[KimR+]

Hopefully I'm understanding you correctly now! At the bottom of your categories there are two things to click on, properties and organize (I'm not on my computer so I hope this is what they are - I'll check later). Click on the other one and your screen categories will look just a little different. Then up at the top there's a little blue folder, click the one next to it and check match all. Now you're able to put ACDSee to work! Click on one or more of the categories and it will match them for you! Like Katie Pertiet, white, messy stitch! Hope this helps!!

[schnerbear]

when all my december daily supplies were tagged (mine is an orange check mark)...i looked over to the right column--the same column that lists categories (and ratings and labels, etc)--and at the WAY bottom, under "special items" is a label called "tagged" with the same orange check mark. i click on that and it pulls up all the tagged items.

[KimR+]

Now I'm on my computer, so hopefully this can make more sense if I didn't before.

On the far right of my screen I have a section that shows all the different catergories that I have set up in ACDSee. When I look at the very bottom of the screen in that section, it has "organize" and "properties - Database. After clicking on "properties - database" I can tag my different items. Then when I click on "organize" I can pick from all the different categories that I made. Now in this same section, up at the top, there's the little blue folder (new folder) and a little circle with a blue home in it, click on the circle and select "Match All" (all while in the organize section of ACDSee).

My tags are blue, I don't know how to change that! Please let us know if this still doesn't help!! Lets get this figured out for ya!