Help with new Mac PLEASE!!!

[vhallak]

I am lucky enough to have just purchased a new mac to which I added elements 8. After overwhelming my pc with all the digital scrapbooking items I am looking forward to setting things up in my mac. There is my problem! I tried using iphoto and that didn't work too well for me. I have been reading that many people prefer Bridge for their scrapbook items. The problem is I have been reading and watching tutorials and I just don't get it! I have all of my digital media in a "stack" on my dock, how do I add keywords, tags, search etc. in Bridge? I can view my items in Bridge, but don't see any way of adding keywords, tags etc. I am sure that I am missing something simple, but I am getting frustrated that I can't figure this out.

[KerryMac]

Hi! Welcome to DD and the world of Mac
Have you tried clicking on File in the bar on top of the program? There's a drop down menu there where you can then click on "file info" where you can add all kinds of information to the photo that you're working on.

[vhallak]

I see that...then do you use category? Thank you so much for your help!

[hguenthe]

Here is a screenshot of where you can add keywords in Bridge


If you don't see this type of window set up, try clicking Essentials at the top right.

[hguenthe]

Not sure on what your Bridge will look like with PSE8 but if it can do collections, then once you have things tagged, you can create smart collections which look in your main folder that contains your supplies & has a criteria match of Keyword - Contains - KeywordYouWant. It will then search & pull them all up for you.

If it can't do collections, you should have under Edit - Find (Command-F) the same box that you can enter that keyword you are looking for and have it pull up.

[HeatherPrins]

once you get it set up, you will love it!

[KerryMac]

Heather G., you are the next Scott Kelby.
You should write a book!!

[vhallak]

This is exactly what I have been looking for! Thank you so much...I need to get busy tagging!

[1gr8muggle]

Not to rain on anyone's parade . . . but I will feel bad if I see a thread from vhallak in a month that Bridge has crashed on her and she's lost all her tags.

Make sure you read up on backing up files, how to move files when using Bridge to tag files, etc.

I know many people (including myself) who have had Bridge wig out on them after 100s of hours of tagging were done.

I'm such a paranoid baby, I stick to using a folder system in the finder. The DD products have very good file names, and if you're searching for something in a pinch, you can usually find it with a quick Spotlight search.

Here's a thread that shows my system using the Finder. It's not as complicated as it looks.

ALSO . . . many people have been happy with ACDSee, and there's a version for the Mac now (I think it's still in Beta.) Patricia knows more about this than I do.

Just some thoughts.

[vhallak]

Thanks for the warning about back up. I will keep that in mind.

A couple more questions...

to search do I use the spotlight to find my key words?

Also...can you help with how to save brushes? On my pc I would just load the brush each time that I wanted to use it, elements would only let me have one brush at a time loaded. I have brushes mixed in with png's...bridge won't let me use keywords on them, so is it better to load them when I tried this it let me load two brushes, then when I added the third it got rid of the others.

Once again, it's probably something simple that I am doing wrong, I just don't know what it is!

[1gr8muggle]

I don't know how PSE 8 handles brushes. The earlier versions would treat things differently if you loaded from the brushes drop-down menu or if you loaded from the Preset manager.

I have a folder with the preview image of all my brushes. I browse those and when I see one that I want to use, I just Spotlight search the name of it. The original folder will come up and I can just double click the .abr icon to load them into CS4. I'm not sure about this, but I don't think double clicking the .abr file automatically loads it into PSE.

As for searching for tags that you do in Bridge, there's a search window in the upper left corner of the Bridge workspace.

[hguenthe]

Not sure on what version of Bridge exactly they include with PSE8 but they have done a lot of work - major recode - with CS4 for it and yes, it is good to backup always but it isn't nearly as wonky & unstable now as it was when you had problems Cassie.

[vhallak]

okay...so I am back with more questions...

after setting up and adding keywords to all of my images how do I search? It appears that a one word search works, (ex. paper) but if I want all the paper that is orange and patterned I get nothing.

also...how do I set up a collection? and why do I need collections?

Thanks so much for helping me to understand this new program! Without having any manuals or training I have felt lost until you helped me out!

[hguenthe]

Are you using CS4? If so, collections are essentially saved searches for faster access so you don't have to keep entering the same criteria. You can have lots and lots and lots of collections so for instance I have collections for paper, frames, alphas, buttons, brads, fasteners, tapes, stitches, wordart, flourishes, sparkles... all sorts of things so instead of putting in the search what I want, I can just click the collection for that. I use the search feature for specialized searches only.

If you have keyworded things with the tags: paper, orange and patterned & you want something that matches all of that criteria, in the search you will put:

first line will look like this with whichever keyword you want to put first, notice the - & + sign at the end of it, click the + and it will give you the ability to add another search item so you want to end up with:

Keyword contains paper - +
Keyword contains orange - +
Keyword contains patterned - +

Then under that is a drop box where you can select it to Match ANY or Match ALL criteria. You will want to pick Match ALL to bring up all papers that are orange and patterned.

HTH

[judytucci]

Hi- just thought I'd chime in with what I have for viewing brushes and for organizing my digi stuff. I have a MacBook Pro (which has been off to the 'doctor' all week and I am about to be certified NUTS!! I keep telling myself it's just a machine, that I will be ok, deep breaths.... I am using my DH MacBook) and I use Picasa to organize my digi stuff. Tried iPhoto and Bridge and didn't like them both for organizing. I also use Brush Pilot for my brushes (I don't have any connection with the product or the company-just like it). Congratulations on the new Mac! What did you get? Judy

[jcdsmith]

I tried to use Bridge, also, because the previous Organizer that came with PSE was so good to use. However, like you, I could never figure out a way to use it easily. However, I did purchase One-on-One for one year from my Apple store when I bought my computer and they helped me set up a system in iPhoto. It took weeks of entering stuff but I have it done. I can share my ideas for how I set up my folders if you would email me because then I can send you screen prints that will make it easier to explain. Using iPhoto has some drawbacks but since ACDC doesn't make its program available for Mac, only PC, it is the best game in town.

If anyone out there knows of a better organization program available for the Mac to organize all our digital purchases, please speak up NOW.