Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Digital Asset Management => Topic started by: robgo2 on December 01, 2012, 01:21:56 pm

Title: Can ACDsee keep track of offline files?
Post by: robgo2 on December 01, 2012, 01:21:56 pm
As I understand it, ACDsee is a browser, not a true catalog.  Does this mean that it cannot keep track of files that are offline, nor can it display their thumbnails?  If so, why do so many people like it for DAM?

Rob
Title: Re: Can ACDsee keep track of offline files?
Post by: Phil Indeblanc on December 03, 2012, 03:57:33 am
It is popular because you are not closed from seeing your physical drives. It is an active view of all your content. As you say a browser... of all image content.
Most of the time a "catalog" refers to a defined file that you decide to include a set of files, and THAT IS IT. In the catalog "manager all you will see are those files you decided to include.
Well that isn't managing much other than what you imported. The plus side to this type of catalog is portability of just those files in that catalog.

If you make 1 large catalog of all your images inclusive, this can cause the catalog to be slow. If corrupt it can effect all your images. It can also make your workflow more restrictive. Say you just did a shoot and you need to simply move files the fastest way possible off the cards or drive and you dont want to "ingest to a catalog using an application like LR. If you place those files on a drive you need to keep track of that. Now do that in a busy work environment or studio, and you can have yourself a mess.
Aside from all this, you are basically locking images into 1 application to start working from. Why? whats the gain?  Also, you are forcing yourself to use the application as your only access point to your images. NOT SMART!
From experience, I would never lock my images to be accessed only via a catalog reader. You can ask why all you want, but 20+ of computing and imaging experience will tell you that you will regret it at some point. This is why I use LR as a cataloger in a Passive mode and only "ADD" images to the catalog. never move my actual files.

When you want to MANAGE your content, you want to see what is available to you, and then organize and catalog if you wish, or must, as in LR.

What is a DAM? How do you plan to use a DAM? What do I expect a DAM to do?....
Are some first questions you should ask yourself.

As far as ACDSee...It has a "default" database running in the background. You can also save and name your own databases. And according to the bolded text I read in the Help Content of ACDSee, it looks like it can.

I have worked in a multi location work environment for a number of years, and have yet needed to work with files "offline". Can you explain the purpose of this, or a common situation that you see needing by saying the term "offline" Maybe its the definition of "offline" that I need to clarify?

here is ACDSee's explanation....

"Cataloging Files in the Database
ACDSee automatically adds file information and thumbnails to the database as you browse. You can use the Catalog dialog box to add groups of files to the database without having to first browse the folders. This can be particularly useful when using ACDSee for the first time, and when browsing or managing large collections of images as it reduces the loading time required for these folders.

The first time you run ACDSee, you are prompted to catalog your files.

Exporting Database Information
You can use the ACD Database Export Wizard to save selected database information in a compressed format, and then store it as a backup, or share it with other ACDSee users. You can also choose to export your category and keyword definitions to a text file.
Exporting your database information differs from creating a backup in that you can choose to export only the parts of your database that you want to share or store with specific files, such as those on a CD. Other ACDSee users can import your information without affecting their existing database."

Title: Re: Can ACDsee keep track of offline files?
Post by: robgo2 on December 03, 2012, 12:30:40 pm
Phil,

Thanks for the detailed response.

Here is my situation.  Currently, I use Media Pro as my DAM program.  I actually like it, but it is buggy and fairly unstable.  It can keep track of and display thumbnails from folders that are stored on offline hard drives.  Admittedly, I don't use that ability very often, but it's nice to have.  Most importantly, it allows me to keep open multiple catalogs simultaneously and have instant access to each one with a single click.  And, I can readily open any file in any of my editing or printing programs.  In this way, MP serves as a hub for my work.  It seems to me that a browser based system, such as ACDsee or even Bridge, requires repeatedly opening folders in order to access image files.  Is that not correct?

FWIW, I have heretofore been using Capture One as my main raw convertor, supplementing it with RPP.  However, I am now switching to Photo Ninja, which has a basic browser but no real DAM features.  I use Photoshop to finish off images and ImagePrint for printing.  

Rob
Title: Re: Can ACDsee keep track of offline files?
Post by: Phil Indeblanc on December 08, 2012, 02:06:57 am
I too thought MediaPro would be great if they worked on it a bit. It has trouble with PSD, TIF, and when you want to look at something 100% then make a email text overlay or watermark version it got even more messy.
ACDSee I don't think can do Offline viewing. That multiple cat feature was nice of Media Pro.
I also have Photo Machanic.  And I don't know if it does it, but I think it may allow for offline, as I do rememebr having to open each location to load. So I would try it. but NO IIQ support.
I have to say,  I have NOT used Bridge in some time. They may have fixed all the issues, and beefed up performance, and now have stable NAS/server connections and such, but ACDSee manages to do most of bridge and much much more without leaving 2 files in EVERY folder.


Your best bet is to try PhotoSupreme. so far a really nice clean app. It used to be IDImagerv5, but they changed it out to a new app. It does the catalog with multiple offline.