How to organize?

[4jacks4me]

I have collected a few digital elements - alphabets, backgrounds, etc. How do you keep it organized so you can find it when you want to use it. I made a folder for my scrapbooking items that I collect on the web, but from there I'm not sure of the best way to sort/store them. Share with me your ideas on organizing your digital elements - premade or made yourself.

Thanks,
Mary

[Amanda]

I have them all in a folder called "Embellishments" then I break them down into categories "Alphas" "Fasteners" "Charms" etc. and i break them down even further. I always make sure and put the persons name and where I downloaded it from in the file name.
I put Backgrounds into a folder all by itself and then have subfolder breaking down various types. Plaids, Stripes, Textures, etc.

[Emma]

Amanda, this is the same way I do it, but now that I've added kits, is there a way to cross-refernece these? I like having the kit pieces int eh specific folders to use a la carte, but forget what goes with what kit (have to look at the sample), then have to hunt them down in their various folders to use together...

Maybe double copies? Or anyone know a better way (that doesn't take up so HD much space?)

[Amanda]

If you get a program such as Jasc Paint Shop Album 4 you can add keywords to all of your embellishments and you should be able to find things that way.

[stanpix]

I am a little late in seeing and answering this but hope this helps. I treat this same problem with my photos sometimes 200-300 per shoot. Yes I have programs that can label and store but for me the quickest and the least amount of work is to create a main folder (eg-Graphics) on my desktop. Open that folder and create subfolders (backgrounds)(sports)(lesisure) etc.
Some of these are opened to other subfolders so it creates kind of a tree.
At first sounds like a lot of fuss but when opening the folders in your program you can open seperately and often you can have the same object in several folders but the main thing is, is that it is neat and organized into what seems to be one folder. Names that you recognize are always the key to an easy find.
I'm rarely this longwinded but hope it helps :)

[Emma]

"Some of these are opened to other subfolders so it creates kind of a tree...
organized into what seems to be one folder."

What do you mean by this? Is there some cross-referencing function in Windows I don't know about? Will you please expand on doing this?

I'm a cross-reference freak! I love to over-categorize things, and since this means many things qualify for multiple categories I have to be able to find them in multiple folders! Software that doesn't allow that (like the galleries here...) really grate me the wrong way!

Oftentimes my tendency means things get buried in multiple layers of subfolders, so having them in more than one would make my life a whole ton easier! :)

[justscrappyme]

I am using a trial version of iView Media Pro2 (avail for Macs and soon for Windows) to organize/catalog/view/annotations EVERYTHING! LOTS of cataloging options (almost too many). It manages photos, elements, fonts, pdf's, music, movies! It creates web galleries, contact sheets, slide shows etc. There is a smaller version called iView (avail for both Mac/Windows). I have struggled to find a cross-platform (I am a Mac user) that I can share with others and this may be it. It has a FREE catalog reader that allows allows anyone to use without buying the program!

Check it out at:
http://www.iview-multimedia.com/products/index.html

Anyone use iView or something similar?

Jeanine

[canay]

I have just started using Jasc Photo album to assign key words to my elements. It is great!

I keep the kits in a folder called "Kits". But in Jasc Photo Album, I assign each element in the kit to a specific keyword, like one for tags, borders, vellum, color, etc. So I can do a search for tags and it will show me all the tags I have in my "tags" folder as well as tags that are in my "kits" folder. I suppose it could be done in reverse. Have the individual elements in folders and have a keyword for the kit. Like in paper filing, everyone has their own preference.

I also have set up keywords for who made it or what site I downloaded it from. I used to put this info into the file name but now I find it faster to use the keywords.

Right now, I have created a "new downloads" folder. So any new download goes here. I have this subdivided by site so I will remember who to give credit to. I may do a bunch of downloads but not be back to orgnize them for a few days. When I am ready to organize, I pull it up in Jasc Photo Album and assign it the keywords I want. Then I move it to a descriptive folder. Like tags, buttons, ribbons, etc.

I have only just started to do this and I have many elements to organize this way. It is alot of work in the beginning. But once I'm done it should make finding things so much easier. I'm trying to work on it 15 minutes a day. It seems a daunting task!!!!!

Sorry I am rambling on. I am a filing nut! I guess it carrys over to digital filing as well.

Canay

[stanpix]

Exactly. Windows allows you to create as many folders inside a folder. Example On your desktop right click select new- folder. rename it to whatever you want. Open the new folder, right click select new then folder and then rename it Now you have a folder inside a folder and you could endlessly continue this folders inside of folders and tree it kind of like if I told 2 friends and you told 2 friends and they each told 2 friends senario.
Hope this makes sense?

[Amber]

Im going to have to check out the JASC Photo Album. Im like you Emma- I have tons of great kits with individual elements but dont want to take the elements out of the original kit but would also like the elements (Say an eyelet, tag, whatever) to be in their own folder.

I have thought about duplicating and having them in 2 different or multiple folders but Im already running out of hard drive space as it is (New computer is with a 160 m hard drive in on DH's list for me!) so duplicating is not an option.

Thanks for the info on this program!

[1stoliveoyl]

I also do a hardcopy printout of the .jpg kits (the contact or sample file) Somehow, I can find and remember things better w the hardcopy. It's faster for me.

I arrange the sheets by kits, alphas, embelishments, etc and on each sheet I write the computer path, so I can find them.