ACDsee...categories

[emandlivsmom]

OK...I am sure this question is answered somewhere in the threads and I would be happy to have someone direct me to it or answer it here.

I reorganized my all my files on my EHD...the DSP products I have purchased as well as my photos, albums, etc...somehow I had duplicates, pictures not in the right folders and stuff like that...I am sure because I didn't scrap all winter I didn't pay much attention and things became a BIG mess.

Only AFTER I did that did I realize, or so it seems, that moving things around caused a headache for me in ACDsee. It seems that once I moved things to a different folder, ACDsee could no longer find it for me. The categories still showed the items, it just couldn't take me to the kit or designer, or whatever it may be.

What I feel like I need to do is start over and what a royal pain that will be! Unless someone has another suggestion. HOw do I "untag" or "uncategorize" all my scrapbook stuff and then redo it??

[Kathleen]

Hi, Jennifer.

Here is what probably happened... if this sounds like the case, then we can try to decide what to do next.

When you tag things in ACDSee (either photos or scrap stuff), you are basically telling the database where things are located and what you want to know about them.

If, outside of ACDsee (like using Windows Explorer) you move something, ACDsee has no way to know you moved it or where you moved it to. The analogy I like to use is you organize a room in your house and know exactly where everything is. Then your toddler comes in while you aren't looking and moves a few things around. They aren't there when you go looking for them, and your toddler knows nothing about it. So you have to start searching.

So now when you go into ACDsee it can't find files that you have previously tagged.

Sound kind of like what happened?

Without a back-up of your hard drive (with everything in the place ACDSee is expecting it), it is very hard to recover. And even if you could, then you would lose all the organization that you did on your hard drive.

So, are you OK with starting the tagging process all over?

[emandlivsmom]

DEfinately that is what sounds like happened...you just said it better than I did! LOL

I am ready to start over and begin retagging...is there a way to get rid of all the tags on my kits or do I need to do it individually? That does not sound like fun if it is the case. )O:

[Kathleen]

The easiest way is to delete your database (see Deleting ACDSee Database and starting over (http://digiscrapinfo.com/joomla/component/content/article/51-errors/218-deleting-acdsee-database-and-starting-over)). That will also wipe out all your categories. If you want to save your categories, but get rid of all the tags I need to go have a look around ACDSee and determine how to do that (I'm sure it is pretty easy, just don't know off the top of my head). I'll check back after I get Delaney to bed.

[Meryl]

I am so sorry you have had this happen - for me being without ACDSee is like losing a scrapping limb :eek::cry::eek:!!!

Great advice from Kathleen, but before you go starting all over you may like to read and try this -

Did you move folders outside of ACDSee? How to fix it? (http://www.digiscrapinfo.com/joomla/component/content/article/51-errors/219-did-you-move-folders-outside-of-acdsee-how-to-fix-it)

If you DO have to start over :eek::eek::eek: then I can highly recommend this:

Speed Tagging with Kristi (http://digiscrapinfo.com/wordpress/2008/01/22/speed-tagging-with-kristi/)

The good part about starting over (looking for a silver lining here!) is that you will have a far better idea of exactly how you want your categories to look - there are some great looking (I have never tried any, these came once i was way too far down the road with ACDSee) Organizing Styles (http://www.digiscrapinfo.com/joomla/acdsee-resources/acdsee-photo-manager/organizing-styles).

I do not have it, but I believe ACDSee 10 is much more stable with regard to moving files outside of the program.

Good luck with it all, keep us posted!