"Multi Level" Classes for images!

[theorib]

Hello Kirk,

PM is always evolving and its great. The integration with PhotoShelter is a real godsend!

There is always space to evolve; I believe keywording is one of them and adopting IPTC Core is another very welcome evolution to PM; I'm anxiously waiting for the next version to see what you guys are working on!

Besides of those; the biggest issue I have with PhotoMechanic in almost all of my jobs is related to colour classes and tags.

They are great but I have and I believe a lot of people also have a necessity for a multi-level class system.

For example: one of the most comon thing at the end of a work day is selecting the top picks. I can do it with colour classes with no problems but after that, I have to select the images that will be sent to a magazine editor; then the images that need to be sent to the general press manager of the event, and its not uncommon to have to make 5 or 6 different selections besides those of the best pictures.

Nowadays, I always loose my selection of top picks at the end. A common workflow goes like this: I have to first select the picks for the editor and send them. Then I select the ones for the press; I send them; I do selections to everyone I have to send something and at the end, I'm too weared-out and go to sleep; that means that when I wake-up early in the mourning on the next day, I totally missed my selection of top picks and at the end of the job I won't have time to do it again...

I love having colour classes for selecting my best images; maybe even two levels of colour classes would be better; but it would be great to have some other inteligent system for doing all the different types of selection we have to do every day at work...

iTunes playlists are a great idea for example! After selecting your top picks; You drag the pictures you choose for the editor to the "playlist" Editor; the ones for press to the "playlist" press and the ones you took from the fellow photographer that was clicking by your side you just drag them to his own "playlist"!!!

Playlists are just an idea but some kind of solution is a real necessity I believe for a lot of people!

Think about it, I'm sure it would be a most welcome addition! I can help you with ideas if you want.


Best wishes!


Theo Ribeiro

[theorib]

Sorry to bother again but as I haven't received any replies I decided to ask again...

Have you ever considered or thought about some solution to the (big) problem described above?


Thanks


Theo Ribeiro

[Kirk Baker]

Theo,

Sorry to bother again but as I haven't received any replies I decided to ask again...

Have you ever considered or thought about some solution to the (big) problem described above?

I have considered adding something like you described earlier, but I was going to call them "Albums" or "Collections".  They would be Favorites that would keep references (paths) to the files stored in different locations, not duplicating the files.  You could add items to them by drag and drop, and you could remove them by deleting them (just the reference would be deleted, not the file.)

Would that solve your issue?

-Kirk

[theorib]

Bravo Kirk!!

You got the idea! That's a great way to solve this problem and exactly what we need! Would it be possible to save those albuns somewere so you can keep then without filling your "favorites screen" with thousants of different ones from the past when you don't exactly need them?

If you would like more input or ideas into that please ask us.

Would that make into the next version? Ohh, by the way, do you guys have any idea of when PM 4.5 is coming out? Whe are anxiously awaiting...

Best,

Theo Ribeiro

[Kirk Baker]

Theo,

Bravo Kirk!!

You got the idea! That's a great way to solve this problem and exactly what we need! Would it be possible to save those albuns somewere so you can keep then without filling your "favorites screen" with thousants of different ones from the past when you don't exactly need them?

I have no plans to make them hierarchical.

If you would like more input or ideas into that please ask us.

Would that make into the next version?

Not likely in 4.5.0, but maybe in an update to 4.5.

Ohh, by the way, do you guys have any idea of when PM 4.5 is coming out? Whe are anxiously awaiting...

No.  It will be done when it's done.

-Kirk

[gregoire]

Kirk, that's looking like a nice first step to a cataloguing feature to me 
Great!

[ostonica]

Theo,

I have considered adding something like you described earlier, but I was going to call them "Albums" or "Collections".  They would be Favorites that would keep references (paths) to the files stored in different locations, not duplicating the files.  You could add items to them by drag and drop, and you could remove them by deleting them (just the reference would be deleted, not the file.)

Would that solve your issue?

-Kirk

I just ran across this old thread about Collections and your suggestion, Kirk, is something that I would really love to have in PM before the Cataloging program comes out. It's the ONE area where I am finding PM a little awkward to work with, now that I am organising my photos into collections for different uses, chapters in a book, slide shows, portfolios with different subjects, etc .
I tried to find a workaround that uses keywords etc, but I could not save those selections as favourites.

So I'm really hoping that your idea makes it into the next version.

Thanks

Jim Swift
http://jhsw.ca

[terencep]

Hello,

I would also find the "collections" feature to be very useful! The iTunes playlist is a good example in functionality, in that there could be a single image referenced in multiple collections. The ability to do things like add ratings, do slideshows, upload, and export directly from the collection could be a massive time saver. Would also help greatly when editing new portfolios for clients on multi-day jobs.

Thanks!