Scan to folder

[Stefan Cherrug]

I can't find a good workflow. I ingest my Canon CR-files, have ticked Auto Catalog. Then in PMP I convert to dng, have to delete the originals manually and have to scan to folders again. I choose the new folder thats was automatically created during import but PHP is scanning my nearly 400 000 items. And still the imported images didn't got the green circles.

In Adobe Bridge I import and simultaneosly convert to dng and delete original files and need no scan to folders.

[ahoward]

In Adobe Bridge I import and simultaneosly convert to dng and delete original files and need no scan to folders.

Adobe Bridge also doesn't create a catalog/database. It simply views the files in the folder that you ask it to view. Photo Mechanic will do this by opening a Contact Sheet from the Navigator, as opposed to viewing items that have been added to the Catalog by using the Organizer. Here is a link to show you the difference between the two: https://camerabits.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/48001077444-how-to-find-your-catalogs-using-the-organizer-panel

Further, Bridge has the benefit of being made by the people who created the DNG format, where as, for the purposes of creating DNG files, Photo Mechanic can really only do what Adobe DNG converter allows us to do. Unfortunately, while Photo Mechanic can call out to Adobe DNG Converter and request it to create DNG files from a given set of RAW files, it doesn't provide a way for Photo Mechanic to know that those files have been successfully created, and therefore we can't automate adding those items to the catalog.

What you can do is use "Catalog Sync" instead of "Scan to Catalog": https://docs.camerabits.com/support/solutions/articles/48001161171-catalog-sync

You can set Sync to "Quick" mode and therefore it will only look for new items in the folders it is Syncing, rather than scan every file even if it is already in the catalog. However, it is not going to remove the original RAW files from the catalog, and due to the aforementioned limitation of not knowing when the conversion to DNG has completed, it is not likely that we would be able to add that automation in the future.

With all that said, I'd be happy to set up a time to screen share with you and perhaps find a way for you to streamline this process if the other benefits that Photo Mechanic offers are intriguing to you.

[Stefan Cherrug]

Many thanks for your explanations and patience!

I am fully aware of the two views PMP uses and that it's a database-based. But the only thing that matters for me is to have the most efficient workflow regardless of software. Nearly the only thing that is important for me is to be able to serch for the filename where I have all the information I need, and of course to have a quick software to view the images. The structureing and organizing are already there.

I use Adobe raw-coverter as stick-in to PMP, no big issue.

Tried the "Catalog Sync" first, but got a meassage that the folder was excepted because it already was included in a catalog folder. Now when I try it only accepts my default cataloge - tried to tick out this and changed to the actual folder but it's not accepted. Also used "Quick" (see attachment).

So the workflow I am loking for to optimize is:

1. Importing the CR-files simultaneously renaming (date without scores) and sequencing in a new folder named as date (without scores). This works as intended.
2. Converting to dng (using Adobe raw converter in PMP). No problem
3. Mark selected images as blue. Even tough I selected the Bridge configuration the colors are different when I test open in Bridge (blue is white).
4. Open in Photoshop for raw processing.
5. Using Topaz deNoise AI to denoiseing and sharpening.
6. Saving to different folders as jpeg and then I have to find the images and include them in the catalog - how?
7. Searching or filtering earlier processed images for their file name (which includes date, species, location and image number).

[Bob Russell]

Hello Stefan,

Thank you for the updates. I checked my copy of Bridge 2023 running on a Monterey iMac and a Blue color label applied by Photo Mechanic does show as a blue color label in Bridge. This is color label #4 when Photo Mechanic's preferences are set to use the Adobe Bridge configuration.

When you send your selected files to Photoshop, are you using Photo Mechanic?  If so, then the new jpegs saved from Photoshop should go back to the same folder. Use the Rescan option from the View menu or the Command-/ shortcut to show the new jpegs if they are not visible on the contact sheet.

If you set Photo Mechanic's Sort by menu to the Modification time option, then all of the jpegs processed in Photoshop will be grouped together at one end of the contact sheet or the other end. Range select these new jpegs, right-click on any of the selected thumbnails and then use the Include items in Catalog option.

There are several ways you can search for the older files in your catalog. Use the Search field in the Organizer panel's Search Tab. You can enter part of the filename with the date to find all of the images with that as part of the filename.  You can also search for a specific date or a date range.  Eg, capturetime = 2019-11-24    or    capturetime between 2022-12 and 2023-01

Best regards,

--Bob

[Stefan Cherrug]

Again, many thanks for your help!

I have Ventura 13.4.1 on my Mac Studio and Adobe Bridge 13.03.693. Still blue in PMP shows as white in Bridge. See attachments!

Yes I send from PMP to Photoshop. (Edit). I don't want them to go to the same folder, I save them to other folders - no problem because I found out how Find works.

Why Include to catalog didn't work was obviously because I hadn't ticked Add/modify in Scan to folder dialog box.

Looks nice - I think I will leave Adobe Bridge!

[ahoward]

Can you share one of those DNG files where Bridge is showing a white color label with us? If it is too large to post as an attachment, you can feel free to upload it to a filehosting site like Dropbox or anywhere else that you can post a link to. Or if you'd like I can send you the instructions for uploading to our FTP server.

[Stefan Cherrug]

I sent using Sprend and your support email attn ahoward.