Easy way to xfer PM settings from desktop to laptop

[devenh]

Is there any easy way to transfer all my PM settings, code replacements, structured keywords, etc., from my desktop to my laptop?

Deven

[Kirk Baker]

Deven,

Is there any easy way to transfer all my PM settings, code replacements, structured keywords, etc., from my desktop to my laptop?

What OS are you running?

-Kirk

[devenh]

Windows XP.

[Kirk Baker]

Deven,

Windows XP.

The way it is done is to use RegEdit to export various registry keys.  Are you comfortable using RegEdit?

-Kirk

[devenh]

I've never disabled a system yet with regedit 

[Kirk Baker]

Deven,

I've never disabled a system yet with regedit 

Disclaimer: you may irrevocably damage your system by using RegEdit, so do this only at your own risk.

That said, then you export the following path as a .reg file:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Camera Bits, Inc.\Photo Mechanic

Then you need to edit the .reg file with a text editor and remove anything that has a path in it, like the CachePath entry unless the path already exists on your other system.

Then you take the file over to your other system and import it back into the same location using RegEdit.

Disclaimer: you may irrevocably damage your system by using RegEdit, so do this only at your own risk.

Other settings (snapshots) are just simple files and can be copied from one system to the next.  You can find the snapshots by using PM directly.  Just hold down the shift key while you choose a snapshot from the popup menu.  Windows Explorer will come forward, displaying the file.  All of the snapshots are saved in feature-specific folders and the folders are all together in the same parent folder.  Just copy the folders full of snapshots to the other system into the same location.

-Kirk

[Bob]

so that begs the question: can you do this on the Mac?
save settings and use to distribute to a staff? Copy a lib file?

[Kirk Baker]

so that begs the question: can you do this on the Mac?
save settings and use to distribute to a staff? Copy a lib file?

On the Mac you copy the com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.plist file from one computer to the next.  You can find the plist file in the following location:

/Users/<your logon name>/Library/Preferences/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.plist

The snapshots are similar to the Windows instructions with the exception of using the Option key instead of the Shift key to find the location of the snapshots.

The only difficulty is that the plist is in a binary format and you need to use Apple's PList Editor to open it and remove the CachePath entry.  Then re-save the file.  It should then work when distributed to other systems with the caveat that all of the custom editor paths may not work unless everyone keeps their editor applications in the same location (this is usually pretty likely however since most apps are installed in the following path: '/Applications')

The PList Editor comes with Apple's Developer Tools which are on a DVD that comes with every Mac.

HTH,

-Kirk

[mbbphoto]

The snapshots are similar to the Windows instructions with the exception of using the Option key instead of the Shift key to find the location of the snapshots.


-Kirk

Can we have an 'export settings' option???
Can we have an 'edit list' option in all the snapshots?
Marc

[Kirk Baker]

Marc,

Can we have an 'export settings' option???

It's on the wish list already.

Can we have an 'edit list' option in all the snapshots?

Not needed.   Just hold down the Shift key (Option on Mac) when you choose one of the snapshots.  Your OS file system windows (Windows Explorer/Finder) will come forward and there you can rename, copy, move, delete, etc.  When you return to PM the list of snapshots will be scanned from the snapshot folder automatically.

I think this is far more functional than me adding some sort of editor to allow you to do similar operations.

-Kirk

[Bob]

so that begs the question: can you do this on the Mac?
save settings and use to distribute to a staff? Copy a lib file?

On the Mac you copy the com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.plist file from one computer to the next.  You can find the plist file in the following location:

/Users/<your logon name>/Library/Preferences/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.plist

The snapshots are similar to the Windows instructions with the exception of using the Option key instead of the Shift key to find the location of the snapshots.

The only difficulty is that the plist is in a binary format and you need to use Apple's PList Editor to open it and remove the CachePath entry.  Then re-save the file.  It should then work when distributed to other systems with the caveat that all of the custom editor paths may not work unless everyone keeps their editor applications in the same location (this is usually pretty likely however since most apps are installed in the following path: '/Applications')

The PList Editor comes with Apple's Developer Tools which are on a DVD that comes with every Mac.

HTH,

-Kirk

Thanks Kirk,
Thats a great solution. All our laptops are configured the same as to the paths, so distributing that file will work great. (actually, since they all have the same account name, I should not have to even edit the plist, right?)

[Kirk Baker]

Bob,

so that begs the question: can you do this on the Mac?
save settings and use to distribute to a staff? Copy a lib file?

On the Mac you copy the com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.plist file from one computer to the next.  You can find the plist file in the following location:

/Users/<your logon name>/Library/Preferences/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.plist

The snapshots are similar to the Windows instructions with the exception of using the Option key instead of the Shift key to find the location of the snapshots.

The only difficulty is that the plist is in a binary format and you need to use Apple's PList Editor to open it and remove the CachePath entry.  Then re-save the file.  It should then work when distributed to other systems with the caveat that all of the custom editor paths may not work unless everyone keeps their editor applications in the same location (this is usually pretty likely however since most apps are installed in the following path: '/Applications')

The PList Editor comes with Apple's Developer Tools which are on a DVD that comes with every Mac.

HTH,

-Kirk

Thanks Kirk,
Thats a great solution. All our laptops are configured the same as to the paths, so distributing that file will work great. (actually, since they all have the same account name, I should not have to even edit the plist, right?)

Yes, I'd suppose so.

-Kirk

[mbbphoto]

Marc,


Not needed.   Just hold down the Shift key (Option on Mac) when you choose one of the snapshots.  Your OS file system windows (Windows Explorer/Finder) will come forward and there you can rename, copy, move, delete, etc.  When you return to PM the list of snapshots will be scanned from the snapshot folder automatically.

I think this is far more functional than me adding some sort of editor to allow you to do similar operations.

-Kirk

Kirk,
it certainly works, its just not intuitive to my assistants.
A replace current snapshot would also be very handy when your manipulating a caption for a regular client.
Saves retyping snapshot name to replace it. I end up with multiple snapshots with ALMOST the same name in the list because I miss the name by one keystroke.
Thanks as always
Marc