New user, a couple of questions

[courtlevephoto]

1.  Where does one find a manual?

2. How do you batch input metadata/keywords to all files in any given folder?

3.  I'm currently using iview.  You can create catalogs and have one photo in multiple catalogs without duplicating the image.  Does PM do this or something similar?  This is VERY handy for submissions, for example I can take two or three years of skiing images and throw them all into a new catalog and then create a web page from that catalog without moving or copying image files, which leads me to my 4th question.

4.  Can you create web galleries from PM?


Looking forward to some answers/help.


thanks.

[Kirk Baker]

1.  Where does one find a manual?

http://www.camerabits.com/download/index.html

The manual there is for the 4.4 version.  The 4.5.3 manual will be released along with the 4.5.3 version of Photo Mechanic.

2. How do you batch input metadata/keywords to all files in any given folder?

You first select the photos you wish to work on.  Then open up the IPTC Stationery Pad.  Enter the data you want applied to the selected images.  To the left of each text field is an "apply" checkbox that needs to be set to checked if you want that particular field to be applied.  Then click on the "Apply Stationery to Selected" button.

3.  I'm currently using iview.  You can create catalogs and have one photo in multiple catalogs without duplicating the image.  Does PM do this or something similar?  This is VERY handy for submissions, for example I can take two or three years of skiing images and throw them all into a new catalog and then create a web page from that catalog without moving or copying image files, which leads me to my 4th question.

Photo Mechanic is not currently a cataloging application.  We are working on a cataloging solution now.

4.  Can you create web galleries from PM?

Yes.  You can use the Export feature to pick a template which will export the selected photos in a variety of styles.

HTH,

-Kirk

[courtlevephoto]

Thanks for your quick reply.  For some reason, I'm on a mac perphaps, user error perhpaps, but if I select command I instead of using the IPTC stationary pad it doesn't show the boxes to check.  Using the pull down does however.

I'm searching for how to enter in the relvent information when exporting, for instance how to turn off the caption from being on the photo, how to enter my website for the home page link.


Thanks again.  Pretty stoked on this software so far. I've been using iview for a number of years and thought it was fast for browsing images, etc..   The catalog feature is something I use nearly every day....

[Kirk Baker]

Thanks for your quick reply.  For some reason, I'm on a mac perphaps, user error perhpaps, but if I select command I instead of using the IPTC stationary pad it doesn't show the boxes to check.  Using the pull down does however.

Hmm.  Well I just tried it again to make sure some bug hadn't entered into the system.  Command-I brings up the IPTC Stationery Pad for me.  Just typing 'i' when a single item is selected brings up the individual IPTC Info dialog for me.

I'm searching for how to enter in the relvent information when exporting, for instance how to turn off the caption from being on the photo, how to enter my website for the home page link.

The various export templates have an interface where you enter your information.  Much of the power of Photo Mechanic lies in the use of what we call "Variables" (words placed in { and } like {iso} and {caption}).

Thanks again.  Pretty stoked on this software so far. I've been using iview for a number of years and thought it was fast for browsing images, etc..   The catalog feature is something I use nearly every day....

You'll still need iView for that functionality for the time being.

-Kirk