Using PM for keywording

[babel1855]

(Perhaps this belongs in feature requests, or not?)

I am testing to use PM for keywording in connection with using a separate DAM (digital asset managment) app, in this case Portfolio. The idea is that since PM has one of the best vocabulary management tools around (although it could be much improved) it is a good way to create keywords, and then apply those keywords in the DAM tool (which for various reasons are better at catalguing and managing the image database).

Two issues have come up which would make this more easily done:

1. Stand-alone vocabulary editor

Since (in this scenario) the vocabulary editor / structured keyword panel (SKP) (ctrl-shift-k) is the only feature I use it would be helpful if one could run it separately from the rest of the application. As it is now, one has to first launch PM and then open a gallery (if none is open) to acces the structured keyword panel (SKP). Is it (could it be) possible to access the SKP from outside the full PM?

2. Running multiple instances

Is it possible to run multiple instances of PM (or just the SKP)? This would be helpful in order to work with more than one vocabulary at once. In my case I would like to work with a) the CVKC from David Rieck as well as b) a custom vocabulary. This would be much more efficient that having to integrate all new words into the CVKC, and it would also allow me to have more control over my own vocabulary, compared to if one has to integrate it into the CVKC.

[Kirk Baker]

I am testing to use PM for keywording in connection with using a separate DAM (digital asset managment) app, in this case Portfolio. The idea is that since PM has one of the best vocabulary management tools around (although it could be much improved) it is a good way to create keywords, and then apply those keywords in the DAM tool (which for various reasons are better at catalguing and managing the image database).

Two issues have come up which would make this more easily done:

1. Stand-alone vocabulary editor

Since (in this scenario) the vocabulary editor / structured keyword panel (SKP) (ctrl-shift-k) is the only feature I use it would be helpful if one could run it separately from the rest of the application. As it is now, one has to first launch PM and then open a gallery (if none is open) to acces the structured keyword panel (SKP). Is it (could it be) possible to access the SKP from outside the full PM?

It is not possible at this moment.  It is not likely that we would make a separate product for keywording since much of the underlying functionality would have to be duplicated.  Also our small team of developers would have another product to maintain.  I suppose if the market was there and called for such a product, then we would probably create such a product.

2. Running multiple instances

Is it possible to run multiple instances of PM (or just the SKP)? This would be helpful in order to work with more than one vocabulary at once. In my case I would like to work with a) the CVKC from David Rieck as well as b) a custom vocabulary. This would be much more efficient that having to integrate all new words into the CVKC, and it would also allow me to have more control over my own vocabulary, compared to if one has to integrate it into the CVKC.

It is not possible to run multiple instances of Photo Mechanic for reasons of caching and performance.

Does the Merge button not work for you?  It should make short work of integrating your custom vocabulary with David's CVKC.  I don't see how it could be more painless.

-Kirk

[babel1855]

Oh, the merge button works fine, but it would be easier to work with two separate vocabularies.

Managing the vocabulary itself can be done more easily outside of PM (with a text editor).

If I just merge the custom vocabulary into the CVKC I will run into problem when the next CVKC update arrives. At that time I would then have the possibility to either simply remove the old vocabulary and import the new CVKC. If I do that then I will loose all my custom words.

Alternatively, when a new CVKC arrives i can instead merge the new CVKC into the one that is already in use in PM (where there are also custom items). If I do this, then the custom words will not be lost but will remain the the PM vocabulary. However, there will be another problem: What if the 'new' CVKC has been updated with, for example, a changed structure (e.g. change in the sections in the vocab), or some incorrect or obsolete words have been removed. A straight merge of the 'new' CVKC into the vocabulary in PM will not work in that case.

Therefore it would be much better to be able to manage two vocabularies separately:
- the CVKC that are regularly updated by David R
- my custom vocab that I myself update continuously

[Kirk Baker]

Oh, the merge button works fine, but it would be easier to work with two separate vocabularies.

Managing the vocabulary itself can be done more easily outside of PM (with a text editor).

If I just merge the custom vocabulary into the CVKC I will run into problem when the next CVKC update arrives. At that time I would then have the possibility to either simply remove the old vocabulary and import the new CVKC. If I do that then I will loose all my custom words.

Alternatively, when a new CVKC arrives i can instead merge the new CVKC into the one that is already in use in PM (where there are also custom items). If I do this, then the custom words will not be lost but will remain the the PM vocabulary. However, there will be another problem: What if the 'new' CVKC has been updated with, for example, a changed structure (e.g. change in the sections in the vocab), or some incorrect or obsolete words have been removed. A straight merge of the 'new' CVKC into the vocabulary in PM will not work in that case.

Therefore it would be much better to be able to manage two vocabularies separately:
- the CVKC that are regularly updated by David R
- my custom vocab that I myself update continuously

Then instead you could switch between them with the Load button.  Use the Save button if you have changed them in any way before you do a new Load.

HTH,

-Kirk