PM5 Confused Newbie: Ingest, Browse, SQL

[CBY]

Hi.

New to PM5 and am confused. Here it goes...

I have a ton (About 1-2 TB) of RAW and .JPG files I want to Ingest (?), Browse (After cataloguing ?) and TAG (Metadata) properly.

The problem is where to start. I understand the TAGging part but there is so much misinformation that I can't decipher the right/wrong one.

Examples ?
i)  "Photo Mechanic is not an image editor, it is not a RAW processor and it is not a cataloging application." (From the manual 4.6.3... BTW where is the PM5 PDF Manual ?)
ii)  "The next big thing! Photo Mechanic’s Catalog is the same Photo Mechanic you know and love, with an added SQL database..." http://www.camerabits.com/products/catalog/

Now for the questions
Once the files have been ingested are the in an SQL database or not ?
Can I ingest an entire drive and TAG later ?
Can I TAG using the SQL database and apply the TAGS to files (mount the drive then...) later ?

Superb software but a little unclear for newbies - sorry ?

And yes I have gone through the 4.6.3 manual.

Thanks anyone for answering   

CBY

 

[Kirk Baker]

I have a ton (About 1-2 TB) of RAW and .JPG files I want to Ingest (?), Browse (After cataloguing ?) and TAG (Metadata) properly.

It sounds like your images are already on your hard drives so you do not need to Ingest.  Just use the IPTC Stationery Pad to bulk apply the metadata you wish to add to your photos.

The problem is where to start. I understand the TAGging part but there is so much misinformation that I can't decipher the right/wrong one.

Examples ?
i)  "Photo Mechanic is not an image editor, it is not a RAW processor and it is not a cataloging application." (From the manual 4.6.3... BTW where is the PM5 PDF Manual ?)
ii)  "The next big thing! Photo Mechanic’s Catalog is the same Photo Mechanic you know and love, with an added SQL database..." http://www.camerabits.com/products/catalog/

Now for the questions
Once the files have been ingested are the in an SQL database or not ?

The Cataloging product is in development and is not currently available.  So no, your images are not in an SQL database after Ingest.

Can I ingest an entire drive and TAG later ?

No need to Ingest.  Just browse and tag/rate/color label/add metadata as you go.

Can I TAG using the SQL database and apply the TAGS to files (mount the drive then...) later ?

Just make your soft-edits on the photos while browsing.  Later when the database product comes out and you upgrade, you'll be able to index your files where they are on your system.  There is no import stage, just an indexing/scanning stage and all metadata added now will be in the database later.

The PM 5 manual is currently in progress.  We just hired a technical writer and he is hard at work on an updated manual and an online Wiki.

-Kirk

[CBY]

Hi Kirk,

Thanks for answering. I will browse and tag.

Can you give me a scoop and hint on a date for the catalog upgrade ? Price range ? Number of DB records ?

Stop teasing!

Thanks again.

CBY

[Kirk Baker]

Thanks for answering. I will browse and tag.

Can you give me a scoop and hint on a date for the catalog upgrade ? Price range ? Number of DB records ?

No date set.  No price set yet, but it will be affordable.  Catalog should be able to handle millions of photos in a single DB and the system can have open and search multiple catalogs at once.

-Kirk

[CBY]

Haha that's what I call teasing!
Ballpark for the date ? At least a quarter and a year ?

CBY