Hi all! New here and I have an organization ??

[orachel]

Hey everyone!

I was hoping someone out there in the world would be able to help me with these questions...

First, what is the "organizer" program that creates a catalog that everyone is referring to? I'm very curious and desperately in need or some organization! LOL I'm really coveting ACDSee right now, but don't have the money. My husband brought home Graphic Converter, which is interesting as it allows me to open up a mega kit and watch a lil slideshow of all the elements in a file. The reason I need an organizer program so badly is for some reason, it will take my Mac (an elderly creature! LOL) a good 15 minutes to open up all jpgs in a decent sized kit...and often will only open the ones within the screen view. Now I tend to mix and match bits of kits when making a layout, so you can imagine how long it takes to hunt for stuff that matches if I have to wait minutes to see all the elements in one kit file....I have about a thousand of em! LOL I am the ultimate free kit hunter! LOL

Does anyone else out there use Graphic Converter? My husband didn't bring a manual as he snagged program off of a oldish puter we used a while back, so I'm winging it in terms of how to use this software.

I'd really like to know about this organizer program....its not free by any chance is it? I'm recenly disabled, so finances are very tight now.

And finally THIS is the question I really need answered! I'm having some issues with virtual memory as a result of downloading more than 50Gb....I'm sure you can imagine. Problem is, I absolutely know that I've got some filed duped, or hit download twice, etc. And I'm starting a new concept for org, so I don't always put files of the same type together. It takes waaaay tooo long to do a "find" to see if I've already got the file for each download.

I recently had an issue with file names. Hundreds of files needed names changed, so my friend whose a webmaster downloaded a free program called "Renamer" which renames as many files as you like at one time. It's terrific for those PC users who download stuff made on a mac with file names including ..., /, &, -...you can change them all at once.

Got me thinking that there HAS to be a free program out there that will take a whole file...say the file that houses my weeds&wildflowers kits...and hunts for duplicates throughout entire system for all file names in that W&W folder. I guess I need to know if anyone knows of a "duplicate file finder" type program.

Id really appreciate any info you can offer me, and Id' love if someone could direct me to info on the "organization" program everyones talking about. Love the idea of it just creating a catalog...that way won't take up much more space if I leave kits together, but also file indiv elements in with "pastel ribbons" or "metal buttons"....I cant do that now because I'd have to copy the files, and would suck more memory up! LOL

And also, are we allowed to share free resources with each other here? I have a terrific list of freebies, lots of kits, but more things like design resources...brushes, shapes, actions, clipart, etc...and its all free. I'd love to share it with you all, but I don't want to violate TOU here. If the answer is NO...we can't share freebies, and you think you'd like the list, shoot me an email at orachel54@yahoo.com, and tell me you'd like the freebie resource list, and what site I saw you on. Everyone who's taken it so far has just raved about it, esp as many of the resources are ok for commercial use, so whether you're a designer, or just creating a freebie for your blog, you should be able to utilize most of this stuff.

I know this is long! Thanks for bearing with me! And I look forward to helping each of you as best I can in the future.

Happy Trails,
rachel kendall
orachel digiscrap name
orachel54@yahoo.com

[Wendy]

Hi Rachel

... and welcome :)

First thing is the program that most people are using is Photoshop Elements or its big brother Photoshop.

The Windows version of it comes with an Organiser program ... (which is quite like iPhoto) but because us Mac users have iPhoto then the Mac version of Elements doesn't have the organiser ... we use iPhoto instead.

Do you not use iPhoto to store and organise your kits ?? ... it will do all the things you mention and it comes with the Mac so there is no extra cost involved :)

Elements is software that allows you to make things like scrapbook pages (and lots more besides) .. its sort of a grown up version of Graphic Converter :). Graphic converter is very limited and there really isn't a lot you can do with it .... well not in comparison to something like Elements ...

As far as posting link to freebie sites ... we actually don't tend to post long lists of links to other sites on the forum ..

Wendy
PS ... Have you signed up for the free Scrappers Guide Newsletter yet. If not then it is well work doing so ... here is a link to it:

http://scrappersguide.com/

[orachel]

Holy Moly! Thanks, Wendy! LOL

I have Iphoto, I'm almost positive...but I've never used it! I had no idea it could be used as an organizer! I'm cracking up over here!

I don't have a manual for it, I know that for sure. Do you have any idea where one might go to learn how iphoto is best put to use for dig scrap/clip art/etc organization? Is there somewhere you learned all it could do to organize your schtuff? I'm ever so grateful! At least I now know I have the ability to organize well, though I've no clue how to use it.

Thanks again! What a sigh of relief! LOL

rachel kendall

[orachel]

Oh...and I use photoshop CS2 v 8.0, I believe. But you can't use photoshop to organize stuff, can you? I've recently discovered I can make contact sheets when naughty designers neglect to include a contact sheet or even a preview...but other than that, does ps itself organize? Hmmm...this is going to be a very enlightening site, I think!

[Wendy]

Hi Rachel ...

Here is a link to a whole lot of info on using iPhoto ...

http://macs.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=macs&cdn=compute&tm=21&f=20&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.atomiclearning.com/freeiphotox.shtml

Don't bother with the editing section ... iPhoto is no where near as good as CS2 for that.

Also here is a link to iPhoto Buddy which allows you to easily manage multiple libraries:

http://www.iphotobuddy.com/

That means that you can have one library simply for all your scrapbooking bits ... :)

Now CS2 comes with Bridge ... which you can also use as an Organiser. Here is some info on how to use the Bridge:

http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials/tt-cs2/adobe-bridge.html

Hope they help :)

Wendy

[orachel]

WENDY....

You are my new favorite person! LOL Seriously, thank you so very very much for all of your work answering my question. I was utterly stunned...had no idea cs2 had any organizing capabilities, or iphoto. So funny...had what I needed all along!

Now I'm off to check out Wendy's World!

Thanks again!

[Wendy]

Hi Rachel ...

Glad to help :)

Wendy