Bridge & Mac

[letdolphin]

Hi All

I have just started playing with my new MacBook Pro & when using Bridge to see the photos, I noticed that I was not able to add keywords to PNG files.
Is there any way around this other than making a JPG copy of each PNG file?

I currently use an external drive broken out with folders for each artist; then kits; then the files. When I am trying to find an item I love to search but can't do that without the keywords unless the file name gives it away.

I have tried downloading iPhoto Buddy but wasn't able to add my existing folder system into the program (unless I am doing something wrong)

Any help would be great
Thanks
Laura

[vholdwic]

Hi,

You don't actually need keywords to search in Bridge. You can just search for .png or you can search by date or by which camera you took the picture with.

This might be a way to get around not being able to store XMP data.

Hope this helps,

Vicki

[Wendy]

Hi Laura ...

iPhoto Buddy is just a way of managing multiple libraries ... so you could if you wish have an iPhoto library with all your scrapbooking kits in it :)

Then you could create a folder system within iPhoto for the different types

Wendy

[letdolphin]

Hi,

You don't actually need keywords to search in Bridge. You can just search for .png or you can search by date or by which camera you took the picture with.

This might be a way to get around not being able to store XMP data.

Hope this helps,

Vicki

That would work if it were pictures; these are elements from kits I would like to be able to search

Laura

[letdolphin]

Hi Laura ...

iPhoto Buddy is just a way of managing multiple libraries ... so you could if you wish have an iPhoto library with all your scrapbooking kits in it :)

Then you could create a folder system within iPhoto for the different types

Wendy

Wendy

Would I then have to have the files saved on the HD instead of the External Drive? I think I am a little confused on exactly how this would work I guess.
If I am reading this right I could create a "Brad" folder that would look into each of the folders of each artist in my Scrapbooking folder?

Thanks again
Laura

[Priss]

Several are working on this. Don't use a Mac, haven't a clue what you're talking about. :D But we'll find someone who DOES!

[Karen Chandler]

Laura, I'm an iMac G5 user and do not use Bridge for my scrapbook kits. I don't think there is any way to add keywords to .png files in Bridge.

I have a folder on my desktop labeled Designer Kits>Name of Designer>Name of Kit. I create a new Designer Kits folder every 6 months (with the date added). I tend to remember what I'm looking for according to the time of year I purchased or created it. I have printed the preview page for each kit and keep it in a three ring binder. I think I will eventually break up the kits, but for now this system works for me.

I also back up my scrapbook kits on a cd about every 3 months.

[Karen Chandler]

I don't use iPhoto Buddy - I'm sorry, wish I could help!

[Wendy]

Hi Laura ...

There are two aspects to this ... first iPhotobuddy is simply a small piece of software that manages iPhoto libraries ... makes it easy to create new ones, change over from one to another etc ... (nothing more than that)

With iPhoto Buddy you have an option in there to create a new iPhoto library ... when you do that you can create the library wherever you wish. I have all of my libraries on my external hard drive but I could have put some on the external drive and some on my internal drive ... they don't all have to be in the same place.

Now your kits would be in iPhoto ... so you could set it up however you liked. (Remember in iPhoto your items are in the main library but you can have those item showing in up more than one album within iPhoto). So you could have albums for each designer and also by things in the kit ... brads, papers etc.

Why not download a copy of iPhotobuddy, play around with it and see what you think .. it is free. He just asks for a donation if you carry on using it :)

Or ... why not try Karen's system that sounds as though it would work really well ...

Wendy

[photobookmemories]

I use a Mac. Bridge writes the key words to the files and pngs can't have key words written to them, or copyright info. It drives me nuts.

I use Portfolio. It's expensive - $200. But it works. You can keyword to hearts content, create galleries and scratch pads, group your elements together with your photos, etc. It's extremely powerful, not very user friendly. You can archive your stuff off to CD and still see thumnails, etc. It's made by Extensis and they have a 30 day trial. I was talking to an Apple employee and he said Aperature can do many of these things as well - but I haven't checked it out. I also haven't explored Adobe Lightroom enough to know if it might be able to do some of this stuff. If all else fails, iPhoto can do basic stuff and key words for you.