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PC's and Photo Storage/Albums

This extraction question makes me confused. IDK how a zip can "automatically extract." *blush* Having said that, I have a downloads folder (well, there's a downloads folder installed on every PC I've every owned), and everything I DL goes in there. Let's use a DS purchase as an example. I buy something... let's say it's called KIT EXAMPLE. I DL it. Then, I set up my KIT EXAMPLE folder in my "DS to be backed up" folder. I open my Downloads folder, click on the first KIT EXAMPLE zip and I then highlight the items inside that I want to move into my KIT EXAMPLE folder that I made. So, if the folder is the KIT EXAMPLE paper zip, then I select the papers (but not the designer TOU cuz I already have a folder with TOUs) and I then drag/drop them into the KIT EXAMPLE folder I made. My computer unzips/extracts the items and "places" them in the folder I picked. Then I delete the zip file. I do the same thing with the Elements zip, selecting all the elements and the kit's preview. Then I delete that zip from my downloads' folder. [I'm about to do this cuz I DLed a bunch of BYOC last night, woot woot!]
Does that make sense? What the heck does a Mac do?! I wouldn't want my zips unzipped for me. I'm too much of a control freak. I want to open the zip and navigate the subfolders myself. Microsoft has a very short article with another way of doing it here. Normally I wouldn't navigate away from TLP, but these will help you use your TLP supplies with your new PC, so I don't feel too bad. ;)
 
jk703 said:
@mollyc Lightroom - I've never ventured to this software. Is it possible to have albums? and then albums within the album? Thanks in advance! I'm still sad to leave Mac, but I can't go smaller in screen size, and I don't use the iMac we have. :(
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Not sure what you mean by albums since I've never used Photos, but I keep photos sorted chronologically by month on my hard drive and then make collections as needed (like for a Project Life spread where my photos might be spread among 2-3 folders), and you can make collections within collections in LR. LR will just show the folder hierarchy from your hard drive, although it is recommended to move files within LR rather than the hard drive just to keep everything synced (although you can manually sync if needed).

You keep all your scrap stuff on your desktop? That seems so odd to me. If you use Bridge you can literally drag and drop from a bridge folder into PS, either as a new document, or drag it onto an open document and it becomes a new layer.
 
@Tree City
Yay! From the information, link, images and you, this will allow me to follow a similar simple organization/viewing that I have now on my Mac. This makes me super happy.

Extractions on a Mac are a teeny bit different. We buy a kit, and then you go to download that kit. There could be 3 parts to DL, like papers, elements, and say journal cards. When you download them, they go to the downloads folder, already unzipped, each in their own folder. At that point, I combine them and rename the folder. There is no extracting, or deleting of a zip file. That part is the automatic part. I think it's just an extra step for PC.

@mollyc
I guess, for me albums, would be each set of photos that are grouped together. It sounds like what I would need is possible since you are allowed to make your own collections, and collections within collections. :) Thank you! I may venture into Lightroom after I get settled.

Oh... no, I don't keep all my scrap stuff on my desktop. I agree, odd. :) When I am scrapping my page, I only have the items that I am working with on my desktop. So, then thumbnails of the papers, elements, etc. Once I'm done with them, I delete them. This is just so I can visually see everything at the same time - all items, PS, layout, etc. I started way back when with PSE and a bin. I guess you could call it my "bin." I need to be able to see everything at the same time. I haven't ever used bridge.
 
@jk703 ah, that makes sense! A Mac will unzip for you and you don't worry about the actual zipped folder. Huh. The term "exploding Zips" makes a lot more sense now, too, lol!
So both PC and Mac people DL files but only PC people seem to actually deal with a Zip file. Interesting!
 
I primarily am a kit scrapper, so my method works well for me, but you likely work with more than one kit at a time. But with Bridge you can have multiple windows open, so even when I work with multiple kits I just have a window open for each kit and tab among them.

I started off on a PC years and years ago when my DH and I shared a computer and didn't really find to much different when I switched to a Mac. I think the file structures are much more similar now than they used to be and other than relearning shortcuts I can't see that it's going to be a huge leap for you.
 
My zip files don't automatically unzip. That must be a preference somewhere.
 
mollyc said:
I primarily am a kit scrapper, so my method works well for me, but you likely work with more than one kit at a time. But with Bridge you can have multiple windows open, so even when I work with multiple kits I just have a window open for each kit and tab among them.
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That's what I do with my PC. I just have a window for each of the kits I'm using. It's never been a problem for me.
 
jk703 said:
Yes... thank you everyone!

@cfile
When you say File > Place... is that to being items into PS. I know I'm a weirdo. I use my desktop as a hold all elements and papers in thumbnail size... (I need to be able to "see" everything) so I usually have the items I'm working with on my desktop, and then drag into PS. Maybe I will eliminate this if the File > Place allows me to see everything I open at the same time.

Also.... do downloads extract themselves?

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Ok... I ended up buying a 2 TB EHD when I got my laptop as I had 3 EHD and my oldest I was having issues with on the new laptop... It was ancient, so I bought the new one so I knew it is compatible.. (my 2 newer of the 3 I had before I had no issue with.. just the oldest EHD when I had Vista... It would work and then the next minute it was giving me reformat messages so hubby bought me a new BIG EHD and I copied everything to the one.. the 3 EHDs that were the old ones are now in the draw and I did use one as I needed to re copy for the new EHD as I by mistake deleted my folder and I was so glad I had the back up!

Okay, when I am in Photo shop, I can "File>Open" and it will allow me to open files but I hate having multiple things open and I want to avoid doing things on the original. So say I am working on a layout... I want a certain paper.. I go to File > Place and it will allow me to choose a folder to open. I find the paper or element or photo and it places it in my layout. In the layer panel it will reflect the file name, and is a smart object. As soon as you go to File it will have you choose the folder and like Teri said earlier if you click on View in the folder area you can have med large or extralarge on the view size.

Re the downloads, when you download say from here a pack you bought, it will drop into your downloads.. you will need to go to the zip and right click on it and select extract all then it will extract it and put the extracted folder into your download folder.. from there you file where you need to.

Hope that helps.
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We have a network. My DH downloads the photos onto one of the servers. He duplicates the photos and puts them in a program called Irfanview Thumbnails that is one of our network drives; this is also a safety precaution so that I can't mess up and accidentally delete any. :giggle He has them sorted by camera (or subject, if we got the photos from someone or if they are scans)/year/event. He labels the event in this format: 2016-03-27-Easter. As far as my digi supplies, I just use the file/folder system that is within Windows. It works great for me; the less complicated the better.

I use a free program called 7zip to extract my downloads. With this (and probably other like programs), I can either unzip within the Downloads folder ("Extract Here") or elsewhere ("Extract files. . ." and you choose exactly where you want to put the extracted files).

I'll bet you'll be used to Windows in no time.
 
Thank you, Liz! I love that you can't delete the pics accidentially! :P
 
@jk703 are you getting the photographers package through adobe re the $9.99 a month? That is for CC & LR combined. A lot of people use LR ... I don' use it much but it came with CC :)
 
cfile said:
@jk703 are you getting the photographers package through adobe re the $9.99 a month? That is for CC & LR combined. A lot of people use LR ... I don' use it much but it came with CC :)
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From what I can find, I will get the $9.99 package, and then have the option to use LR. I have to go find a link for that. I'm going to leave my old PS on the MBP in case the boys want to do anything. It's perfect for web surfing, games and the like.

Between Photoshop and RadLab, I love how my pictures come out. I'm not all technical and just want to make them look pretty and PS/RL do that, so I won't use the photo processing in LR. I may use the organization part later on... maybe. But... if I can make it work simply and easily with the Photos app, then that works too. lol. I'm wishy washy!
 
@jk703 It is automatic that you get both CC and LR :) then check out Cheryl's videos and she will show how you can organize your catalog in LR with photos etc. I very rarily use it but it is very good re LR.
 
mollyc said:
My zip files don't automatically unzip. That must be a preference somewhere.
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Molly... you have to extract the files from a zip? They don't show up in your DL folder in nice little blue files? If it is a preference, I didn't know that I opted for it, but it's a nice little step you don't have to do. :)

cfile said:
@jk703 It is automatic that you get both CC and LR :) then check out Cheryl's videos and she will show how you can organize your catalog in LR with photos etc. I very rarily use it but it is very good re LR.
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True... if I'm paying for it, I should use it, right? I just don't know if I want to learn a new computer and new software. :giggle and :groan Maybe soon? That's a time frame, right?
 
Are you aware that the photography program also comes with Bridge? Bridge is like a file viewer that works with your folder structure and it works perfectly together with PS.

I use LR for my photos and ACDSee for my supplies and am very happy with the combination. Together with Anna Forrest's file tracker and ARGOS to view presets (and I think it also makes Windows show previews of .psd files, because my Windows does) this is all I need for scrapping or anything photo related.
 
Yes, I doubleclick zip files to open them. Which is fine with me because when I get a kit with multiple DLs, I move them all to one folder first before unzipping them.

edited: oh, a google search tells me that the auto-unzip is a Safari thing. I use Firefox, so that's why. I think auto-unzipping would annoy me, lol.
 
I've never really had to use Bridge before. I had just always used Photos and Photoshop on my Mac. I will make a list and add it to check out! I seem to be a simple scrapper/organized person. A photos app for my images (both scrap and photos), and then PS for all of my scrapping/editing.

I haven't ever had to use a file tracker or Argos. (I will google that, I've never heard of it in my 7 years of scrapping! lol!). I know off the bat, I'm not ready to learn 3 new different software - LR for editing, ACDSee for organizing supplies, Bridge for organizing photos. That might overwhelm me when learning a new computer. I'll pry do one at a time, if I see a need to learn one.
@Rikki


@mollyc Aha - good to know. lol! I didn't realize it was a function of Safari. I do like it, and once I go in the DL folder, I just combine. Seems we get to the same ending though the steps there are a little different. :)
 
jk703 said:
I'm not ready to learn 3 new different software - LR for editing, ACDSee for organizing supplies, Bridge for organizing photos.
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Lightroom will handle editing AND organizing photos. I wouldn't use LR and Bridge for photos in conjunction - Bridge uses ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) and your edits won't show up the same in both programs because the edits are stored differently (even though the underlying editing engine is the same. That would be a nightmare.

Bridge is relatively simple to use for organizing. I love it for scrap stuff - it's basically just a larger view of Preview. I upload the thumbnails of all the kits and have folders for store, then designer, then the kits. I really don't use it for organizing, per se, but rather just to see everything.

Screen Shot 2017-03-06 at 12.22.38 PM.jpg


I know a lot of people use ACDSee and honestly I've never looked at it. But Bridge comes free with the CC subscription. Since you are going that route, on a purely economical basis I would recommend moving to some combination of LR/PS/Bridge (my way is definitely not the only way and you may find an easier workflow). It took a while for me to come up with a system that worked, but I've been doing it this way for a long time now and find it super easy. All new workflows take a bit, and I get that. But I can't see spending more money right off the bat for an extra program when it is likely that CC will more than handle everything you need.
 
There really is nothing to learn about Bridge in order to use it (unless you want to get fancy and use keywords and such. You just start it and it shows you your folder structure and you double click on a folder and it shows you the content.

I only mentioned the others because this is what I am using and they work well together and make scrapping (for me) super easy - plus I don't need to track any supplies, even if I use supplies from dozens of kits.

As far as Argos goes, it is just a little program that you install and it seamlessly "slides" into your system and you never think of it again. What it does is it shows you what presets and files look like before loading them, something that Windows usually does not show. So if you have 50 presets in one folder and you are looking for a particular one it is normally trial and error until you find the right one. But Argos shows you what the presets look like in the "open" window before you actually load the preset.
 
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