Need primer on versioning

[mrl]

As I consider Photo Supreme, it seems to me that the one area where it might be more helpful than Lightroom for my fairly basic needs is in its versioning capabilities. However, the materials I've found don't give me a good understanding of how to use versioning. Is there a set of basic instructions for exactly what versioning is and how to use it? (I know there is a video, but I'm not able fully to replicate the actions taken in it. Also, I know there's something called version detection, but I don't find instructions for how to activate it or how it works. I acknowledge that what I'm looking for may be out there and I may have missed it, in which case a link to it would be appreciated.)

Thanks in advance.

[vlad]

Is there a set of basic instructions for exactly what versioning is and how to use it?

There used to be a web page (quick start manual?) on version detection, but it is no longer live. I'm not sure if this is by accident or intentional (perhaps it is being updated for PSU V3?).

Also, I know there's something called version detection, but I don't find instructions for how to activate it or how it works.

At a very basic level, you can select a bunch of images and invoke version detection (Shift+Control+V, or right-click -> Versions -> Version Detection) to detect their versions in the catalog. As a result, the images are placed in version sets. The version matching - as well as the version placeholder matching, in PSU V3 (you may think of version placeholders as some kind of version tags) - takes place by applying matching rules to the image filenames. (For example, image_1.JPG and image_1.NEF will be placed in the same version set - obviously, the matching rules are more complex than that.) Once you have version sets, they are often represented in a collection only by their main version (but you can easily display their versions as well, for example using Ctrl+Alt+V). There are versioning settings - in particular, how the main version is chosen - available within the catalog settings (Tools-> Preferences -> Catalog). Please note that the version detection can be invoked during importing too. (See the Apply Versioning setting in an import profile.)

While a quick manual would certainly be useful, the best way to learn about the versioning features is probably by trying them. Good luck and feel free to ask specific questions - you'll most likely get help.

[tstoddard]

Please note that the version detection can be invoked during importing too.

There is also a checkbox that allows you to detect versions when you import files using the "verify folder" functionality. Also, you can create a version set by simply dragging one thumbnail over top of another. Once you have a version set, you will see small tabs along the right side of the thumbnail of any image that is in the version set. When you hover over any of those tabs, a menu bar of sorts will appear across the thumbnail. You can select a placeholder from that menu bar or you can click on the little triangle to get a drop down menu with other options.

Version sets get treated like one file by Photo Supreme. There is one area that often causes confusion and that has to do with the difference in how version sets are displayed when you are in folder mode. If you are viewing your images from within a folder, there will be one thumbnail displayed for every file in the version set that is also in the current folder. So if you have three images in a version set and they are all in the same folder, when you view that folder you will see three thumbnails, one with the first tab selected, one with the second tab selected, and one with the third tab selected.

The treatment of version sets as single images also has it's drawbacks. For example, if you want to put two of the files out of your three file version set into a portfolio, you can't really do that. Selecting any one of the versions and adding it to a portfolio puts the version set in the portfolio and then you can select which individual file you want to display in that portfolio by selecting that tab but you can't have two tabs selected at once.

Go ahead and experiment and let us know if you have specific questions.

[vlad]

There is also a checkbox that allows you to detect versions when you import files using the "verify folder" functionality.

Where is this checkbox? I don't see it.

[mrl]

Thanks to you both. I'll try it and get back with any questions.

[Mke]

Be aware that there are some peculiarities in tagging images in version sets:

• * when you Assign catalog labels to images in a version set, the label will be applied to all images in the version set.
  
  * when you apply Details to images in a version set, the details will only be applied to the main image - unless you check the box at the bottom of the panel that says 'Apply to full version set'.
  
  * when you apply a GEO tag to images in a version set, the GEO tag will only applied to the main image; to write it to the other images in the set you have to manually 'cascade' the tag via the version set menu (you can do this to multiple images at once). Unless the GEO coordinates are part of the catalog label, in which case they will be applied to all images in the set when the catalog label is applied (a request to resolve this inconsistency has been logged at http://bugs.idimager.com/view.php?id=2367)

[lippe]

Where is this checkbox? I don't see it.

Import > More Settings... > Import Images into Catalog > Apply Versioning

[vlad]

Import > More Settings... > Import Images into Catalog > Apply Versioning

That's for importing, right? I was interested in version detection during folder verification - that's what Tom mentioned.

[lippe]

I was interested in version detection during folder verification - that's what Tom mentioned.

Sorry, my mistake. That option is on the bottom of the result dialog window when *new* files are found.

[Mike Buckley]

When using the Batch panel to create an image file from another file, that panel provides the configuration to "Store the created file as a new version" or not.

[mrl]

When I ran the version detection tool I got a number of version sets that include different photos that have similar but not identical filenames. I suspect that the answer lies in the preferences section (catalog settings/main version detection scope), but without some guidance as to what goes in that field, preferably in the form of a full discussion of versioning, I haven't a clue.

[vlad]

Please provide an example of a version set you actually got (the image filenames) and what you'd prefer to get from the version detection instead.

[lippe]

Please notice build 2055 introduced a new option in the Catalog > Catalog settings: Main version detection scope. '%filename*.*

[mrl]

Here's an example. I get 8 version sets each of which has the following files (where X is the common file name): X-30.NEF; X-3.NEF; X-31.NEF; X-32.NEF; X-32-edit.tif; X-33.NEF; X-34.NEF and X-35.NEF. Each of the sets has a different one of these as the thumbnail. Then it gets stranger: I get two more version sets with the same photos, but the thumbnail that appears is of yet a different photo (38.NEF and 39.NEF). The same thing happens with files whose numbers start with 4. For all I know, there is a very simple fix for this, but in the absence of documentation, I'm forced to rely on the kindness of all of you to figure it out.

As for the option that lippe mentions: I see that but I don't see any other options.

[vlad]

Here's an example. I get 8 version sets each of which has the following files (where X is the common file name): X-30.NEF; X-3.NEF; X-31.NEF; X-32.NEF; X-32-edit.tif; X-33.NEF; X-34.NEF and X-35.NEF. Each of the sets has a different one of these as the thumbnail. Then it gets stranger: I get two more version sets with the same photos, but the thumbnail that appears is of yet a different photo (38.NEF and 39.NEF).

Hmm, are you saying that you're getting 8 version sets with (the same) 8 images each? How do you look at the version sets? Could you attach a relevant screenshot?