Can I combine Filters & Scripts into one action?

[ighulme]

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone could help me out please?

I currently have a catalog of thousands of images and I regularly need to filter out unnecessary ones such as reference photos and images assets. Currently, to apply the filters I need, it takes 3 steps:

1. Apply a Filter to view a group of the labels I want hidden
2. Invert the Filter
3. Apply a script to filter out Sub-versions

This is how the process looks:

[ external image ]

I have to go through this process every time I want to change folder or refresh the view, and obviously it would be great if I could avoid this.

Is there a way I can combine these actions into a single one, preferably with a keyboard shortcut?

I've looked into scripts and macros, but it's all a bit beyond me I'm afraid!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ian

[fbungarz]

Hi Ian,
If I understand you correctly you have a saved filter for your first step, then invert this filter and then filter it again. You call step 3 is a "script", but if I understand your screenshot correctly it is a script that you saved as an additional filter, right?
Given that you successively executed two saved filters, I would assume that you could again save the results as yet another filter that may serve your purpose. That saved filter would thus be a combination of the previous two saved filters.
Have you tried if this works? Perhaps it is too complex and returns the results only very slowly, but perhaps it doesn't work because the step in-between requires you to invert the first filter before applying the second one...

I wonder, if it would be possible to create instead a saved dynamic search (i.e., store the search as a favorite). Have you tried using a dynamic search to find the files you are interested in? You can save the search results of such a dynamic search too:

DynamicSearch.jpg (85.52 KiB) Viewed 2284 times

Once you have saved a particular search you may only have to change one or two of its criteria to find the files you are interested in. For instance add all the versions that you are interested in to your search, then add the group of the labels you want and finally the folder where the files you are interested in are located. That should return what you need. Now, if next time you ant to apply the search on another folder simply call the search you saved and change the folder. If you are interested in images from the same folder, but with a few different labels, call the search and simply change the labels.
Pay attention to the "and" vs. "or" switch, which applies to everything in the Dynamic search. perhaps, to achieve what you want you will need to combine several dynamic searches into one new one...

Not sure if that may be an alternative that works for you.

Cheers,
Frank

[ighulme]

Hi Frank,

thanks for your reply.

Yes, I tried inverting the first filter and saving it as a new search, but sadly the 'invert' status isn't saved. It's the same if I try and save a new search from all 3 combined; it only saves the first filter. It would seem, as you suggest, that inverting the filter doesn't allow it to be saved.

Step 3 is a Filter script that a user (Vlad) made to filter out all sub-versions. I find it indispensable!

I'm not too familiar with the way the Dynamic Search works, but I've had a quick go and it works well to exclude the labels I don't often need.

I think it will be of great use when working in the Catalog view; as you say, I only need to change a few criteria each time.

The main problem I have is that I work from a strict set of folders, so most often I am working in the folder section and want to see all the files in a particular folder, whilst excluding a large amount of reference images I rarely require. The dynamic search works okay for navigating through folders - deleting and then dragging a new folder into the search, and I will probably use this approach (the good thing is that the script to filter out sub-versions stays applied as I change searches). I've already set up some searches as favourites for important folders.

I think your suggestion is a definite improvement; it's quicker to drag a folder into the dynamic search than load up 3 filters, so thank you!

It would be nice to find a quicker way to apply the filters combined, and preferably have it remain as I navigate through folders, but for the time-being your suggestions will prove to be a real time-saver!

Many thanks,

Ian