Fast Picture Viewer Pro for fast cull before import into PSu?

[snowman1]

I notice a few people saying they clone their memory cards to a backup. In case it helps anyone, the PSU import options allow you to make a clone copy of the files imported. I use this to clone the card automatically. That is, the import makes a main copy of the images to one disk, these are the ones the PSU catalog points to and uses, and also makes a separate copy to a different disk. For the safety copy you can use the original filenames as per the memory card, or the filenames as per the PSU rename rules you use if any, i.e. filename per as the main copy. (Both naming options have pros and cons; I use the latter so the names of both sets are consistent and I can easily use file comparison software like Beyond Compare to check for discrepancies should I have to.)

Again if it helps anyone and FWIW:
- I use a date based folder structure (using PSU import folder options to do this).
- I have the PSU import option "prompt for event before import starts" checked; so each import prompts me for an "event" name; I give each import a short meaningful event name; and folder naming rule uses the event name in the folder name, to make the folder name even more meaningful. The event name comes after the date in the folder name: e.g. 2017-06-29 Val Gardena, Italy (where "Val Gardena, Italy" is what I entered when prompted).
- The full folder structure I use is hierarchical: X:\Pictures\Safety copies\2017\2017-06\2017-06-29 Val Gardena, Italy
- My filename rule is set to include the date, time, camera model and the original name: 20170629_105535_DMC-G3_P1150711.JPG. This enables me to, in isolation, immediately know when the picture was taken, where I can find it within the folder structure, what camera I took it with, and the original filename. It also means filenames are unique even if you have multiple camera bodies of the same model. And finally it lets me correlate back to the original name on the card in case something goes wrong with the import.
- I have the import option "create catalog label from folder names" set. In this way, because the foldername contains the event name, the images are all labelled with the event name right from the start so I can then always find them easily in the catalog.
- I generally import a day of images at a time from the card, which works well with the above process, works well with PSU as PSU's import dropdowns make selecting by day easy, and is also a manageable number of images to process in one go.
- This process gives me a bonus on video files: PSU files these .MTS files under the wrong date in the catalog: it uses the import date instead of the date taken (I'll be raising a Mantis report for this in due course) but fortunately my process means the filenames and folder location reflect the correct date, i.e. the date the video was taken.

This system works well for me and has withstood the test of time; and has been a great help in sorting out the mess on the odd occasion when things have gone wrong.

[Stephen]

I notice a few people saying they clone their memory cards to a backup. In case it helps anyone, the PSU import options allow you to make a clone copy of the files imported.

Does PSu just copy the files or also conduct a bit for bit verification?

- This process gives me a bonus on video files: PSU files these .MTS files under the wrong date in the catalog: it uses the import date instead of the date taken (I'll be raising a Mantis report for this in due course)

I would support that motion.

[snowman1]

Stephen,
There is an option to verify copies with the originals on the card ("verify ingested image with original" checkbox), I assume this applies to the "main" copies but I do not know if it also applies to the "mirror" copies.

[Stephen]

Thanks. I think I will stick to cloning until I'm sure, besides cloning a card is very fast and I don't always have the time for cataloging into PSu. It naturally has many more tasks to perform.