ACDSee vs Thumbsplus vs SmartPix vs others - organising method

[JeffK]

It's funny how I forget I've already posted about some of the questions I've got.

As stated above I've got SmartPix but it really is a little complicated.  However I've been trying ACDSee and Thumbsplus as I might shout myself an image organiser for Father's Day (which it is today in Oz).

I like the idea that one can keep collections of images (or at least their links and thumbnails) in databases.  However ACDSee doesn't seem to operate this way and while I find it better in many other respects I'm not sure I like this single database approach.

Has any one got any comments on this?

Has anyone any experience with CodedColor photo manager?

Thanks for any feedback,

Jeff

[JeffK]

I've also now found IDimager.  I think ACDSee is the easiest to use but I really prefer the "databases" of images to be separate.  No one with any thoughts on this?

Jeff

[nudone]

not entirely sure why you want the separate databases but ACDSee will let you put image files to cd/dvd (might even let you do it to hard drive - probably not) whilst keeping a thumbnail of the images within the database. these 'remote' image files can then be viewed viewed from 'special' folders that just contain the thumb and a link to the saved out file.

or maybe you could try doing it with contact sheets.

rather than using separate databases you are meant to use the tagging facility to catagorise your files, but as i don't know what you are trying to achieve i can imagine this won't be of any help.

what is it exactly that you are wanting to do?

[JeffK]

Hello nudone.  Thanks for replying.  I don't think I am trying to do anything special just keep selections of photos/thumbnails.  I'm just after what people think of the paradigm that ACDSee uses ads opposed to applications where you can keep more than one database variously called databases, albums, catalogs etc.  Owning Smart Pix means this is the style I am used too and I wondered whether I would get used to ACDSee.  ACDSee has one database and then as you say keeps the different collections in "categories".

I've just found Picajet and thought it was very easy to use.  Any experience with that one.

Jeff

[JeffK]

I just received an email from ACD Systems offering me ACDSee Photo Manager 8 with FotoSlate for ~$US50.  Very tempting.

Jeff

[JeffK]

I have another question about ACDSee.

I have a group of folders nested several levels deep under one main folder.  There are about 100 folders altogether.  I want to see thumbnails of all the images in these folders at once.  Is there a way of selecting all the subfolders under the parent folder without having to expand each branch and select it seperately?  Or alternatively expand all the subfolders under a parent folder so that one can select them all easily?

It seems to me that this is a pretty basic navigational requirement and I haven't worked out how to do it.

Regards,

Jeff

[JeffK]

Does anyone know of a discount source for Thumbsplus?

[mouser]

jeff - email them and ask them if they are willing to offer a discount to dc members; contact me if you want some boilerplate text i usually send to companies.

[JeffK]

Ho Hum, gee I am having some trouble with this decision.  A return to SmartPix is on the cards as it does just about everything I want.  The only drawback is a complex user interface and I would like to have ACDSee to show my wife and daughter something relatively simple.  OTOH the idea that one has to expand and select the dozens of subdirectories in which my wife's software holds its crafty icons , buttons etc to see them all in one place (or keyword them to do the same thing) is foreign.  So we go to ThumbsPlus, ideal and fast for the 30,000+ images involved but also not lending itself to selecting from them all at once.

What a dilemna!  If I wasn't so stingy I would buy both, and iMatch and IDimager and CodedColor.

Jeff

[unrflier]

Hi, I just found this excellent place for softwares. This is an excellent review for the ACDSee. I have been a long time user of iMatch which I think is a good option to ACDSee, but does not seems to be in the list. iMatch is sold by photools.com at a price of $59.95. I guess my 2 cents may have been too late, but I hope this can still be helpful.

Sherwin

[nudone]

a little late now, but hopefully we can include it when the review is updated.

[Rick_S]

For those who have, or don't have ACDSee Pro, they are offering a full Beta version on their website:  http://www.acdsee.com/.  Beta Testers who register will receive a 30% discount when it comes out in September.   

It is much expanded and faster than the current Pro.  I have tried many Editing programs and it is very, very good.  I have been using it for Downloads for a couple of years.  The only manuals are for the original Pro.  Ask their customer service for their locations.  Also, most tutorials for the Pro are turned off.

Cheers,
Rick