Photo Database

[Tom Reid]

Not sure if this is the right area for this post, if not my apoligies.

Does anyone use Microsoft Access for a database of digital photos? My thinking is to store my photo CD's in small binders, each numbered. I want to cross reference photos from a database to their location in the binder system. I'd like the database to include subject's name, date of photo, category, etc.. I eventually want to remove all photos from my computer unless I'm editing them.

If no one knows of such a database for MSA I intend on developing one and will share once complete.

Thanks.

[prime80]

That's a good idea! I think I'll build one myself.

[nwoods]

I use ACDSee from ACDSystems.com - it creates it's own DB that is able to be backed up along with the photos and meta data, and it's fast and very versatile. I just discovered that it reads the camera's EXIF data (no big deal) and will follow the instructions to auto-rotate any verticle images. So verticle images display properly both in the camera, and more importantly, on your PC!

[Tom Reid]

I took a look at ACDSee but isn't that only good if the images are stored on a hard drive or other media hooked up to the computer? I guess what I'm looking for is a way of cataloguing photos on several CD's stored in binders. Thanks for pointing that program out however.

[nwoods]

Ah, well, the DB exports ONTO the CD's, but not sure about print outs. Good question. I'll be home on Sunday, I'll take a look at the HowTo's and see what I can find.

ACDSee simply rocks, and reads CRW files just fine and blazingly fast.

[Tom Reid]

Thanks nwoods. Appreciate the help.

[nwoods]

A quick trip through the Help section of my ACDSee v7.0 explains the following:

<see Screen shot 1> List of archive related topics

Text from "Creating a CD" help section:

If you selected to create a standard disc, you can include any of the following features:

Add a catalog of all database information for the source files: creates a catalog of all ACDSee database information associated with the selected files, and stores it on the disc. With this feature, you can retain the database information with your archived files, and share it with other ACDSee users. Note that to access the data, the new disc must be added as a Photo Disc, and the files then moved or copied using ACDSee.

Add an HTML slide show to run automatically: creates an HTML slide show of all your images, and stores it on the disc. The slide show is then set to start whenever the disc is placed in a CD or DVD drive.

Add the created disc to ACDSee as a Photo Disc: copies all of the image information to ACDSee in the Offline Media section. You can then browse thumbnails and view database information for the images on the disc without needing to access the disc itself. If you want to remove the original files from your hard drive after copying them to disc, select the Delete original source files check box.



Select the Advanced Options tab to specify the following settings:

Create a directory tree based on existing folder or category structure: creates a directory structure on the disc based on your own categories or folder list. If you clear this check box, the Create Disc Wizard will copy all files to the disc's root directory.

<snip...>
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There's a lot of other stuff too. It likes XML format, so if you were to build a database outside of ACDSee you can import and export to XML and create batch routines within ACDSee to archive your files, create files lists, etc...

Seems pretty powerful. Like Photoshop, I only use about 15% of what this program can do!

Cheers,

Nathan Woods

[elbirth]

If you happen to develop a database for this, I'd be interested in it as well. I'd consider trying to write one up, but with tons of assignments coming due for classes, and the fact that I'm currently just learning Access in one of my classes, I'm not overly fluent in it. I'd love to have the DB, though

[Tom Reid]

Thanks Nathan, I'll look at their website. I started with Access, building on paper what I want. When I complete it I will share it, unless of course ACDSee gives me what I need.