Hert- So trial version of idimager will be 3.5, then. Interesting dilemma- if you feel v4 is 'ready enough', then making v4 part of a trial period would be smart (since presumably it is a more desirable version, and may encourage someone to buy it); if you feel there may be beta-bugs to work out, then v4 in a trial period might discourage potential users.

As a potential user, I'd be interested in 'trying out' v4 sooner, even if bugs- since it would be a trial, I would only be using test images, so really no harm would be done at my end; and this would give you additional users to give feedback.
Bill

Hert, I also have a Q for you:

If I were to start with idimager (this being my first use of a DAM program), would it be best to do the 'real DAM work' in your version 3.5 (whatever is most recent), or do you feel that the beta v4 could be used for real workflow? Thanks. Bill

John- I suppose you could always wait for a new version and pay an upgrade fee (ie, wait for an election, and then pay the tax increase that gets passed). Having said that, might someone disgruntled with the incumbent (iView) wind up voting in an Expressions candidate? We seem to do a fair amount of these 'backwards upgrades' in the US.
Bill

I also meant to ask-
What do some of the other experienced forum members think a 'first time DAM software buyer' should do at this time? (The buyer being me, with a Vista system) 'Sitting tight' is good advice for someone who is already set up with a DAM system, but what about the new buyer?

I am aware of the importance (as both Peter and John have emphasized) of going with a package that allows exporting, thus permitting the famous 'serial monogamy' scenario of being able to migrate to another program.

To ask plainly: for a new DAM buyer, Vista user, in this apparently uncertain iView time, should I be going with idImager at present, and avoid the iView issues right now?
Bill

I guess I've been away from all of this- could someone briefly summarize what is getting everybody so upset about regarding iView and Expressions? I'm into my trial period with iView (finally), like it a lot, and figured it would be safe to go with it (using a new Dell xps system with Vista, plenty of ram, etc).

Thanks for any info- if there are good threads here that summarize the problems, pointing them out would be most helpful.
Bill

John- Thanks for references. I'll give them a look, sure they'll be helpful.
Bill

Super- I will take a look at scripts, also. Thanks again.
Bill

Thanks, Dierk, you're absolutely right. I realize I was thinking of a file name with two of the '_' in them, so:
starting: 070523_001_original , and wanting to get back to 070523_bill_001_original

In this case, I think that a program would be required that could pinpoint a position in the string (here, position #7: 070523_ , and then insert the 'bill_' .

Having said that, your other point is really the most important: have a good plan before setting forth on the renaming project.

What was that carpenter's rule?
Measure once, cut twice.  Or was that measure twice, cut once....? (*pick one*)
Bill

Well, with continued fiddling, I may have answered my own Q for last example.

Example 1:
If I have three cherry-picked files 070523_bill_ (001, 003, 005), and wanted to remove the _bill :

In iView Action>batch rename:

In Rename Options, select ONLY 'filename'
In Search/Replace:
  Search for: bill_
  Replace:  <<leave this blank>>

This will result in070523_001, 070523_003, 070523_005, as desired.

I also note: To do the 'search/replace', I think you need a good 'hook' (here, bill_). Without something to 'search' for, there is no way to replace (unless software lets you actually identify string positions, which I gather iView does not let you do).

So I am thinking the thing that iView cannot easily do is to INSERT text consistently at a position, where there is nothing to 'search' for. This would be the problem of
Example 2: take 070523_001, 070523_002, and INSERT bill_ to get back to original 070523_bill_001

(I am also thinking that a little forsight before naming would sure be easier!)
Bill

John-
Clearly I have to fiddle around and get comfortable with the features- thanks for your suggestions. I may not understand feature yet, but I'll just pose my uncertainty here at the moment:

If I have three cherry-picked files 070523_bill_ (001, 003, 005), and wanted to remove the _bill :

I did 'pass #1' on my test files, with only file name and the search/replace, without numbering, and the result was:

070523_1, 070523_2, 070523_3

iView apparently forced a numbering convention (probably to keep files names unique). This still leaves the issue of trying to do this for a larger group of files- still requires some sort of individual re-numbering.

Anyway, thanks for info, and I will continue experimenting.

Oh- final thought here- would it be workable to:

1. make a copy of the folder with files to be changed
2. use 'other software' on the copy folder to achieve more powerful batch renaming
3. do whatever is appropriate 'delete original folder' from iView database, and then-
4. import the altered folder (with corrected naming) back into iView

Just a thought.
Bill

John-
OK, thanks- I figured this might be the answer.

My interest was really based on what appears to be iView's limited string replacement capabilities in the batch renaming area (this is my impression, I've not fully checked batch rename out). In particular, it seemed to me that if I wanted to strip out part of a string, say:
original: 070523_bill_001 (002, etc)
desired: 070523_001 (002, etc)
that iView requires a renumbering in sequential order if you want to have the 001.. included. So, if one has a batch of files to change which have been cherry-picked (file # 001, 002, 005, 012, etc), this seems to present a problem for iView, since it appears you have to either allow a direct 001, 002, 003 sequencing, or accept no numbering at all.

Anyway, this is hardly a deal breaker, really more a matter of figuring out features as I go.
Thanks, Bill

Hello again-
I am finally testing iView Pro, and find it very strong. My Q relates to how to use iView along with a more powerful batch renamer (Breezebrowser and Imagingester have been mentioned here) to perform more complex renaming, AFTER files have originally been named and included in an iView catalog.

I experimented with my test image files (already part of an iView test catalog), and renamed two files directly in Vista. In iView, the thumbnails still appear with original names, but (as I would expect), iView indicates that it cannot find the original media (since I renamed these 2 files).

I do not see the way I am to instruct iView to match the thumbs (old names) with media (renamed), and get everything synched up. Is there a 'batch' way to do this, or does one have to straighten things up one file at a time (not desirable, if many files involved).

Thanks for any info.

Stephen-
Good- thanks for the information- between 4 gig catalog size and thumbs in separate folder, sounds like a lot of elbow room for images in catalog.

-Bill

Ah, thanks for correction. That was the 'space saving' I was thinking of.

So the Q is: does idimager store larger previews externally as jpegs, thus helping efficiency of catalog size?
-Bill

Thanks John for the info.

I can't recall if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but do you know if idimager stores the thumbnail images apart from the catalog itself?

(If I understand a difference between iView vs portfolio- if I have it right, by portfolio storing thumbnails apart from catalog, this keeps catalog size down, thus allowing greater number of images to 'fit' into catalog)

Interested in whether idimager also achieves an improvement in this way, too.
-Bill