Looking for catalog solution

[David Emberling]

I'm starting to think that Expressions might not be the right software for my needs. I don't really need an elaborate catalog, but I do need a couple of things. One is that it would be nice to have a catalog of my image archive, which consists of everything I've saved since 2003, all on one hard drive. The only reason I want it is so that in case the hard drive fails, and I have to find things from the DVD backups, I could look up where files are located without having to reload several hundred DVDs. The problem is, that when I try to create a catalog from just the 2008 archive (about 6,0000 files), Expressions just gives me an error message because some files in there aren't compatible with it. Is there a  program that would simply catalog the file names of all the files on the drive? I don't need to be able to see the thumbnails in the catalog, just know where the files are located. Thanks.

[Ken]

David,

This is a little bit out of the DAM "box", but have you considered something like this: http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp ?

--Ken

[Absolute Chaos]

David,

I have a few suggestions.

1. You still archive using DVDs? DVDs are not a good solution for back-up in my opinion. They can deteriorate quite quickly. You cannot rearrange the files. They take up a lot of space. Lots of errors possible.

2. Suggestion: why not buy a second hard drive? They are so cheap nowadays. Just get one that has Firewire or another fast connection, NO USB 2.0-only drives.

3. Why should EM not be for you? You want to find your files.

4. The cost factor. EM is not that expensive. If you buy it with Capture One, it's 200.00 for both apps. You can get it, together with the office suite for 200.00. And as a standalone it's about 190.00.

What kind of files do you have that are not compatible with EM?

(I just bought EM myself, so I'm just curious).

Best Regards,


-Robert

[peterkrogh]

David,
To give a recommendation, we would need platform info.
For MAc, there are few options. For PC, you might try idImager or iMatch.

Can you identify what files are incompatible?  Expression uses Quicktime and the System itself on Mac to parse files, and uses Quicktime or WIC on PC to parse files. If it's choking on a file, it may be because the filetype is not supported by one of these helpers.

While I think that Optical disk is an essential part of the backup scenario (in my case, I've gone to Blu-ray), I agree with Robert that the first backup should be on hard drive.
Peter

[Absolute Chaos]

I just want to underline (maybe it got buried in the context) that digital media like dvds are no long term storage.

Some discs fall apart within years.

It is very interesting to know that long term storage of digital movies is being done on film, as there is no digital media that has a long shelf life at this time.

I have two back-up copies of everything on two different hard drives.

So, if one hard drive fails (my Gtech hard drive, for example, started clicking, a sure sign of its coming demise), and I will get another hard drive before that happens.

In a foreseeable future we will have flash drives (no spinning discs) that will be even more dependable.

Generally, discs are hard to manage and expensive, especially with today's exploding file sizes.

- robert