Trying to Figure Out Catalog Sets

[essiecab]

I am trying out a trial version of EM2. I really love that I can have more than one catalog open at once, and I also love that it shows me the size of my folders, but I'm finding the interface really non-intuitive, and I can't get the hang of how to work with catalog sets. I am familiar with collections and smart collections using Bridge, and I also have been using LR2 to do some cataloging, and love the smart catalog and searching capabilities in that program.

Okay, for EM, here's the problem. I have some photos with keywords tagged "Real" and some tagged "Model". All of those photos are tagged "chestnut."

Now, if I want to make a catalog set for "Real Chestnuts", how do I go about doing that? I made a catalog set for "Real", and all those photos show up, and also a "Color/Chestnut" catalog set that shows the photos that are chestnut. But how do I get a set that shows both? It's driving me batty! I'm sure there's a very simple explanation, but I can't figure it out. So far, I have tried using Edit/Find, but when I put in search parameters, nothing happens. Also, I've tried clicking the dot next to "Real" and CMD-clicking the dot next to "Chestnut", and again, nothing happens.

I'm trying really hard to like EM because of the capabilites it has that LR doesn't, but organizing things and filtering seems really hard for me to do with EM. I just can't see how it wants me to work with it.

Thanks anyone for your help!

Carol

[billseymour]

Carol-

I don't use catalog sets at all. If I were looking for particular images, I would do:

Find (from the menu bar), and use two rules:

keyword is "real"

AND (you press the PLUS key in the Find dialogue box to create another line for another rule)

keyword is "chestnut"


I've taken the approach of placing as little reliance as possible on temporary or "virtual" capabilities (also little reliance on any of the more exotic or not universally supported metadata categories), and work primarily with filename, title, source, keywords, and description. (I even put my people and events into my keywords, rather than using those categories).

Just my own personal feelings on this.

--Bill

[Caro]

Carol

Both sets will show when you Ctrl (Cmd) click the dot. Just make sure that "Union of Selected Catalog Sets" is ticked. You will find that by selecting the small horizontal arrow to the right of Catalog Sets.

[essiecab]

Okay, when I set it to "intersection of catalog sets", then it filters them, now I get it!

I am one of those who definitely wishes to rely on sets and "virtual" capablities, as you call them, Bill :-) I don't think I could live without Smart Collections in LR...

[peterkrogh]

Carol,
Check out these videos I did.

http://www.microsoft.com/prophoto/expressionmedia2/podcasts/default.aspx

Peter

[jimHere]

Wow. videos! But they're so tiny...

-- Jim

[peterkrogh]

Jim,
I had not realized they were so small. I'll see if I can post them elsewhere larger.
Peter