File Organization

[CanuckSigns]

Like lots of shops I'm sure, I have a huge collection of designs & icons that I have collected over the years, mostly to do with safety signs, parking signs etc. I'm trying to streamline a few processes and I've realized that setting up any type of safety sign takes a lot longer than it should because we are always hunting for the correct icon. I was wondering what everyone here does to catalogue these types of assets? I've tried to organize them on our server by type (Warning, Danger etc.) but there are so many overlaps, plus it's not intuitive. is there some way of tagging these files so they can be searched (like assigning a #forklift, #caution type system like instagram uses that we could somehow search)

I'm all ears if someone has a good solution.

Thanks.

 

[ColorCrest]

is there some way of tagging these files so they can be searched (like assigning a #forklift, #caution type system

Got FileMaker? If so, simply create a new database with a text field for the file name, maybe the file location on the network, another field for tags, then a container field to hold a thumbnail of the document / graphic file. That's a basic, highly usable start.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Got FileMaker? If so, simply create a new database with a text field for the file name, maybe the file location on the network, another field for tags, then a container field to hold a thumbnail of the document / graphic file. That's a basic, highly usable start.

That's a really good idea, I do use filemaker for our CMS, but I hired someone to create it for me, I'm not really knowledgeable about developing in filemaker, got any tips? Lol.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

Do you use Adobe for design? If So, spend the time to setup Bridge and add all the tags you want to your files.

Are you looking to get into automation, you could build a library and use a prepress tool to automatically place the icons for you.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Do you use Adobe for design? If So, spend the time to setup Bridge and add all the tags you want to your files.

Are you looking to get into automation, you could build a library and use a prepress tool to automatically place the icons for you.

Pretty cool stuff. I went digging around and saw your logo on onevision. Are you running it?

 

[ColorCrest]

That's a really good idea, I do use filemaker for our CMS, but I hired someone to create it for me, I'm not really knowledgeable about developing in filemaker, got any tips? Lol.

See the attached image...



...make quickly as a quick example. FileMaker has only a few main areas (engines): Layout for positioning of interface and printed objects, Calculations much like spreadsheets, Scripts using steps from a menu, a Printing engine and a Security area.

Layouts are chosen to use 1 of 3 different modes; Form View, List View, or Table View. The example is using a List View using blue header parts and a set of found records in the body part (List View, remember.) I created 6 data fields and dragged them into position to size, color, and name them (2 fields are duplicated.) There are only a very few types of data fields available in FM; Text, Number, Date, Time, Timestamp, Container, Calculation, and Summary fields. Fields of text, number, and a single container field are used here. However, a one particular calculation field calls upon a native function to get metadata from container contents. Finally, some buttons for navigation are used.

So, get your feet wet in FileMaker by opening any of their templates and especially explore via Manage Database to create tables and fields, then go to Layout Mode to explore the canvas and drag objects from the tool bar. You will toggle between Layout Mode and Browse Mode (typical user / data entry mode) when developing the solution.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

Pretty cool stuff. I went digging around and saw your logo on onevision. Are you running it?

Yes, we are, their tool is impressive. If you dig deep into it like we do you can do anything with it short of creative design. The joke we have with them is there are always 3 ways to do things in OneVision, so it is really adaptable to your processes and mindset.

To the OP, In OneVision you could build a couple of assembly lines. One would be your assembly line that would process and tag your assets originally. This could color manage and build your repository through standard naming conventions and folder structuring.

The Next line would be your working file line. This would be the one you give the job parameters, then it would build your file pull from your repository, place the assets, insert your text, etc. Even schedule and nest production jobs.

This is a quick overlay as to what can be done with a prepress automation tool, or if you are more manual you can utilize a DAS type system that ColorCrest is outlining.

 

[ikarasu]

What format are they in? And do they have text inside of them with a description?

We use filerun.... It'll ocr pdf, eps, image files and all word docs. All our old artwork / proofs are on it, then we can just search for anything and it loads in seconds with thumbnails.

We used to use google files for it since google has the best search engine, then they got rid of their unlimited plan. Google is way better though if you have under a tb of images.... You can search for "boat" and all icons with a boat will pop up.

 

[ikarasu]

I'm not "too" happy with file run because while itnl works good, we reached something like 6 million files and it bogged it down... So now you have me on another rabbit hole to find better.

Luckily I learned a new term... DAM (digital asset management) - there's a few open source options that look promising, looks like I'll be spending my weekend booting up VMs and doing tests. It might be overkill for what we're trying to do since it's meant for huge movie studios, but at quick glance it has ocr / tags / and good file search...

https://www.reddit.com/r/selfhosted/comments/9oo8jn

 

[The Vector Doctor]

on my mac i just add keywords and info like fonts used in the comment portion of various files. I am sure Windows has the same function. Then when i need to look for a file i just type in a search and it shows every file with that keyword associated with it. I can add them by clicking on "get info"

 

[Graphic Extremes]

Try this out, I just found this. CasaOS, you do a simple install of Ubuntu and then run their installer. The installer installs all the dependencies and it just works.. I have just started to play with it but so far it looks pretty good.

 

[Boudica]

We use Adobe, and I create libraries to save fonts, color swatches and other elements/assets

 

[White Haus]

Good thread, Scott. It's been lots of fun finding files lately since we moved all our working files to our NAS set up.............every single "date modified" is the day I moved the files over. Not exactly the same issue but it made me realize I really need to name my files/job folders better.

 

[ColorCrest]

I'm all ears if someone has a good solution.

I should mention that "file organization" might begin with a basic approach to file naming and a certain context.

A context might be to decide if the computer is being used for work or personal use or both. If both, there might two separate document folders as one named or marked "personal" and the other "professional." Maybe separate log-in accounts, email accounts, etc. This simple step can help an organization immensely so managers and operators can easily navigate their systems. Obviously, have SOP and clear policies for the workplace.

Many shops use a policy of only two folders on the workstation desktop such as Sandbox and WIP. Any other files found there are considered foo and will be trashed in short order.

I've mentioned here in the forums numerous times about the advantages of using strict naming conventions for a shop's products and their components so a user can easily access them from lists presented by their order management software. So goes the naming of certain files. Files live in a strictly named folder structure, usually on a network, either on premise or cloud, and often both nowadays.

If looking at a long list of random files, a naming convention will usually emerge as maybe 2, 3, or 4 classes with the extension always predetermined by the OS. (The OS can already sort by name, date, type, etc.) So, a file name might use; a root, variable(s), further more, and its extension. Names might use CamelCase, ALL CAPS might mean something, underscore separators, dot separators, spaces, etc.

It's another start.

 

[ColorCrest]

We use Adobe, and I create libraries to save fonts, color swatches and other elements/assets

The original Adobe DAM lives on today as Extensis Portfolio, originally Adobe Fetch. Highly capable of hundreds of thousands of files along with automations and remotely accessible by clients, etc. Extensis is also known for Suitcase, the font management system.