Portfolio v8 - changes
Mac. For all modules, fixes a few post-v8.1 release issues. It is intercompatible with v8.0-v8.1.1 Portfolio modules. All v8.1 (Mac) users should update to v8.1.1. See readmes for details of changes.
Win. Client only, fixes a few post-v8.1 release issues; primarily the inability to use Portfolio Express quickfind under v8.0.0. It is intercompatible with v8.0-v8.1.1 Portfolio modules. All v8.1 (Win) client users should update to v8.1.1. See readmes for details of changes.
Windows and Mac. On Mac OS, this release is the first Universal Binary release. As such it was tested for v10.4.4+ but may work on OS10.3.9+ which was the Mac v8.0 basline. Users on 10.3.9-10.4.3 who do update to v8.1 will not be formally within tech support criteria - so try it at your own risk! Users on 10.4.4+ should update (though go straight to v8.1.1 - see below). Install includes iRAW v3, and on Windows it includes the Office plug-in and scripting library. On both OSs the release features a number of bugfixes and performance improvments so the upgrade is recommended for those on supported platforms. It is intercompatible with v8.0-v8.1.1 Portfolio modules. See readmes for details of changes.
Portfolio v8 shipped - for online purchase, demo download - on 29 Nov 05. File format support info has been updated.
New Features in Portfolio 8
Portfolio 8's new features and enhancements include:
- Galleries
- Full Custom Sort: Portfolio now enables users to drag, re-order, or sort items in Galleries, Smart Galleries, and disk folders. This functionality is remembered automatically for each user in a workgroup environment. Users can also promote a custom sort to a (saved custom) gallery shared by the catalogue so that all users can take advantage of the same ordering. For client-based work this is very useful when setting up galleries for review/approvals processes. Early tests show the custom sort does not appear to have been extended to NetPublish limiting the full potential of the feature.
- Scratchpad Galleries: Scratchpad galleries are temporary baskets that allow users of any level to sort, edit and merge collections of files from multiple galleries or searches into a single gallery that can be used for printing, collecting or publishing. For those who remember v5, this effectively returns un-saved galleries that a thrown away when the catalogue is closed. IT also aids Reader/Editor level users who don't have gallery creation rights. The Find can now output to a scratchpad gallery making it much easier to compare two of more different Find query results, something missing since version 5.
- Public/Private Galleries, Read-Only Galleries: Portfolio users can now create private galleries that are only viewable to the creator. This feature require user-based access (with or without passwords). Users can also lock a gallery to prevent changes. For multi-user installations this is potentially a very helpful workflow aide. It would be better is more preferences settings could be controlled for all users.
- Quicker Smart Galleries: The find dialog's save menu now has an option to saved a Find and set it as Smart Gallery of the same name - great time saver for setting up workflow. Folder Sync galleries also have right click option to create a smart gallery. Counter-intuitive at first sight as an enhancement, this is useful for those who only use FS intermittently for importing material
- Client now has 2 versions: the client is available as a full 'ClientConnect' version or in stand-alone form. The latter is fully functioning except is cannot be made to connect to Portfolio Servers - the menu options are greyed out. Upgrading v7 users will receive a ClientConnect licence. Pricing for new v8 stand-alone clients is as for v7 whilst the ClientConnect is slightly more expensive (check pricing locally as currencies vary).
- NetPublish
- NetPublish Galleries: Portfolio users can now use NetPublish to distribute a subset of a catalogue, rather than an entire catalogue via a dynamic website. Users can effectively publish content to the web based on metadata. This also means a single catalogue can publish different galleries to different NP sites on the same - or different - NP servers. For instance, this allows different customers data from a common catalogue to be web-enabled via discrete sites. A catalogue with 10 custom galleries could - at maximum - concurrently serve 11 catalogues, the whole catalogue and each custom gallery as a discrete site. The feature isn't only for NPS, but as uploaded catalogues for per-gallery sites upload the whole catalogue this is realistically a NP Server only feature (note too that NP Unlimited has been discontinued in v8).
- NetPublish Logging: Allows NetPublish administrators to track activity on their Portfolio powered website. Downloadable logs, set per site and for a date range, keep track of downloads (and ? search criteria). This feature appears part finished - more to come? The new log files only track time, image name and source catalogue - there is no info as to who downloaded so it's not clear how this information is of practical use.
- Database
- Fast Cataloguing: Fast cataloguing quickly adds files to a Portfolio catalogue and allows users to start working with them right away while other cataloguing tasks occur in the background. Effectively, this is a two-pass process. The first fast pass extracts/creates a thumbnail and gets path and other basic data - such records show a little yellow icon indicating they are part processed. Once the first pass is complete, slower tasks like metadata extraction (preview generation?) are carried out. A neat feature is the second pas can be paused - useful if you want to quickly run some other processor intensive program - and re-started. Records can be worked with once created at first pass - this is gives even faster initial access to records. Reocrds where expected thumbnails/metada cannot be extracted show a red dot superimposed on the thumbnail - they are fully usable but 'imcompletely catalogued' records (this latter point is as yet undocumented).
- FolderSync & AutoSync Enhancements: When adding a new watch folder to a catalogue, users can now define the frequency at which the folder is scanned, as well as attach a cataloguing options preset to each new folder. FolderSync has also been refined so that ignored or excluded items do not change the folder status. AutoSync folders can now dynamically remap file paths to server local shares allowing for greater server performance - Mac users do not need to do SMB self-mounts on the server. Certainly being able to use the scheduling settings (previously only for AutoSync) are a boon. Being able to attach saved cataloguing options to watched folders (or rather foldersets) is also a help but bizarrely you can use the move/copy features which reduces the power of this improvement.
- Custom XMP Extraction and Custom File Info Panels: Portfolio 8 can now extract custom namespace XMP metadata from a wide range of files, allowing users to embed custom information like job status or product SKU information into files via Adobe's Creative Suite applications and have it viewable inside Portfolio. Portfolio 8 will ship with sample catalogues and custom file information panels to expose this new functionality. Users can also now take advantage of the IPTC4XMP standard known as IPTC Core, also supported by Adobe Creative Suite 2 applications. The IPTC org have revised their IIM standard - aka Photoshop's "ITPC" info fields, not only to take advantage of XMP but also current needs such as embedding digital rights information. This extended XMP support effectively extends Portfolio's custom fields into the most pro creative applications, allowing a two-way exchange of information. It also allows your Portfolio custom workflow fields to be seen in apps supporting XMP panels.
- Digital Camera Auto-Rotation: Portfolio now automatically rotates thumbnails and previews from digital cameras that record the camera's orientation, streamlining photographers' post-shoot workflow; i.e. Portfolio now correctly interprets EXIF orientation metadata.
- HTML Help, Video Tutorials, Sample Catalogs: Portfolio has a new searchable HTML-based help system, supplementing the manual (still in paper & PDF form). Extensis offer several new sample catalogues with pre-mapped custom fields and pre-configured Smart Galleries, etc., for specific workflows. This makes it easier to customise Portfolio to your needs and quicker to get started using your DAM. Note this glitch with HTML Help and incorrectly set permissions for embedded Flash. With regard to the sample catalogues it is important to note these aren't installed by or linked to the client - you must download them yourself [sic].
- Improved File Format Support for MS Office (pending?), DNG, RAW, Quark, Pro Video: Preview, index text and read metadata from the formats you use most, including: full-screen previews from Adobe DNG RAW files, added support for current RAW files, Microsoft Word and Excel files (Windows only), and thumbnails and full-screen previews of Quark XPress documents (Mac only).
- Enhanced Item Properties: The properties dialog is now the one-stop location to find and edit any metadata. The most common information needed (such as file type, resolution and file size) has been consolidated to the first tab for faster viewing; in reality, a couple of extra fields are shown. Sounds trivial but easily checking height/width/colour mode/resolution/bit depth is a lot easier than in v7. The properties dialog is re-sizable making editing custom field data much easier than previously the case. The custom panel has a drop down allowing different subsets if fields. However, as you can't define the sets this is a bit or a wasted opportunity - unlikely to be used by most users.
- Leverage Previews: Portfolio's ability to use Screen Previews rather than the original files makes the process of finding and sharing your files - even those that are offline - much faster. In short, if the proxy you want for CD, email, etc., is smaller that any existing screen preview, the latter will be used as the image source rather than running a fresh file from the original.
- Movie Metadata: Portfolio can now read common metadata such as frame rate, duration and audio tracks from video files.
- Server & SQL Connect
- Workflow Tracking Out of the Box: Portfolio's default catalogue now has built-in fields for rating and labelling Smart Galleries for enhanced workflow tracking. This basically means the default schema has been tweaked to make use of the new XMP support. something you could do yourself - but most users won't bother, so this is useful. Basically this a client improvement and nothing to do with the server use per se except that some of the fields are only pertinent in a multi-user environment.
- AutoSync Path Translation: For faster cataloguing and imaging tasks as well as decreased network bandwidth requirements. In practice this means Portfolio is smarter about realising your served catalogue assets need network paths and suggests appropriate paths when setting AutoSync folders. On the Mac the need to use SMB mounts of local drives has been removed - good!
Question: Portfolio v8 - changes [FAQ00011.htm]
Last Update:- 13 February 2007
