Background Cataloguing
Manual: v8/v7 - pages 39-41, v6 - pages 43-44, v5 pages 126-129
Error in the manual. The v7/v8 manual incorrectly states that Cataloguing Options presets are available to BC only in the feature Metadata and/or Move operations. In fact, the Rename File operation is also allowed but only if there is a move operation as well. See the true list of allowed preset options at the foot of this article.
Having all your images in one folder (set) on a shared network drive makes Background Cataloguing (BC) an ideal solution for active Catalogues. The manual reference above explains the main steps. A few extra notes:
- The client and target Catalogue must be open for the automation to occur.
- Publisher or Administrator level access is required to set up this feature.
- Publisher or Administrator level access is required to run a BC. If a catalogue with an active BC automation is opened at Reader or Editor level access, every time a cataloguing operation is attempted, Portfolio will display an error dialog "There was an error whilst cataloguing the file [filename here] - (3e90006)" with buttons offering to ignore the error or to continue. If ignored the dialog clears after about 20 seconds. Note that the dialog does not correctly cite the error, which is that you cannot add new records at the current access level.
- Portfolio will not automatically delete items from the catalogue that are no longer found in the folder being monitored.
- Do not select the same folder for BC and Disk Previews (manual p.214). Doing so will disable BC.
- Enable Run in Silent mode if you want cataloguing to proceed without displaying progress status. Importantly, when running in Silent Mode, newly catalogued records will not be added to the active Gallery. This allows you to perform other work in Portfolio without being interrupted by the background cataloguing.
- Ensure that you are not commanding the catalogue to 'Add Unconditionally'. This option instructs Portfolio to add a record whether or not it already exists.
- On a Windows NT or 2000 network, the network path to the image will be correct whether you reference the mapped drive or navigate through network neighbourhood. However, the mapped drive path tends to put everything in uppercase while the network neighbourhood respects the upper/lowercase naming structures (probably a legacy compatibility issue). When adding records, Portfolio is case sensitive when it checks to see if a file already exists. The same file with an uppercase .TIF and a lowercase .tif are considered different files. So... if you initially add records via the Network Neighbourhood path, then attempt to add records via the mapped drive (or vice versa), you will end up with duplicate records.
- The Cataloguing automation settings are stored in the catalogue and are available to any client, though the control dialogs are only available with Publisher or Administrator level access. When opened in a different client (with appropriate access) the automation is available but turned of by default.
- More than one client can run the same automation but this will cause multiple copies of the records. This is not advised. It also appears to override the cataloguing settings and behave as if 'Add Unconditionally' was set.
- If an automation is deleted in one client, it will still be available in all other clients currently connected until they finish their session. The same happens if a client creates a new automation - it will not be seen until other current users close and re-open their catalogues.
From Version 7 the capability was added for BC to set differing cataloguing options per-automation. Any compatible saved option set can be applied. The accessible sub-set of saved option features are adding properties (description, keywords, field values, etc.) and moving originals - and in some circumstances rename (see below). Only the sets of options suitable for use by BC are offered in the BC setup dialog. Combinations tested as available to version 8.1.x BC are:
- Do nothing
- Add metadata
- Move file
- Add Metadata; Move file
- Move file; Rename file
- Add Metadata; Move file; Rename file
Question: Background Cataloguing [FAQ00219.htm]
Last Update:- 29 March 2007
