files in different Catalogs

[elizabeth]

hi there. While i was using PE3 my Organizer/Catalog became corrupted and couldn't be rescued by me or by the tech folks. Since then i have started a new catalog every 1000 images or so - figuring that i could cut my losses if it went south again.

I am now using PE5. I want to pull together images from different catalogs into a single Collection. It would also be great to 'search' across catalogs with a specific tag I have used in different catalogs. I guess what i am asking is whether there is any way to use the Organizer functions like 'tag' and 'collect' across Catalogs.

If worst comes to worst i may need to collapse all my catalogs into one big one. what would be the trade-offs on that - or is it even possible!?

thanks in advance for any help or ideas you have.

elizabeth

[troush]

Elizabeth,

Sorry, it is not possible to search across multiple catalogs. The only way to collapse all your catalogs into one big one would be to try this: In each catalog, select all your images and choose "Write tags to files." (Word of warning: .png files and raw files to not support having the tags written to them.) Then, in whichever catalog you want to use as your catlog, import your images. Allow the organizer to import the tags from those images (it will at least save you re-tagging). I would only import a folder at a time, and then do a File->Catalog->Recover after each import.

-Trish

[elizabeth]

thanks Trish.

I was afraid there might be a down-side to being careful about corrupted catalogs!! I will try your suggestion with one or two folders. And, in addition, i may just keep adding my new files to my current catalog and eventually have one giant catalog.

I appreciate the help. elizabeth