By SewMagical
It’s happened to me, and maybe it has happened to you, too. It goes
something like this:
You post a photo in an on-line gallery, or a forum, or maybe your own
blog. It shows your latest embroidery project. Then someone says, “I love
the design you used. What site did you get it from?” Or maybe you only
purchased one design from a set, and now you want the rest of the set.
Or you want to give credit to the digitizer of the design on an item you
are selling. Or maybe it’s another situation, where you need to know the
source of a design.
In any case, your first reaction might me a mental “EEEEK! What do I do
now? How do I find the one site I am looking for, among all the thousands I
have looked at? Where DID I get that file?” The answer lies in having your files organized!
There are many ways to do this. There are probably as many ways
as there are folks reading this newsletter. Since I don’t know all of the
possible ways, I’m just going to tell you about the method I use.
There are 3 parts to my system: re-naming the files with abbreviations to
indicate the source, making a list of what abbreviation you use for each
site, and placing the files into categories. Let me describe how the system
works.
Let’s say I have a set of rose designs, like this one: http://
www.designsbysick.com/details/aroseisarose.When I download the
designs, I unzip them, and rename each file with a prefix that indicates
the site. In this case, each file would have “DBS-” added to the beginning
of each file name. So “arose01” becomes “DBS-arose01.” The DBS, or
course, stands for Designs by SiCK.
A tool I find invaluable in this system is a program that allow the renaming
of files in batches. To find one you like, do an internet search for “file
renaming software”. There are many programs available, some of which
are free, and some are not. You want to find a program which is easy for
you to use. When you download a set with 8 or 10 (or even more) design
files, it can be very time-consuming to re-name each one individually.
(editor’s note: I use File Renamer Basic – a free program – when I am getting the sets ready to go online. I usually try to download free programs from a reputable site – such as CNET. http://download.cnet.com/File-Renamer-Basic/3000-2248_4-10306538.html )
The next part of the system is making a list of the abbreviations you have
used. Some designers already put a prefix on their files, so you can just
continue to use those abbreviations. You can make up a list as you go,
adding abbreviations as you need them. On the other hand, if you have
sites you visit frequently, you can create their abbreviation in advance
and be ready to re-name that new file as soon as you download it. I find
it easiest to arrange the list alphabetically, according to the abbreviation I
have used.
The last step is placing the files into categories. There are file organizers
you can use to make this easier. Several yahoo groups have file
organizers available to their members. There is also one available here:
http://www.spoolsstash.com/. After you unzip this file, you will see a list of
folders that have been created for you.
You can now add to, or delete these folders to meet your needs. For example, if you collect
a lot of flower designs, you might want to make sub-folders under “Floral”
for Roses, Tulips, Pansies, etc. Sometimes you might have designs that
will fit into more than one category. A design set like this one (http://
www.designsbysick.com/details/fslbutterfliesbookmarks could fit into at
least 3 categories: FreeStandingLace, Butterflies, and Bookmarks. Where
you put it is your choice, of course. If you have the space on your hard
drive, you could even put copies in all 3 places!.
Of course, a system like this works best if it is put in place when you
begin collecting your designs. Even if you already have a large collection,
though, it may be well worth you time to start this process. Sometimes
as you browse the web, you will come across a design you recognize as
being in your collection. Then you can modify the file name to show the
site.
Once you start using this method, it will be much easier to keep up with
than you might think. The pay-off, though, is ~not~ having to go “EEEK!!”
the next time someone asks “Where did you get that beautiful design?”
I started doing that and I made up my own categories and it worked fine, but then –yes I forgot where I got the design from. Now I file under the designer name where I got it from. I have some fave designs I put under a category called Favorites. Sometimes if I don’t put it in my faves file I forget what designer it came from but it is not so hard to go through each designer to find what I am looking for. I think we all have our special way of filing our designs. All are good ways.
Thanks for you tips, I have on several occasions wondered where I purchased designs from, and purchased the designs more than once. I have downloaded the design organiser, so I will go from there!!!! Thanks again
Any free designs I get I put in folders I have made a category for but I also have a folder that says bought in 2011, bought in 2012. Mainly it helps me so I so I don’t buy a design again
is there a way to put this on my front page
Fantastic article…thanks so much. Really appreciated the extra sources for ideas, etc.
Thanks
Very nice explanation! This is basically same organization I use and works for me.
This is much like the system that I use. I will download files to a folder for each digitizer, use the batch rename to add the abbreviation to the name. Then, in the evenings when I’m just watching TV, move them into categories.
In additional to the subject types above, I also have plain, decorative, and miniature alphabet folders, and a folder for miniature designs so that when I need something tiny I can find it.
To prevent myself from purchasing designs multiple times from a digitizer (thank you to the ones that keep an account for me and let me know that I’ve already purchased ones!), I have a subfolder in each digitizer’s name labeled ‘purchased’ and I copy all purchased designs there.