Session Subfolders
I love working in Sessions, but one major thing that trips me up is not being able to easily see subfolders within "Capture" or "Output". Even browsing within the System Folders doesn't allow me to see all images within a parent folder. It's very frustrating.
Here is a common situation. I export files to my Output folder, creating a variety of subfolders, whether it's file size, intended us, or file type. I may then create other files from those exports, more PSDs and such. I'm assuming that anything created outside of C1 wouldn't be within the session. So when I go back to the session and select the default "All Images" Smart Album, those files do not show up. Ultimately I am wanting the session to include and be able to make Smart Albums out of any image within my file structure, whether it originated in C1 or whether I created it outside of that.
I wish I could get C1 to create Smart Albums from the System Folders, which includes all files regardless of where they originated. Is that possible? If not, how to I get C1 to recognize and include the files I create outside of C1, specifically so I can start including them into Smart Folders within the session?
Here is a common situation. I export files to my Output folder, creating a variety of subfolders, whether it's file size, intended us, or file type. I may then create other files from those exports, more PSDs and such. I'm assuming that anything created outside of C1 wouldn't be within the session. So when I go back to the session and select the default "All Images" Smart Album, those files do not show up. Ultimately I am wanting the session to include and be able to make Smart Albums out of any image within my file structure, whether it originated in C1 or whether I created it outside of that.
I wish I could get C1 to create Smart Albums from the System Folders, which includes all files regardless of where they originated. Is that possible? If not, how to I get C1 to recognize and include the files I create outside of C1, specifically so I can start including them into Smart Folders within the session?
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You can navigate to a folder in C1 and, if it contains Images that C1 works with, the C1 Session will see them, create a CaptureOne subfolder and within that a Settings Folder and a Cache folder and then add the .cos settings files in the settings folder and create the thumbnails and previews in the Cache folder.
If you want to associate the discovered folders with the session permanently then make the folded a Favourite.
Now speaking personally I do not want any of may Output folders automatically associated with a session and so set up for editing with the files described above. So I am delighted that sessions restricts such cascading activity and allows me to control what is in the session and what is outside it.
If, for any reason, I DO want an output file to be referenced for further editing in the session I have either output it to the same file as the source file (an already "known" folder) or send it to another folder that is, or will be, included as a Favourite for the session. However in the main I have no reason at all to do that.
If you only ever use one session for everything (it sounds like you probably do) you may want to consider whether an album might be a better option for your "see everything" needs.
For example if you use multiple sessions but you want to access all images from the system folders down through the folder hierarchy then you would need to make all of the folders "Favourites" in all sessions.
That would seem a bit pointless when it ought to be easier to do it once for a catalogue (albeit there is the question of importing stuff to the catalogue but discussion of that is a different subject for another thread).
HTH.
Grant -
Thanks for the reply. I am not really understanding your first paragraph, but it does seem like a tricky workaround and I am just hoping to figure out or understand the basics a little better 😊
I can't see the possibility of seeing cascading subfolders being an issue, since you should just be able to close them, or like Adobe product just turn that option off if you choose. The option is great. I feel like C1 makes too many decisions for you as to how you should and shouldn't work, but that is a different discussion.
I do realize I can add every single folder as a favorite, but I am not really wanting to see 30 favorite folders within a session from a single shoot. That seems so inefficient, but so far seems to be the only way to make this happen. To be specific about my current predicament: I have several "output" folders, one being PSD. Within the PSD folder I have maybe 20 other folders separating out many images of product by product model and shot angle, and many more secondary PSDs get created within here that didn't get exported from C1, so they are unknown to C1. I work on those PSDs within Photoshop, but in the end there are times where I wish I could select all finalized PSDs (that are spread through many folders) so I can batch export as TFF files. This is where I wish I could come back to C1 as a workflow tool and make that happen. But unless I go make every single folder a favorite, then gather up all the PSDs for TFF export, I can't rely on C1 to help me out, and I end up going back to Adobe to make it happen. Is there really no other way?
In this situation, I sure wish I could favorite the PSD folder and then have immediate access to all files and folders with that. -
Continuing on the road of creating favorites for additional (sub) folders within your session folder, you could make a session template.
In a template, you record the entire structure of your session including favorites and albums. Each time you create a new session, you call the template and you're done.
I think this may work very well for you and helps you to circumvent the subfolder issue and speed up your workflow at the same time.
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