Auto group feature available in catalog, not just import.

What problem do you see this solving?

Currently Capture One has an 'auto group' feature, but it is not available when I need it.  It is only available on import, not afterwards in the catalog.

It is when I am using the catalog to sort and group images that I could do with automation, not before.  I need to check the details, not quickly scrub images on import.

Images I need to group are: Focus stacks, Panoramic sequences, similar images, bursts, exposure variations of the same scene.  Another one could be finding the image with the 'best focus' in certain circumstances without having to check closely, the focus overlay doesn't always seem to be helpful.

It is very time consuming to do this manually, there is little reason why this couldn't be successfully automated with features that make it easy to find certain types of groups.

I am trying to save many hours of 'administration' tasks required to sort images.

When was the last time you were affected by this lack of functionality, or specific tool?

Most times I use Capture One.

Are you using any workarounds or other solutions to achieve your goals in Capture One?

I do not have an efficient workaround.  My process is to do this visually as one of the first steps, otherwise the entire import of images is simply unmanageable.  Currently I will initially select groups and give each a different colour tag to differentiate them.  Then I take each colour tag and create new folder and drag each group in there.  So one folder might be 'Focus stack of tree' which represents one composition/photo.

Here's an idea, could Caputre One use the Grid feature, where images are displayed in a grid, but instead of having them all shown in a grid, they could be spaced organically into groups, just as you might slide slides around a table, if Capture One could create gaps between groups based on different methods such as similar time stamps for bursts, similar content, or modified exposure, etc.  I don't know the details of how this would work, but something like that would be quite handy if you were able to use it and tweak the groups as needed by sliding pictures from one to another after closer inspection, etc.

Additionally if you could then command each group to go into a new folder or collection  or assign a colour rating at the press of a button, it would help to organise things without all the wasted manual labour and time spent simply organizing.

Are you happy to be contacted further about this suggestion or request?

Yes

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Original Idea text.

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When I purchased Capture One '23 I assumed that the group feature would be available all the time, not just limited to the Import window.  With my workflow, I don't want to cull images at import, but after I have imported everything.  After import is when I will group and delete/edit/merge images in bulk and it's quite frustrating that Capture One has the feature I can't access when I need.  My request is to extend the Group feature into the normal catalog window.  My use case is:

1. Import all files and backup all consecutively, usually from multiple SD cards.  I want the import progress through SD cards to be quick, not slowed down by sorting at this stage.

2. In the catalog, sort and arrange, apply initial star rating or delete some.  For example, group images in a focus stack or panorama by giving them each set the same colour rating or putting them into a separate folder, whatever is neat and appropriate at the time.  I believe the groups feature, if working as I needed, could consistently save many hours sorting through images in this step, it is largely wasted administrative time that could be automated.  Other images I might group are sets of similar images where I might choose the best.  This feature should be available in the normal catalog, not just during import.  There may be a dozen focus stack groups for example in amongst hundreds of images and trying to find them all, including the start and end points can take quite a lot of time.

3. Edit & merge files, using groups I have created to simplify and organise the collection, otherwise it can be unmanageable.

4. Re apply 'final' star rating to finish sorting the desired images now they have been edited or combined as required, add keywords to desired images and move entire folder to a storage drive.

Please extend the grouping feature to the catalog.  I imagine one use case would be to import all the images, then click 'organise' in the catalog, walk away if needed and return to find all the panoramas and focus stacked, or similar images in groups which I could easily fine tune further if needed.  Then click a button which separates each group either by a colour rating or into folders or similar, preferably folders as colour rating can be used for other things.