Limited file folder structure levels for Smart Collection details?

Report · Nov 06, 2023

(on Mac Sonoma)
Background

I am in the process to use Bridge to help restructure my 4tb media file libraries from 23 years of digital camera use. But it seems Bridge only access one folder level in a target disk for smart collections. Options I do not know about here?

Process I have done so far.

Started with exporting my old Aperture library holding 12k images in 800ish folders on 1ste level with several folders under each of these. This was impossible for me to handle manually. Found a hack to adjust Aperture so it run under Sonoma - and exported to a single level folder. Success. This sorted my 2000-2010 libraries.
I have a period between 2010 and 2019 where I have camera specific folder structures on 1ste level. These I have manually lifted (puhh) to one level.
I then have the time from 2020-2023(totday) where I have a common project file structure where source files are placed in a folder up to 4 levels below in the target disk. There are folders for about 100 projects from different camera types, and file types. The project folders have this structure Project-process element (notes, source, results). These source folders have results folders on same level with results from Resolve for video or other image editing tools results. These folder volumes are very challenging to handle manually as well.

Question:

Is it at all possible to get Bridge Smart Collections to dig to the bottom of these structures to include those media files in the search process?

Report · Nov 06, 2023

Extra comment and question

When I choose show folders the 1st level of folders below target disk are shown together with the images on the 1st level. When I tick this off un-select show folders, no folders and only files are shown. So everything seem to be controls for the 1st level in target disk

Question

Is it possible to have collections in collections, and do a smart search collection on the lowest folder level and move this folder within another smart collection. Sample Year2022 first smart collection searching between Jan1st and Dec31st will find everything on level 1 under target disk (disk-folder1-files). A second collection could then be on level 4 or 5 below target disk within 1ste level folder but with same criteria (Jan1st and Dec31st). And then move this smart collection to within Year2022 collection. Will this stay as originally searched for for both of them or will the upper Year2022 over-rule the lowest level search or in anyway damage it?

Report · Nov 06, 2023

- and I have startred the slow process of restructuring the folders to fit Bridge..