How best to use elements to organize my file system in windows?

[DerekMK5]

I recently purchased elements 18 to tame my wifes's collection of 11k digital photos.  I have been going through the files in the software and deleting duplicates/bad pictures, but now I want to organize the photos based on year/event/whatever.  I know how to do this within elements, but I would also like said changes to be reflected in the windows file system.  Currently, I have a file with 5k photos in it.  If I use elements, I know I can organize within the program but that won't do anything to the file with 5k photos.  How would I go about cleaning up my file system outside of the program with the tools the program gives?  I have considered working with metadata or something to make it easier to sort in windows, but wanted to know if anyone has some suggestions.  Thanks!

[MichelBParis]

From your description, you don't want to create a new folder tree structure based on dates only, but also on events or other criteria. It would be easier with a simple structure based on dates. Choosing Events as secondary level is a bit redundant, since they are based on dates. Other criteria may not be defined before moving files to the new folder;  and selecting files to move according to other criteria implies using the organizer and its keywords.

Why not start with a more realistic step, like creating a new empty folder structure based on years or year/months?

This new empty structure can be created either in the Explorer or from the Organizer.

The organizer lets you select all your files from a given year or year/month and move them to the destination subfolder. If like me you have files from more than 20 years, the first stage of splitting by year will be reasonably fast. Splitting by month will be much longer.

The purpose of creating such a date tree is to make searches from the explorer easier. Years are the main criteria, then the explorer can sort according to the date_taken (not the the creation or other).

If you want a structure like year/Events, start with a simple year organization (reasonably fast).

Organizing subfolders for events under that year folder is strighforward:

- for each event, let the organizer create a subfolder with adequate name.

- the organizer selects the files for that event

- the organizer moves the selected file to the newly created subfolder.

Just out of curiosity, what is the size in GB of the library and the number of years it does cover?

[DerekMK5]

Thank you for the thorough response!

I agree that a year->event or year->month->event system would be best for my use.  Based on your reply, I realized that I can add folders in the "folders" section on the left side.  Probably obvious, but progress is progress.  Once I made all of the required years, the next step is something I could use some clarity on.  Ideally, I would be automating as much as possible of this, so when you say "let the organizer create a subfolder...," how do you go about doing that?  And when you suggest that I start with organizing by year, do you mean that I would go through the media tab and grab every picture from, say, 2007 and drop it in the 2007 folder?  Or is there a faster way?  Thanks again for the support!

[MichelBParis]

Ideally, I would be automating as much as possible of this

Sorry, I don't know of anything that can be made automatically.

The key is that no folder tree structure can compete with a database that enables multicriteria searches. You may find external tools that can shape your folder tree with a date structure. You may even ask the organizer to reconnect the files which have been moved externally. That's not impossible, but not realistic for a big library.

The only automatic folder date feature in Elements is provided by the advanced options of the downloader. For instance, every year, I create a new default folder for my cards downloads. With the option to create subfolders by each day in the YYYY MM DD format, the subfolders are created and filled automatically.

For someone wanting to change a totally random structure into such a date tree structure, there is a way to create a new library with the date structure while keeping the keywords, captions, notes and ratings (not the albums, stacks, version sets or creations).

The trick is to use a large capacity card. With a 128 GB card, you  can:

- first 'write metadata to files' to all the files of your 11 000 files.

- and save the keyword structure to a text file from the keywords menu

- create a new catalog and a new master folder to receive the new subfolders.

- restore the keywords structure from the text file.

Then, repeat the following process:

- copy 128 GB from the computer to SD card

- import (download) into the new master folder and the new catalog

- go back to the original catalog and select the next batch of 128 GB and so on until you have covered all your library. The subfolders by dates are created when needed or are used if already existing.

You recover your tags, captions, notes and ratings as well as your keywords hierarchies. Not your albums, stacks or version sets. The process does not change anything to your original catalog and library. It's safer than moving a lot of batches manually, which would require many backups for safety.

[DerekMK5]

So if I understand you correctly, that solution would work for new imports.  What about the photos I currently have?  Was I right in my assumption that I will need to drag and drop photos based on their date into the year folders I created?  It seems like there could be a way to identify all photos taken in 2006 (should be included in their metadata) and direct them to be placed in the "2006" folder.  Is there any way to have all photos with certain tags get sent to a certain folder?  Not sure if I am asking the question clearly, but again thank you for the help thus far.

[DerekMK5]

I think I figured out what I needed to do.

As stated before, I have the year folders that you suggested.  I then went to view->set date range, and set the range for whatever year I wanted.  I then selected those photos, and dragged them into the appropriate year folder.  The next step, which will be much easier now, is to organize each year as we previously discussed.