Posting comments from ACDSee

msim2020 · March 6, 2005

Is it possible to upload captions from ACDSee to Smugmug?

Nikolai · March 6, 2005

As it was discussed some time ago..

msim2020 wrote:

Is it possible to upload captions from ACDSee to Smugmug?

I was trying to get a hold of ACDSee to accommodate this request (I'm using ACDSee myself since 199..). However, didn't get any response.:-(
They only provide SDK to their "registered partners". To become one, you obviously need to register, for which you need to get in contact with somebody from the pertinent department.. who does not respond..:cry

In case somebody already acquired this (free) SDK, or somehow can share the information about hot to get to ACDSee meta info, or simply get them respond - I have no problems to do this..

HTH

Cheers!

msim2020 · March 6, 2005

I just read the following text on the "customize gallery" help page. It seems that it works for Photoshop?! You perhaps understand IPTC... Is that how ACDSee does it? Thanks!

Have you seen photos with captions like "DSC_0013"? Chances are that's the filename assigned to a photo by a digital camera. If you choose yes to the filename option, your photos will display filenames as captions if there are no captions. If you've entered a caption into your photo's file info field (IPTC caption) with a program like Photoshop, we automatically use it as the caption.

Nikolai wrote:

I was trying to get a hold of ACDSee to accommodate this request (I'm using ACDSee myself since 199..). However, didn't get any response.:-(
They only provide SDK to their "registered partners". To become one, you obviously need to register, for which you need to get in contact with somebody from the pertinent department.. who does not respond..:cry

In case somebody already acquired this (free) SDK, or somehow can share the information about hot to get to ACDSee meta info, or simply get them respond - I have no problems to do this..

HTH

Cheers!

Nikolai · March 7, 2005

I understand IPTC:-)

msim2020 wrote:

I just read the following text on the "customize gallery" help page. It seems that it works for Photoshop?! You perhaps understand IPTC... Is that how ACDSee does it? Thanks!

Unfortunately, ACDSee does not seem to work this way. AFAIK it uses a (proprietary) database where it stores its thumbnails, descriptions, notes, keywords and all the other metadata it uses.
I just tried a few things (again) to see if it uses anything else (in case I missed it before), but to no avail.
Judging by the fact it does not modify the file, it does not uses any unknown jpeg tags (like iptc, but non-standard ones), also it does not utilize ntfs streams (it would be very bold anyway, as far as there is plenty of windows 9x around - and I checked, just in case:-), so the only way would be external database.

Again, I cannot get ahold of their R&D to work out a solution - and I really haven't been in my hacking mood lately - too many other, far more creative stuff to do:-)

Sorry, not much can be done at this point..

Nikolai · March 7, 2005

Wait a second...
Think I just found something... hackable...:-)
b back in 10..

Nikolai · March 7, 2005

Attention all ACDSee users!

Nikolai wrote:

Think I just found something... hackable...:-)
b back in 10..

I uploaded a little test app here. It's a zip archive containing a little (~150Kb) windows console app which can tell us if we can get to ACDsee descriptions (could not get anything else, sorry).

Syntax is:
acdseetest.exe yourdirectory
where yourdirectory is a folder with pictures for which you created some acdsee captions.

If what I think is true, your courage will be rewarded with a list of matching pairs "filename - acdsee description". If not - well, it will simply steall all your money and format your c drive..

just kidding:D .

I tested it on my v3 (yeah, I know, it's soooo last millenium - but it beats all the latest versions, which are dog slow), and I was able to get descriptions. Not authors, notes, or keywords - just descriptions.

What I need is a feedback from you, especially about outher versions (and OSes other than windows xp pro sp2).

Hope to hear from you soon. Please post your feedback here.

Cheers!

msim2020 · March 7, 2005

Wow. You are incredible!

I ran the script. Now I am worried about my money

.

It did not seem to do the magic. By the way, that folder only has the images and no database reference... I think I saw on the ACDSee board a thread that indicates that they store the information in XML format in the database.

Meanwhile, here are the results.

\sw_downloaded>acdseetest "D:\Our Documents\My Pictures\olympus photos\2005\20
05-03-06"
ACDSee Test Copyright (c) Nikolai Sklobovsky 2005
No ACDSee extra info found for

\Our Documents\My Pictures\olympus photos\2005\
2005-03-06
Press ENTER to finish

Nikolai wrote:

I uploaded a little test app here. It's a zip archive containing a little (~150Kb) windows console app which can tell us if we can get to ACDsee descriptions (could not get anything else, sorry).

Syntax is:
acdseetest.exe yourdirectory
where yourdirectory is a folder with pictures for which you created some acdsee captions.

If what I think is true, your courage will be rewarded with a list of matching pairs "filename - acdsee description". If not - well, it will simply steall all your money and format your c drive..

just kidding:D .

I tested it on my v3 (yeah, I know, it's soooo last millenium - but it beats all the latest versions, which are dog slow), and I was able to get descriptions. Not authors, notes, or keywords - just descriptions.

What I need is a feedback from you, especially about outher versions (and OSes other than windows xp pro sp2).

Hope to hear from you soon. Please post your feedback here.

Cheers!

Nikolai · March 7, 2005

I see:-(

msim2020 wrote:

Wow. You are incredible!

I ran the script. Now I am worried about my money .

It did not seem to do the magic. By the way, that folder only has the images and no database reference... I think I saw on the ACDSee board a thread that indicates that they store the information in XML format in the database.

Meanwhile, here are the results.

\sw_downloaded>acdseetest "D:\Our Documents\My Pictures\olympus photos\2005\20
05-03-06"
ACDSee Test Copyright (c) Nikolai Sklobovsky 2005
No ACDSee extra info found for \Our Documents\My Pictures\olympus photos\2005\
2005-03-06
Press ENTER to finish

I guess it's only valid for version<=3.x :-( What version are you on, if I may ask?

In any case - does not look like I can get to this info now.
Maybe later.
Sorry for a false hope..

Cheers!

msim2020 · March 13, 2005

Hi there, Nikolai,

I thought I had posted a reply that day.

Am sad that your nifty utility does not work with more recent ACDSee... I think ACDSee does have a vibrant forum. So if y ou get the enthusiasm to help others

, I hope they will respond...

Thanks anyhow for cobbling this together. It should work for you in any case!

Nikolai wrote:

I guess it's only valid for version<=3.x :-( What version are you on, if I may ask?

In any case - does not look like I can get to this info now.
Maybe later.
Sorry for a false hope..

Cheers!<img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/1drink.gif" border="0" alt="" >

Nikolai · March 13, 2005

Well, maybe later

msim2020 wrote:

Hi there, Nikolai,
I thought I had posted a reply that day.
Am sad that your nifty utility does not work with more recent ACDSee... I think ACDSee does have a vibrant forum. So if y ou get the enthusiasm to help others , I hope they will respond...

They did not respond initially. And, as I mentioned before, while (I think:-) I have enough enthusiasm to help others (so far SE is going strong, very few issues had been resolved in most cases the same day, no outstanding complaints:-), I don't have a luxury of having too much time to chase people who's not very interested in such contacts.. Of course things may change, but for now this is on the bottom of my pile of things to do..

msim2020 wrote:

Thanks anyhow for cobbling this together. It should work for you in any case!

No problem, mate:-) Was worth trying. And in my case - I never really used it for naming, so I personally have nothing to import:-)

Cheers!

msim2020 · March 13, 2005

Can completely understand.

SE is a nifty tool. I wonder if you have stats on how many people use it. I have used it a few times... Thanks!

Nikolai wrote:

They did not respond initially. And, as I mentioned before, while (I think:-) I have enough enthusiasm to help others (so far SE is going strong, very few issues had been resolved in most cases the same day, no outstanding complaints:-), I don't have a luxury of having too much time to chase people who's not very interested in such contacts.. Of course things may change, but for now this is on the bottom of my pile of things to do..

No problem, mate:-) Was worth trying. And in my case - I never really used it for naming, so I personally have nothing to import:-)

Cheers!

Nikolai · March 13, 2005

Not on usage, no

msim2020 wrote:

Can completely understand.

Thanks!

Again, it's not that I'm opposed to the idea, but at this time have more pressing matters..

msim2020 wrote:

SE is a nifty tool. I wonder if you have stats on how many people use it. I have used it a few times... Thanks!

I have stats on web site visits (as of now 7,100+ hits and counting) , but not on usage. While it's VERY easy to do, I was -and still am - reluctant to do this, as far as it's a very gray/moot area between "gathering usage statistics" and "collecting personal/private information".
To do it properly means to provide very explicit explanantion of what exact info is sent, where, how often, what's the purpose, make it optional, add legal statement - the whole nine yards.
Smugmug can probably get this info (as far as SE uses its own very distinct "agent signature"), but it's not something they do on their own on a daily basis, and I never asked:-).
I would "guestimate" that I may have 100..200 users, but I might be also too optimistic:-). Pessimistic is as low as 20, but I think (I mean - I hope:-) SE does better than that:):

Cheers!

msim2020 · March 13, 2005

Cheers!

Nikolai wrote:

Thanks! Again, it's not that I'm opposed to the idea, but at this time have more pressing matters..

I have stats on web site visits (as of now 7,100+ hits and counting) , but not on usage. While it's VERY easy to do, I was -and still am - reluctant to do this, as far as it's a very gray/moot area between "gathering usage statistics" and "collecting personal/private information".
To do it properly means to provide very explicit explanantion of what exact info is sent, where, how often, what's the purpose, make it optional, add legal statement - the whole nine yards.
Smugmug can probably get this info (as far as SE uses its own very distinct "agent signature"), but it's not something they do on their own on a daily basis, and I never asked:-).
I would "guestimate" that I may have 100..200 users, but I might be also too optimistic:-). Pessimistic is as low as 20, but I think (I mean - I hope:-) SE does better than that:):

Cheers!

Dianne · March 25, 2005

ACDSee test
I see that you've already had one response. I'm running ver 7 (just trial at this point) and either I didn't understand your directions re the syntax, or it doesn't work with ver 7, or BOTH!!

It would be great to be able to import (upload) captions along with images -- I'm new to smugmug; have downloaded and am planning to make good use of SE. But, I'm really all tangled up in getting a good workflow established -- mostly having to do with selection, categorization, captions, and keywords. So, if you could point me to a thread or tutorial on that topic, I'd be grateful. I have Photoshop CS, PS Elements 3, PSPro, Paint Shop Album, and am trying ACDSee. Could be the problem is too many options??

I've read all of Smugmug's help files, read a lot of DG forum stuff, and am still flailing about.

Nikolai wrote:

Thanks! Again, it's not that I'm opposed to the idea, but at this time have more pressing matters..

I have stats on web site visits (as of now 7,100+ hits and counting) , but not on usage. While it's VERY easy to do, I was -and still am - reluctant to do this, as far as it's a very gray/moot area between "gathering usage statistics" and "collecting personal/private information".
To do it properly means to provide very explicit explanantion of what exact info is sent, where, how often, what's the purpose, make it optional, add legal statement - the whole nine yards.
Smugmug can probably get this info (as far as SE uses its own very distinct "agent signature"), but it's not something they do on their own on a daily basis, and I never asked:-).
I would "guestimate" that I may have 100..200 users, but I might be also too optimistic:-). Pessimistic is as low as 20, but I think (I mean - I hope:-) SE does better than that

Cheers!

Nikolai · March 25, 2005

Dianne,

Dianne wrote:

I'm really all tangled up in getting a good workflow established -- mostly having to do with selection, categorization, captions, and keywords. So, if you could point me to a thread or tutorial on that topic, I'd be grateful. I have Photoshop CS, PS Elements 3, PSPro, Paint Shop Album, and am trying ACDSee. Could be the problem is too many options??

Can you please be more specific? I can't figure out of my onw wat is the "topic" you're talking about?

Cheers!

Dianne · March 25, 2005

the "topic"
Sorry to be so obsure. I have hundreds (nay, thousands) of pictures on my hard drive waiting to be uploaded. How should I spend my time before I upload them "tagging" them or assigning keywords in some application and creating captions, or is that what I do in smugmug? It's part of the preparation for uploading workflow that isn't clear to me from what I've read so far.
Does that help at all?

Nikolai wrote:

Can you please be more specific? I can't figure out of my onw wat is the "topic" you're talking about?

Cheers!

Nikolai · March 25, 2005

Now you're talkng:-)

Dianne wrote:

Sorry to be so obsure. I have hundreds (nay, thousands) of pictures on my hard drive waiting to be uploaded. How should I spend my time before I upload them "tagging" them or assigning keywords in some application and creating captions, or is that what I do in smugmug? It's part of the preparation for uploading workflow that isn't clear to me from what I've read so far.
Does that help at all?

AFAIK your PC CS title/description will be automatically imported by SM server.
Apart from that I would humbly suggest trying smugmug explorer for you mega upload task.

HTH

Dianne · March 25, 2005

Nikolai wrote:

AFAIK your PC CS title/description will be automatically imported by SM server.
Apart from that I would humbly suggest trying smugmug explorer for you mega upload task.

HTH

And, I absolutely will use smugmug explorer for my uploading.

What I'm still not clear about is just what all SE will do for me and what I have to do either before SE or post SE ........... just got to try several small uploads and experiment .... and read the notes again and again. It's the old workflow thing.......I just don't want to get 100s uploaded and find out I missed somethng major.

Nikolai · March 25, 2005

I understand..

Dianne wrote:

And, I absolutely will use smugmug explorer for my uploading. What I'm still not clear about is just what all SE will do for me and what I have to do either before SE or post SE ........... just got to try several small uploads and experiment .... and read the notes again and again. It's the old workflow thing.......I just don't want to get 100s uploaded and find out I missed somethng major.

However, you can upload a bunch now and if later you decide to do something different - you can reupload them, few thousand pictures is only a few hours, it'll be done overnight..

Good luck with whatever you decide - and thank you for using SE!

Cheers!

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