Creating Collections

Collections is a powerful grouping and search query tool. You can use the Collections pane to group accumulated photos based on a common variable, such as the camera used, location, or size. You could also use Collections to group photos for sorting, processing, sharing, and much more.

Collection

Collection Set

Smart Collection

To Create a Collection:

  1. In Manage mode, choose Panes | Collection. The Collections pane will appear tabbed in the Folders pane.
  2. In the Collections pane, right-click and select Create Collection... from the context menu.
  3. In the Create Collection dialog box, configure the options as described below.
  4. Press the Create button.

Create Collection Dialog Box Options

Name

Name

Enter a name for your collection.

Location

Inside a Collection Set

Check this checkbox if you would like to place this collection inside of another previously-created collection set, thereby developing a hierarchy. Choose the collection set you would like to add your image to from the drop-down menu.

Options

Include selected photos

Check this checkbox to include any currently selected photos in the collection.

Set as target collection

Check this checkbox to designate this collection as the target collection for images you will add photos to. You will be able to quickly send images directly to this collection by selecting images and pressing Ctrl + Alt + C. To customize the keyboard shortcut, see Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts.

To Add Photos to a Collection:

Do one of the following:

  • In the File List pane, select the images before using the Create Collection command described above. Then check the Include selected photos checkbox inside the Create Collection dialog box.
  • In the File List pane, right-click the images and choose Collections | Add to | [name of the collection].
  • Drag and drop the images from the File List pane to the collection inside the Collections pane.
  • Select the image in the File List pane. In the Organize tab of the Properties pane, in the Collections group, check the checkbox next to the collection.

To Set a Collection as Your Target Collection:

You can set a specific collection as the target collection, allowing you to quickly add images to it using a keyboard shortcut. A target collection will display a blue circle icon next to it in the Collections pane. You cannot set a smart collection as a target.

Do one of the following:

  • When creating a collection, check the Set as target collection checkbox in the Create Collection dialog box.
  • Right-click a collection in the Collections pane and choose Set as Target Collection.

To Add Images to Target Collections:

Select the image and press the Ctrl + Alt + C key.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut. See Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts.

To Search for Collections:

You can search for collections, collection sets, and smart collections in the Filter Collections field at the top of the Collections pane.

  • Enter the name, (or portion of the name), of the collection, smart collection, or collection set you are looking for. If the collection you are searching for is part of a collection set, the search will return the root collection set if one of the sub-collections contains the text you entered in the Filter Collections field.

To Remove an Image from a Collection:

  1. Select the collection.
  2. Right-click the image and choose Collections | Remove from Selected Collection.

This will only remove the image from the collection and will not delete the image.

You can remove multiple images from a collection at once by selecting them all and then right-clicking and choosing Collections | Remove from Selected Collection.

To Remove an Image from All Collections:

To remove an image from all collections, right-click the image and choose Collections | Remove from all collections.

This will only remove the image from all collections and will not delete the image.

You can remove multiple images from all collections at once by selecting them all and then right-clicking and choosing Collections | Remove from all collections.

Collections Sets

You can create a collection set and add other collection folders inside. You can use this method to create a hierarchy for further organization. You cannot add images to collection sets themselves. You can only add images to folders (collections) inside of collection sets. Selecting the root of a collection set will display all of the images in all of the collections inside of the root.

To Create a Collection Set:

  1. In the Collections pane, right-click and select Create Collection Set... from the context menu.
  2. In the Create Collection Set dialog box, enter a name for your collection set.
  3. Check the Inside a Collection Set checkbox if you would like to add your collection set inside of another collection set. Select the collection set from the drop-down menu.
  4. Click Create.

To Add Collections to Collection Sets:

Do one of the following:

  • Check the Inside a Collection Set checkbox while creating a collection inside the Create Collection dialog box. Select the collection set from the drop-down menu.
  • In the Collections pane, drag and drop the collection from the root level to the collection set.

Smart Collections

Smart collections are collections with queries built into them based on search criteria you specify. These search queries get saved to the database. When you catalog new images in the future, those that fit the criteria of your search query will automatically show up in your smart collection. You can also create a search query to locate files based on the date they were cataloged.

To Create a Smart Collection and Add Search Criteria to Your Query:

  1. In the Collections pane, right-click and select Create Smart Collection... from the context menu.
  2. In the Create Smart Collection dialog box, configure the options as described below.
  3. Press the OK button.

Create Smart Collection Dialog Box Options

Name

Enter a name for your smart collection.


It is recommended that you give your smart collection a name reflective of the search query assigned to it. This will save you the time of having to open it to find out what it contains.

Location

Inside a Collection Set

Check this checkbox if you would like to place this collection inside of another previously-created collection set, thereby developing a hierarchy. Select the collection set you would like to add your smart collection to from the drop-down menu.

Match

Press the Add button to select search criteria for your query. In the Add Search Criteria dialog box, choose criteria by clicking the plus + signs to expand the tree and check/uncheck the checkboxes on and off to select your properties. Press OK. Your chosen criteria will appear in the Match field box. Refine each item by clicking the underlined variables and selecting an option from the drop-down, or entering a number into the field.

For example, if you chose Size as your search criteria, click "is" and select "is not", "is less than", "is less than or equal to", "is greater than", "is greater than or equal to", or "is between". Then click the "0" and enter the size value.

To Remove Criteria from Your Search Query:

Select the criteria from the Match field and select Remove.

To Edit Your Search Query:

  1. Right-click your smart collection in the Collections pane and choose Edit.
  2. In the Edit Smart Collection dialog box, add and remove search criteria as described above.
  3. Click OK.

See also: