Workflow and Aperture Project Names

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Level 1

19 points

Workflow and Aperture Project Names

I don't know is this is do-able but here goes.

I frequently have 30-40 images in group that I import into Aperture3. Some I simply save as is; some I edit one or more versions. If I edit them (usually in Photoshop) it may take several days or more to do a final edit & save versions of 2-3 images. The issue is that in the meantime I'll be adding Projects. I may end up with half a dozen projects that I'm "working" on concurrently mixed in with some "complete" projects.

I would like to separate the "working" from the completed projects.

Color labels apparently don't apply to Projects, so my old desktop>Pictures >Color Label Folder system doesn't work in Aperture.

I've set up this workflow: Camera Folder > Aperture > Date_Camera Folder Name > Import > (rename) Project> DATE_NAME_WORKING .

When I export the file to edit and Save in Photoshop it goes back into the Aperture Library folder with some indecipherable code, e.g., 20130720-193156, so the questions are:

do the Project names that I see in Aperture matter?
can I change the Project name again when I finish editing, delete"working" without creating Library problems down the line?
Or, is there another workflow that would handle this?

Thanks for any input, Brian

iPad 2, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Jul 28, 2013 11:15 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Kirby Krieger

Level 6

12,592 points

Jul 29, 2013 5:50 AM in response to azartguy

Hi Brian.

There are several good ways to group Projects (I, too, would like to see Project tagging in the next version of Aperture.)

Use the built-in "Favorite" designation. (Click the Action Menu {the gear icon} at the top right of the Library Inspector. Directions on this page of the User Manual (search for "favorite").
Use some kind of text-tag in the Project Name, and then search using either the Library Inspector or the Projects View search. (Here is a post of Project Naming conventions.)
Use some kind of text-tag in the Project Description field. This is available in the Project Info panel, brought up by clicking the "i" icon in Projects View or, when the Project is selected in the Library Inspector, with the command "Window➞Show Project Info". Mine is bound to "{Shift}+i". I put several text-tags in the Project Description. Most of these are related to the develop status of the Project (e.g.: described, keyworded, developed, done, dropped). I put these text-tags in using Keyboard Maestro, but any text-replacement program will work (incl. OS X's). I use, for example, "Not.Keyed", and then (manually) removed the "Not" when the Project's Images have been keyworded.
Create Folders in the Library Inspector, and move your Projects. This is rarely used -- I use it with every Library I administer. In my professional Library (I'm an artist currently using cameras to record data) I keep two main trunks, each branched into many limbs. The trucks are, in effect, "Current" and "Archived".

What you say about exporting to Photoshop and saving worries me. The standard workflow is to assign (for example) Photoshop as Aperture's External Editor, and then send the Image to the external editor. When it is closed and saved by the External Editor, it should show up in Aperture as a new Image. There is a Badge which indicates that the Image was edited externally. Is there a reason you are using what seems to be a non-standard workflow for editing Images in Photoshop?

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Answer 2

azartguy Author

Level 1

19 points

Jul 29, 2013 10:45 AM in response to Kirby Krieger

Hey, Kirby. Thanks for the response. Last question first:

What you say about exporting to Photoshop and saving worries me. The standard workflow is to assign (for example) Photoshop as Aperture's External Editor, and then send the Image to the external editor. When it is closed and saved by the External Editor, it should show up in Aperture as a new Image.

I may have used the incorrect term. I do use the Photos>Edit With Photoshop. But I was getting intermittent "Unsupported Format" alerts on the edited PSD versions. I talked to Apple and they weren't sure why it was happening (other than MountainLion trying to work with CS4 and CS4 not playing nice) and suggested a couple of work-around. One of which was using the Export function, edit in PS, then drag back into the Aperture Project if needed. Usually I don't need to do that.

Use some kind of text-tag in the Project Description field.

I think you answered my question about "Project names." I was confusing project file name with project description. I'm infering from your comment that the on-screen description is changable and changing that descrition has no effect on the Library file storage/retreival?

Use some kind of text-tag in the Project Name, and then search using either the Library Inspector or the Projects View search. (Here is a post of Project Naming conventions.)

This works well, and is probably my workflow solution.

Thanks for all the help,

Brian

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