Organizing Your Pattern Files

[Darlene Epp]

This post has been moved here to keep the topic consistent with the subject line.

Nancy asked:

" Darlene,

I have a question for you. I posted this to the new CQ forum also, but I need to figure this out. I have hundreds of digitized patterns, including the ones of yours I bought. How do you organize your patterns? I love Buzz Tools for the Embroidery world. When you buy a design, you drag it into your category in Buzz Tools and that's it. When you open Buzz Tools, you can open up one category or every design you own with a click of the mouse AND you get a thumbnail of each design with only the one click. I am frustrated with having to open each individual design in CQ just to see if it is what I want to use. I can't even find half of my designs because I can't remember where I put them. If I sound frustrated, I am. Since I am not getting to quilt much, I would like to use my time getting my designs organized. Once I get moved for the last time, I can start quilting again, if I can find the designs. In Buzz Tools, if you put in the proper pathway for where you want your design to open, it will even open the design in your embroidery software. I don't care so much about that feature, but I want to be able to open a whole category and have all the thumbnails pop up.

How are the rest of you handliing this? Anyone want to design the data base? Put me on the list to buy it if you do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Nancy,

I know nothing about Buzz Tools but it sounds like a great tool! Here's what I do.

I use Windows Explorer A LOT! I have my digital pattern files organized by Designer. You could also organize by type; motifs, borders, repeatables etc. OR theme; nature, floral, geometric etc.

Here's the heierarchy of my files:

C:CompuQuilter

CQ PATTERNS

-Motifs

-Borders & Corners

-Repeatables

-Wreaths (that have been saved from the wreath array feature)

DESIGNERS - (examples)

-Darlene Epp

-Debra Geissler

-Donna Kleinke etc.

ZIP FILES DOWNLOADED

- This is where I store the original files that were sent from the designer. It's easy to copy just this file to an external hard drive or burn a CD. Keep the original files safe and intact! If you ever have a computer crash, at least you won't have lost patterns you paid a lot of money for.

You could also invest $49.95 and use a backup service like Carbonite. It's a great service and backs up the files YOU choose onto it's remore server. Most of my computer is backed up and when I change a file, Carbonite immediately goes to work backing up the changes.

Since I like to design, use and buy "Collections", I make a folder under each designer's name for each collection I've designed or purchased. Then each of the files (cqp and wmf) is dragged and dropped into the appropriate folder from the jump drive I've copied them onto from my laptop. My laptop has the files set up in exactly the same way.

When I click on each folder, if the pictures don't show up, I just click on View Thumbnails. Then I can see all the pictures of all the patterns in that file.

If you wanted to see all your patterns at once, you'd have to put them all in the same folder. You COULD also set up a VIEW folder and copy all the wmf files to it. Then you would just have the viewable files in the folder without any of the command files.

When I've purchased patterns, I've taken the time to print the wmf and put it in a binder. I have sections for each of the designers I've purchased from. Or you could have just a few dividers with Blocks, Pantographs (Allovers), Borders & Corners etc. That's the way I've organized the patterns on my website, so you could do the same thing in a binder, or on your computer.

Good Luck! I've been where you are, and I know how frustrating it is.

[yeoldeforest]

Hi Darlene,

Thanks for posting this! I was curious if I was on the right track with the way I was organizing my CQ files!

[nineva]

I guess I may have to resort to buying a Windows laptop and putting the designs on it so I can frantically search for the design when I have free time instead of when I have the quilt loaded and ready to stitch. I hate to spend money for a computer I won't use for anything except this purpose. Sigh. Wah. Oh well. Have I whined enough to win the award for today? I know there is some computer literate person out there that is going to create Buzz Tools for Quilters. I just know it and they are going to make some nice moolah when they do. Look at all the Statler owners as well as all the new systems coming out. Yep, if I could, I would. Can't. Won't.

Thanks, Darlene. I am going to print off your hierarchy and swear my way through working with Windows. Can ya tell I am a MAC girl??? :D:D:D

Nancy

[nineva]

Darlene,

I opened up Parallels, which is Windows, on my computer, clicked on one of the design files I had saved in the Windows area, chose thumbnails and all I got was a windows icon, instead of the design. I thought maybe it was because it was a zipped file, so I extracted, then tried again. Still no thumbnail, just the little Windows folder. I think I have a hitch in my gitalong.

I also tried opening up the CQ Demo I put in Windows on my Mac, can't get anything to open there either. I am going to give it a rest for today and think about it overnight. This should not be so hard. I haven't posted this much all summer. Think I'll go take a run out on the lake.

Nancy

[Boni]

Hi Nineva,

I may not understand everything you're saying but I found that saving a WMF (picture file) along with my DXF and SKF files, allows me to see a preview of each design when I do a search. I can also print an index or contact sheet of WMF thumbnails for reference.

I'm not the computer person to ask--just thought I'd put that little 2 cents in.

Good Luck

And thank you Darlene for your plan. I'm going to consider it seriously.

[sherryjack]

Thank you Darlene. You are just full of the best ideas! I have printed your post and hope I can get my designs organized better. I have Buzz Tools and it is great for embroidery designs.

Sherry

Millie CQ