How Do You View Multiple Catalogs

[Rolf Howarth]

Ok, here’s a lightning overview of using CatDV with the CatDV Server:

1. First, make sure the CatDV Server is running, then launch the CatDV Pro client and connect to the server (Server menu > Connect To Server, then enter the IP address of the server)
2. To create new catalogs, use the CatDV client and import files or folders, add log notes and keywords, then publish the catalog to save them to the server.
3. To open existing catalogs from the server, choose them from the Server > Browse Database window or using the Server tree in the tree navigator
4. To perform searches for specific clips, use the Server > Perform Query command
5. You can also set up smart folders (which are basically saved queries) or use automatic grouping, both via the Server section of the tree navigator.
6. To use proxies (aka. previews) you configure the client to tell it where the original media is and where the corresponding proxies. If CatDV can locate the original media you can play the movie on the Movie tab. If CatDV can locate the proxy it will appear on the Proxy tab (or Preview as it was called in CatDV 8). If neither are available, you can still see the thumbnails.
7. For more advanced workflows you can use the optional CatDV Worker Node product to automate importing of files via watch folders and building proxies, plus more besisdes (eg. moving files, sending emails, ftp’ing a file to an external server, etc.) based on clip status changes etc.
8. To know whether a file has been archived it depends on how your system is set up. In CatDV 9 you can use the CatDV Archiving Option to archive files to Cache-A or XenData or similar system (or use 3rd party archive integration from a company such as Atempo or Archiware). But you can also build your own manual system tuned to your particular needs, for example by defining a user-defined field to say where a clip has been archived to and then setting that field whenever you archive a file.

[Craig Shields]

Thanks a lot for you post Rolf. We plan on upgrading and adding training as well but we need to prove ourselves (understandably) with what we already have. Once we are using it the way it’s supposed to be used, I know it will be a big help for us.