Preference of images in zipped folder

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Preference of images in zipped folder

In the past I've zipped my files kind of willy-nilly, but as I'm thinking about regulating my process, and also bringing other designers on board, I was wondering what kind of files you prefer to have in a zipped file. There was some talk under another topic about including a thumbnail of the .psd file, for better organizing. I was wondering if there was anything else you'd like to have. I know most designers put in their license info, which seems quite repetitive to me, but if it's useful to you in some way let me know. Or anything else.

I guess the thing people find trubbeling is the fact that psd files can't be shown in windows.. But there is many ways to fix that smiley You can try to download a program that allows you to see these files in windows (like mystic thumbs).. You can download a program that views the files without having to open your editingprogram (like pictus)

Or you can do as i do this days smiley I convert all my pds files to TIFF smiley

And i almost forgot, i think it's good as it is smiley

i like them in zips, but either way is fine for me. My mac unzips them as soon as they download, some kind of preference i had set.

I like to have

  • preview of PSD files
  • preview of kit and if part of larger kit/collection then a preview of that too
  • shortcut link to designers blog or blog address listed in tou
  • each individual piece (jpeg, tiff, png, etc)with the designers name, kit name, piece description (Abbreviations are ok as some computers can't use long file names)
  • not too many previews of other kits (one designer had about 20 *omg* even tho it was a freebie, in my opinion that was way too many)
  • Zipped file named by designer then kit name or if individual piece then that name.

I don't like all the extra fluff eg piracy, blinkies, tags, shop links etc. I should be able to find all that on your blog.
Also make it easy to leave comments on your blog with the ability to post as anonymous or with your name. Those with OpenID, Google, Facebook, Blogger or some other form where you have to sign in are not easy ways to leave comments. Some of us don't have these accounts.

I don't always unzip my files straight away, so identification of these files is important to me and should be to the designers as well. Credit should be given to the designers when their products are used but without proper identification it may never happen.

Mmmmm am I being too pedantic about my files :$

Liz, you put things very well... I like things that way, too. I know when I scrap pages I don't scrap using all one kit - I use what I think works best for the picture/page & will sift through my folders looking for the perfect element, color &/or texture. And when I've participated in slow scraps they want you to list the designer for each piece you use in your description in the gallery. If the filename doesn't have all the info. you just described it makes it hard to put that all together. That's why I've started fixing filenames, within the zip files, if they didn't have all that info. in them. It's very time consuming, but so worth it because I want to make sure I give proper credit.

Have you noticed when you download a file from here it gets automatically renamed? Is this renaming useful to you, what would you subtract/add. (files in the zipped folders aren't renamed, so I may have to work on that)

marisa-lerin__4137__damask-08-blue-white__personal-use.jpg
(designer name - node # (more useful in the future when we have lists) - title - tags - license)

The most important part is the working files.

Marisa, I would name the file

mlerin_4137_damask-08-blue-white_PU.jpg

or even
mlerin_4137_damask-08-blu-whi_PU.jpg

Having too many tag names is a problem as it adds to the length of the filename, hence if they could be abbreviated it would help.

marisa-lerin-buddha-stamp-template-embellishment-shape-commercial-use.png (original)
mlerin_buddha-stamp_CU.png (condensed version)

I don't know how your tagging/file/web system works but I like to be able to search for all those different tags on here, just not added to the file itself. I have PSE which I use to tag my files. Other people may have different ideas about this. smiley

Always rename designers files if they do not show their name and kit name as I like to combine kits when scrapping. Format that I think works best is "Designer Initials" "_" "Kit Name Initials" _ "file name". For example, I renamed all the Bedouin files to insert at the beginning PS_BN_.

I eliminate all link files as I prefer to have the TOUs in some type of text file so that I can review them offline when I am using them.

Bookmark all sites and blogs in my IE and Firefox browsers so that I can go there when I am online.

Zip files are great when they have a folder marked with the kit name and then folders inside for elements and papers and Misc. Makes for an easy download.

PSD files do need a small .jpg files to show what it is, make my own and add it if it's not there.

By the way, Marisa, love your work and really like your new site. And yes, it is bookmarked.

Thanks for all you do.

I like the way it is, though the node part means nothing to me.

I like the file name as is, but I second that the node part doesn't mean anything to me either.

The node part will be more useful in the future. Basically it's the direct reference number of the item here on the site. So in the future when we have lists (which among other things you can use for listing all the attributions for a layout) you can just type in that number and it will link up the asset or template. It's helpful because some titles are generic, like "blue ribbon," which might have many options.

It's noteworthy that this question makes me a bit nostalgic. Some years back, when I was new to this world, I was very annoyed when downloading anything without a thumbnail. But over time I have gotten used to making them myself as the first thing after unpacking the zip. But asked, I still prefer a preview as "Folder.jpg" included.

But I agree with Judy - it's the scrapping elements that counts.

When all that is said, I am fully satisfied with you downloads.

XOXO
Trine

I always unzip everything into one folder, with the exception of the alphabets. This enables me to see immediately which papers and elements I think would work well together for the type of page I have in mind. I remove the TOU files and put them in the main folder so that I have them handy. Other than that, I really have no suggestions. I really like the new site!

We (as ViVa Artistry) have always done this:

1. a preview at 600x600 labeled FOLDER
2. a TOU file
3. label our files ViVa_kit name_element or paper name
4. goes into a zipped file ViVa_kit name_ep.zip or ViVa_kit name_pp.zip

In four years of designing kits, we've never had a complaint on our kit names/files.

@Vivie & Marisa: I totally agree with what Vivie says... The only thing I do with these almost perfect downloads is rename the preview to the Kit Name Preview, instead of it just saying FOLDER... BUT I know why they do the folder one, because a lot of people like that it shows up in the folder view. I, however prefer to create a folder named say ViVa Artistry and one named PixelScrapper... then within those folders I put all the 600x600 kit previews aptly named: Kit Name Preview in that folder... along with subfolders including the name of the kit & all the parts inside that subfolder of the Designers Folder. That way if I go to ViVa's Folder and I'm in Large Icon view, I can see the previews fairly nice first then go right into the exact subfolder of the kit that looks like it would work best for me. Hope that makes sense...

All that to say the only thing I would add to Vivie's list is a (second) 600x600 preview as the Kit Name... Here's a picture, they say they're worth a 1,000 words, right? LoL Of course, this is in the DigitalScrapbook.com folder and all the individual files are labeled with marisalerin_blah, blah, blah (as I downloaded them, I don't change that info... even on designers who just label their stuff, element 01, paper 01) This is why I created my folder system the way I did, so I know who it belongs to even if the designer didn't care if I did... hee, hee)