Kavasoft ’s Shoebox 1.6.1 is an excellent tool for cataloging heavy digital photo collecting . Its Pro version ( the one I critique ) seems a bit pricey , but Shoebox ’s ability to organise , lookup , and back up thousands of snapshots is truly impressive .
Shoebox can incorporate picture from hard drives , tv camera retention card game , compact disc or DVDs , or from Canto Software’sCumulus , a digital asset direction service . ( The program ’s help files on this last characteristic are funnily uncompleted ) . It does n’t move the exposure single file it ’s cataloging , and it easily imports images , keywords , and album name calling from iPhoto ( ) . Note that Shoebox does not bid cock to delete or adapt your picture ; it ’s designed to complement programs like Photoshop , not to supercede an image editor .
Shoebox ’s greatest advantage is its category organization . It ’s easy to create customs duty categories like Parents , Cars , or Europe , and apply them to multiple photos with a single click — a process that ’s far simpler than typecast the same words or phrases over and over in iPhoto ’s commentary field .
Shoebox ’s hierarchal categories function as a more muscular phase of keywords . For example , you could snuggle the keywordstigers , rhinos , andlionsinside the categoryanimals . So , if you trail a photo with the wordtigers , and then search foranimals , Spotlight will display the photo taggedtigersas part of the event . Kavasoft offers detached class collections for download from its Web site , include U.S. and European states and cities , animals , and pro sports team .
Shoebox keeps its own list of which keywords you designate to which photo , and a menu command lease you export the keywords you ’ve attached to each photo into the Spotlight Comments field of that trope file . ( you may also automate this unconscious process in Shoebox ’s preference . )
categorize photograph can take hours , but it ’s otherwise fairly painless . you could add or remove category to the list in the Category windowpane at the left of the projection screen , or type new or existent category name into the Info window on the right . click once to bring either window into nidus , then again to add or modify a family , chop-chop gets deadening , but it ’s a small-scale pain . you could also import or exportation category lists to or from HTML , XML , or particularly formatted plain - text edition outlines .
Once you end categorizing your exposure , you’re able to search Brobdingnagian catalogue in seconds — for instance , look at all photos tagged as Paris and Statues .
Shoebox lets you make multiple catalogue , include parole - protected secret I , although the programme can open only one catalog at a clock time . Unlike the more expensive Pro version , Shoebox ’s Express version limits users to two catalogs containing no more than 10,000 photos each .
endorse up photos to a CD or DVD via Shoebox is firm and easy . Photos can be mechanically compressed after championship to save disk blank , and then restored as postulate from the endorse - up master in second base . Kavasoft also assure a Shoebox update that will allow users to publish their own searchable , categorise Web galleries .
Macworld’s buying advice
Novice shutterbug who want an prosperous elbow room to store and cut their exposure , have a relatively minuscule collection of figure of speech , or do n’t need the advanced backup system of rules of Shoebox 1.6.1 , will likely be glad with iPhoto . pic pros using the Adobe Bridge data file - direction program may also find Shoebox ’s feature redundant , although its keyword system seems easier and more visceral than Bridge ’s . But average photo fans who need a friendly , relatively cheap way to catalog , lookup , and back up their images will find Shoebox invaluable .
[ Nathan Alderman is a copy editor and writer in Alexandria , Va. ]
