IngestSoftware

During my foray into the world of web design, I came across a Paid FTP application for Macs that really rocks.  I had been using a free app called CuteFTP Mac, that I was turned on to by RC Concepcion ,over at KelbyTraining.  CuteFTP was free and well cute…and has done me well for the past year, but when I got into some very heavy uploading/downloading it really bogged down. So I researched some other FTP apps and nothing seemed to compare to the feature rich, well designed Transmit 4.  Besides winning all the coveted MAC awards this application just gets more of my attention with each use as I explore it in ‘go-to’ situations.

An example is this screen shot, here I’m trying to ID which HDD partition that I have a file on to upload….the GUI  for navigation is great, the file path are right out there to see and track:

The next feature is a sync program that you can use to create a FTP backup, rather than downloading your entire sire from your server”

and I’m sure that sooner or later I’ll be taking advantage of mounting FTP disks or even a Amazon S3 CDN, as advertised:

and the feature that gives this a ‘go-get‘ rating is SPEED. Transmit 4 delivers some impressive results

1. 4x – List files
2. 18x- Download files
3. 2x – Delete Files
4. 25x – Upload files

Be prepared to payout some cash $34 for this little app, or keep a look out for discounts…

Nothing is more frustrating and time wasting than trying to recreate your software customizations once you have migrated your software to another computer after a fresh OS install.  In my case, both my Photo Mechanic preferences were highly customized for my workflow optimization and my PhotoShop Actions (really a fancy macro executions) were just very complicated.

Going off to Google land, ended up with a lot of funky feedback, so I then went direct to experts.

Photomechanic: ….. Thank you for contacting Camera Bits.

Export the Photo Mechanic settings to your computer. Open the Photo Mechanic Preferences and click on the Export button, then save the file to your local machine. Give the file any name that you will remember. Once the file has been saved, copy or move the preference file over to the new computer.

Import the preference file. Open Photo Mechanic’s Preferences on the new computer and click Import. Choose the file that you exported on the old machine and import the settings.

Well, that was easy enough ! The one area that will need your attention is to set your cache folder location and colorspace (ProPhoto-nothing else recommended as an alternative due to its hugh color space).

CS5

My resource for migrating CS4 ACTIONS to CS5 ACTIONS, was a concern to me.  To the rescue was a small how to video that Moose Peterson did on preparing your computer for CS5 migration.  It was another very simple tip and worked for me flawlessly.

Simple open up your PS4 Actions,

1) Highlight the Action Folder to Export

2) In the upper right hand corners are some small arrows that once you press will display a drop down list, Select Save Actions

3) Open up CS5, goto ACTIONS, and Load Actions.

Very simple…very easy….

I also read that you should keep a copy of  your Actions backup in case of a Hard Drive failure..So making the process above part of your backup routine might be something you’d want to consider.

I do not know if you have this issue of having a lof of drives with a lot of partitions and trying to keep them mounted or unmounted with out the pains of having your MAC trying to give you instructions what to do with the other volumns on the drive.

I looked and looked and finally found a SIMPLE works everytime FREE app for MAC that might assist you as you do your file/volumn managment.

You may be like me, a heavy Mac user with two computers (laptop and main), iphone with lots of data that has to have the exact same content on all machines, no matter which piece of equipments is updating the working files.  There are various solutions out there that will provide internet synching, and I’ve tried three or four of them in the last six months, but they didn’t impress me….until now.  A newcomer to the scene is an application called DROPBOX.  They take the KISS mantra to the extreme level.

You start off by downloading the app and installing it on both machines, you set up a free account with 2 Gig of free data storage, (upgradeable at a premium), then link your equipment. It is that easy…and it is reliable and fast as it is easy….

I can now travel with my MBP and work on files, transfer files,delete files on the MBP, and come home and find all updates current on my MAC Pro.  And…let’s say I made a deletion on the MBP and really didn’t want to, and it takes a few days after I return to discover my error. All is not lost, just hop up to DROPBOX and you can look thru your history and reinstall file back into the folder and both machines are in synch !!

There is only one feature that has limitation, that they say they are working on.  You need to establish a SEPARATE folder for DROPBOX, and then put your subfolders into it.  This means, if you have photos stored in a unique location, you need to move those folders as a subfolder into the dropbox folder.  For now, I don’t find that an problem at all. I like to have one place for  my active files that must be in exact synch, and using this application focused on that workflow is extremely beneficial.

More Info: Wikipedia