Root folder

[MikeFromMesa]

I recently changed from using Catalogs to using Sessions and started playing around with the settings for both the Root Folder (under Output Tab -> Process Recipe -> File) and Store Files (under Output Tab -> Output Location). While Output Location seems pretty clear (as the place for CO to place any files it outputs, including those used to send files to an external editor) I am a loss to understand what the Root Folder actually does.

I have changed it to see what affect that has, but have not seen any affect from the change. It did not change the location of the images I was processing and it should not change the location for the output files. Also, since the Output location is taken from a browse window that should be an absolute path so I assume it (the Output path) is not related to the Root folder.

Would someone please tell me what the root folder is for? If it matters I work on a Mac running Yosemite and am using CO 7.2.3.

Thanks.

[Drew]

The Root folder is present as an override for an Output folder separate from the Session/Catalog.
Regardless of the Output folder in a Session/Catalog, you can set a different Root Folder so that recipe will always process to that location.
This is intended for processing to external sources or to accommodate specific recipes for specific clients, always processing in the same location for ease of access.

[MikeFromMesa]

The Root folder is present as an override for an Output folder separate from the Session/Catalog.
Regardless of the Output folder in a Session/Catalog, you can set a different Root Folder so that recipe will always process to that location.
This is intended for processing to external sources or to accommodate specific recipes for specific clients, always processing in the same location for ease of access.

Oh. So if I want to use Sessions and also want to be able to call external editors and have the output from those external editors in the same folder as the original and accessible to CO, but do not care about the intermediate files used to call the external editors, the easiest thing for me to do is to change the root folder and then be sure to save back to the original folder. Then the intermediate files will be kept in the root folder and the saved files can be put back in the original image folder.

Thank you very much for your help.

[Drew]

Mike... no, it's not as complicated as that.
If you want to Output a file to a specific folder, not the Output Folder, change the Root Folder preference in the Process recipe.

[MikeFromMesa]

I apologize. I thought I had responded with a "Thanks" but apparently I did not so here is one, somewhat belated. Thank you.

[MikeFromMesa]

Drew,
> If you want to Output a file to a specific folder, not the Output Folder, change the Root Folder preference in the Process recipe.

I am sorry but this does not seem as clear to me now as it did when I first read it. I thought I understood what you were saying but, as I have experimented, I have found that this does not seem to work as I understand the instructions to say.

1) First, I cannot set the Root Folder to be blank so it seems as though it should always over-ride the Output Location, but it does not.

2) Second, I cannot seem to force output files to go where I want as it seems to always want to send the files to the Output folder in whatever location my session (not catalog) has chosen to import the files.

3) As an experiment I set the Output Location to the disc folder containing my input raw images. I then set the Root Folder to Image Folder (which I assume means the location of my raw images). I did this to try to nail down exactly what was happening but, when I processed my images, they went to the Output Location associated with the import location for the session. Why? What am I missing here?

[Drew]

1) First, I cannot set the Root Folder to be blank so it seems as though it should always over-ride the Output Location, but it does not.

- Choosing "Output" will refer the Root to the Session/Catalog "Output" folder. Choosing "Image Folder" will override your Output Folder and process to the Image Folder of the RAW. Choosing any other folder specifically will override your Output Folder and process to the folder you've chosen.

2) Second, I cannot seem to force output files to go where I want as it seems to always want to send the files to the Output folder in whatever location my session (not catalog) has chosen to import the files.

- This is why the Root Option is there. Select a Specific folder in the Root designation. That Recipe will now honor the change.

3) As an experiment I set the Output Location to the disc folder containing my input raw images. I then set the Root Folder to Image Folder (which I assume means the location of my raw images). I did this to try to nail down exactly what was happening but, when I processed my images, they went to the Output Location associated with the import location for the session. Why? What am I missing here?

-Seems you're missing something but the terms and workflow are getting a bit confused here. I am not clear what you are trying to describe with "Output Location associated with the import location for the session". I would simply ensure that you have the Recipe turned on and if you continue to have conflicts, create a support case.

[MikeFromMesa]

Thank you again. That does seem to make it clearer, assuming that I understand correctly. Here is what I believe you are saying:

a) If the Root folder is set to "Output" the the actual Output Location setting will determine where generated output will go.

b) If the Root folder is set to anything else, it over-rides the Output Location setting and output files will go to the Root folder location specified.

Did I finally get it right?

I have another question that is not exactly related, but also involves the initial session settings.

I was wondering if there was any way to bring images into a session without actually making a second copy of the original images. My wife and I sometimes return from a trip with a very large number of images and SSD space on my MBP is limited. I know I can use an external drive (which probably needs to be formatted in OS X rather than exFAT) for the software to work properly) but that sort of diverges from the concept of a laptop. I also know I can import directly from my camera or the sd/cf cards and perhaps that is my only other choice.

Normally I copy my raw images onto my SSD and then do my importing. I have tried "importing" into the original source file assuming that C1 would just use the original images, but that does not work. Is there anything that I can do in setting up the import settings? Or do I have to make a second copy of the images?

Thanks.

[Drew]

Did I finally get it right?

Yes

I was wondering if there was any way to bring images into a session without actually making a second copy of the original images.

Yes, of course. The RAW files simply need to be stored in a Read/Write location. An external drive is fine, simply access the parent folder of the RAW files in the System Folders window of Capture One's Library tool.

[MikeFromMesa]

Yes, of course. The RAW files simply need to be stored in a Read/Write location. An external drive is fine, simply access the parent folder of the RAW files in the System Folders window of Capture One's Library tool.

Well, that is a lot simpler than I thought.

I have been operating under the false assumption that I had to import images into my session to actually work on them. This is a lot simpler and I still have the ability to call external editors and save images back to the processing folder and see them in the filmstrip so I can, if needed, work on them as well.

Thank you.

[Drew]

I have been operating under the false assumption that I had to import images into my session to actually work on them.

Not true for a Session, the files only need to be in a valid, accessible location.
For a Catalog however, importing is necessary.