Note: If you're looking for information on database fields and the VRA Core Metadata standard, please visit the Reed Guide to Cataloging Visual Assets.

Note: Whenever these pages refer to text within the program (i.e. menu titles, commands, dialog box choices, etc.), we will use this monospace typeface to help you distinguish the reference from the rest of the text.

Contents

Section I: Basic Users (Readers):

What Is Portfolio? What Does It Do?

Portfolio belongs to a class of software known as Digital Asset Managers (DAM).DAM software (feel free to call it that) basically organizes, keeps track of, doles out access to and stores information about digital files such as images, sounds, video and so on. If we imagine our digital image collection as a collection of books, Portfolio is the shelving, sorting, circulation and filing system.Just like a card catalog, Portfolio also maintains information about its records which is called meta-data (because it's data about the data-or images-in the collection).

As such, Portfolio does not enable you to make any modifications to an image (or "record" in database speak). It can only show you the record and it's accompanying metadata.
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Access Levels

Portfolio keeps the information in the database secure by providing varying access levels. There are four levels: Reader, Editor, Publisher, and Administrator. With each access level, a user gains more ability to make changes to a database. In general, if you see a menu command or other element which is "greyed-out" and doesn't work when you click or select it, then you probably do not currently have access to the feature. To change your access level, go to the Catalog menu and choose Access. Chances are you will need a password to access a level higher than "reader".For password access please call or email Fred Lifton (x7297).

You can also set up a catalog to have User based access. In this scenario, different users have their own passwords and are granted a certain level of access.

Here are the differences between the levels:

Reader: At Reader level, you can view, search, preview and copy items, but you can't make any changes to a catalog.

Editor: At this level you can do everything Readers can plus you can edit the data in fields. However, you can't add or delete items, re-name files or do exports to Quicktime or web pages.

Publisher: Can do everything Editors can, plus they can add, delete, and export items from a collection.

Administrator: At this level you have full control over the database. You can add new custom fields, add master keywords, set-up passwords and access levels, and control start-up options.
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Important: When you access a catalog in administrator mode, no one else can access it (including the webserver) and connected users will be kicked off.

How To Open a Catalog (how to connect to a served catalog, how to
mount the server in order to view full-sized images, viewing multiple
catalogs at once).

What You'll See: The Portfolio Interface

Working With "Views"

Searching for Items

Categories and How To Use Them

Galleries and How To Use Them

Viewing and Using "Metadata"

Getting Items From the Server

Emailing items (internet settings, etc.).