Seeking advice for database strategy.

[GrantRobertson]

When I first created my IMatch database, I indexed ALL of my media files, including all the clip-art I have collected over the years. (Yeah, I've never really used any of it, but I might later. You know how that goes.) However, I found that all those clip-art files were just cluttering up my database and searches. I've got a pretty good folder structure, but I kinda just got tired of always needing to add just a little something extra to my filters to keep all that clip-art out of my way.

So, I'm thinking of just creating a separate database for all the clip-art. It will have different categories and different stored filters, and all that (assuming the categories are separate for each database).

What have y'all done? Is there some easier option? Any suggestions?

Thanks
Grant

[jch2103]

Simpler is probably better, especially if there are media you don't access very often. I set up a separate audio IM database several years ago, because things like search criteria, etc., are quite different from my photos db. As it turns out, I haven't accessed the audio database in many months, so I guess that was a good decision...

[JohnZeman]

I agree with jch2103 that simpler is generally better, it certainly is for me.

I have 3 databases, one for my photos, one for my videos, and the third one is a small test database I use when I'm testing or experimenting.

Many years ago when I first started using IMatch I created my database, used it for a while, then I trashed it and started all over again as I came up with better ways to do what I wanted.  This happened over and over for at least a good month and probably went on for longer than that.

So I would suggest not adding all of your photos and whatever other media you plan to manage with IMatch until you know exactly what you want to do.  Redoing a database of 100 files is pretty easy to do, redoing a database of 100,000 files can be a very major job.

[GrantRobertson]

Thanks everyone. Yeah, I'm just gonna go with a separate database. And I'm not even going to bother with it till I get to the point where I really need it. I'm still cleaning up my mess of old image files and configuring IMatch. Though, I've been stewing on how I want to do it since about 2004, and organizing large systems used to be my full-time job. So, I'm pretty sure what I want to accomplish. I just have to find ways to do what I want.

[sinus]

Hm, I have a lot of clip-arts, music, docs and so on in my DB.
Once, years ago, I splitted them into two DB.

Was a good system. But I hated it, that I had to load the other DB again and so on.
Hence I merged them to one DB until today.

And for me I have never a problem to find files or let the not wished files for a search out.
Maybe because I have first a good filenaming-system (what GrantRobertson has also) and I have a (for me) very good category-system.

But of course I have now 300'000 files (almost) and IF speed is one day a problem, I will also have to split again. But I think, this will not be the case still for another 100'000 files, let's look.