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LEARNING CUMULUS (EXPLORING SERIES):

Tapping the True Power of Cumulus Categories


More flexible than folders, much smarter than keywords, use Cumulus categories to build and manage any taxonomy.

Cumulus categories make it easier to organize, find and work with files:
• Build efficient, hierarchical taxonomies that fit your needs perfectly.
• Offer “virtual” category trees that use alternate category names suitable for different audiences.
• Automate the creation of new categories based on metadata inside your files.
• Add metadata values to categories for easier project and archive management.

Cumulus categories overview. at any time—all assignments are updated


Among all the features and capabilities offered accordingly.
inside Canto Cumulus, none is more popular with Categories are not folders When you assign a
users than categories. Categories enable users to
file to a category, a link is created, but the file
easily build virtually any organizational hierar-
isn’t moved. Therefore, you can delete categories
chies they need. Files can be assigned to any cat-
you no longer need without concern that you’re
egories needed through drag & drop, and finding also deleting files. Plus, a file can be assigned to
files assigned to a category takes just a double
as many categories as you need.
click—easy.
Categories contain metadata Each category can
But unlike keyword tagging, categories are not
have its own metadata, which means information
based on static text values; and unlike folders, that applies to all assigned files, such as project
categories are not storage locations for files. Cat-
dues dates or production status, is easy to man-
egories offer unique advantages not available in
age and track. Forget having to add shared meta-
other systems: data values to each and every file assigned to a
Categories are “live” Unlike keyword tagging, category. Add the value to the category itself,
Cumulus category assignments are live links. and all files assigned to the category are instantly
This means you can move or rename a category associated with the value.
Categories are unique Even categories that have
the same name remain separate. This means
your “travel images” category hierarchy can con-
Category assignments tain categories for Berlin (in Germany) and Ber-
FIGURE 1: Master categories appear as tabs (1), and
are listed below each catalog name (2) with a ‘$’ pre-
We discuss categories in terms of a category ceding their names (3). Categories that have subcate-
lin (in New Jersey), without concern that a
“knowing” which files are assigned to it, but gories include triangle icons (4). Square icons are used
double-click on one will find assets assigned to for categories that have no subcategories (5). The cat-
more accurately, category assignments are
the other. egories found under $Keywords and $Categories are
tracked by the Categories record field. In normal types. Those under $Sources are directory cate-
other words, each asset record tracks which Categories are controlled You can hide selected gories (6).
categories have been assigned to the asset— categories from certain users for security rea-
categories themselves do not contain this sons, or just cleaner workspaces. Likewise, the For most purposes you’ll use normal categories,
information. ability to create and manage categories is gov- but the other category types offer additional ben-
erned by standard Cumulus permissions, so it’s efits. (Each category type is explained below.)
easy to restrict category editing to certain users.
NOTE: You can toggle the visibility of the cate-
NOTE: For basic category use, like creating, gory pane in the Cumulus Native Client via
renaming and deleting, see the Cumulus User View > Workspace > Category Pane.
Guide.
Figure 1 shows the Cumulus Native Client cate-
gory pane, which displays a category hierarchy
Understanding category types. for each opened Cumulus catalog. At the top of
Cumulus offers four category types:
the category list is an entry for the catalog itself.
• Master categories (tabs) What appears below the catalog name depends
• Normal categories on the categories created for the catalog.

• Related categories
• Directory (Source categories)

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LEARNING CUMULUS (EXPLORING SERIES): Tapping the True Power of Cumulus Categories

FIGURE 2: Category
view sets can limit the More Cumulus Education
master categories visi- Don’t miss the following resources, each all
ble when that category available fro free from Canto’s website:
view set is chosen. By
restricting users to cer- Cumulus Documentation Cumulus docs,
tain category view sets
only, you restrict their install guides, release notes and more.
access to the various (http://www.canto.com/docs)
master category hierar-
chies. Enhanced Metadata Support A list of the
files for which Cumulus offers enhanced
The inset image
shows how the metadata support.
category pane (http://www.canto.com/filters)
appears when a
category view that RAW Formats Support See a list of the digi-
permits access to tal camera RAW formats Cumulus supports.
only a single mas-
ter category is (http://www.canto.com/raw)
chosen.
Canto Community Blog Tips, news and other
information of use to Cumulus users.
When a normal, related or source category is automatically. This ensures your files won’t be (http://blog.canto.com)
nested inside another category, it’s considered a assigned to categories that no longer exist. Exploring Cumulus Series More Exploring
subcategory or child of the parent category. documents like this one are also available.
Related Categories
Master categories Say you manage photos of cars. You build a core (http://www.canto.com/exploring)
Displayed in blue in the category pane are the category hierarchy (of normal categories) named Canto User Forums Exchange ideas with
catalog’s master categories. Master categories for each auto maker. Then you realize you’d also users from all around the world.
are indicated by a dollar sign ($) in their names. like hierarchies for region, class and production (http://forum.canto.com)
Master categories are unique in that they appear status. You could create and manage multiple
as tabs at the top of the category pane. separate hierarchies, but related categories offer
a much better solution. Figure 3 shows this
All newly created Cumulus catalogs include You can create as many related categories as you
example. need. When you delete one, it has no effect on
three master categories:
the original category itself, or the file assign-
• Categories
FIGURE 3: Under the ments made to the category. When you delete an
• Keywords Manufacturers category original category, all related categories are
are three original catego-
• Sources ries: BMW, Toyota and deleted automatically.
Yugo. Related categories
Cumulus Enterprise and Complete enable you to of those originals have Related categories are also useful when you
add as many additional master categories as you been placed elsewhere in serve two or more audiences, such as employees
need. Cumulus Entry and Workgroup limit you to the category hierarchy. A and customers. Figure 4 offers an example of
double-click on any related
these three master categories unless the system category shows the same offering product numbers for employees and
has been upgraded with the “Extended Catego- asset records as a double- product names to customers. Using Cumulus
ries” add-on. click on the original cate- permissions, you’d determine who saw which.
gory. (Preferences set-
You can hide master categories (and their sub- tings affect this behavior.)
File assignments can be
categories) from certain users as a property of a made to the related or
category view set. (Figure 2) Using Cumulus original categories—they
Enterprise or Complete (or an upgraded Work- are always in sync.
group/Entry system), you can also use individual
per-category permissions to determine which
users can see or edit each category. A related category can be thought of as a clone
of another category. It can be renamed and
Normal categories moved independently from the original category.
Below all master categories (except $Sources) File assignments between an original category
are normal categories. This is the type of category and its related “clones” remain in perfect in FIGURE 4: The category tree on the right contains
you create when you use the Metadata > New categories related to those on the left. The related cat-
sync—anything assigned to one is auto-assigned egories were renamed to offer familiar names to cus-
Category menu option. to the other. (Un-assignments are handled too.) tomers.

Normal categories can be nested and moved Related categories appear in an italic font in the
anywhere in the category hierarchy. When you category pane. When created, “(related)” is NOTE: To create a related category, select the
move a Cumulus category (of any type), all appended to their names. You can remove original category and choose Metadata > New
assignments remain intact. When you delete a “(related)” or otherwise rename related catego- Related Category.
normal category, all assignments are removed ries at any time.

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LEARNING CUMULUS (EXPLORING SERIES): Tapping the True Power of Cumulus Categories

Source Categories 1. Open the Preferences window. Click on Cata-


When files are cataloged, Cumulus (by default) log Settings, and then the Record Fields tab.
creates a source category to represent the stor-
age locations of the cataloged files. The result is
a hierarchy of source categories that mirrors your
storage media’s folder structure. (Figure 5)
The benefits source categories offer include:
User orientation Users familiar with folder struc-
tures on your file servers or other storage media
might prefer to find files based on the physical
locations they already know.
Default organizational structure Source catego-
ries provide you with a default organizational
structure for all newly cataloged files. So even if
you don’t have time to make other category or FIGURE 7: Inside the Categories record field’s proper-
FIGURE 6: Right-click on a source category to set up
metadata assignments right away, you’ll still ties are options for creating automatic categories.
autocataloging. So long as the Cumulus Native Client
have an organizational structure for the files. is running, autocataloging of the source folder will
occur at the interval defined.
Autocataloging sources Source categories can 2. Select the Categories field in the list and click
periodically check their corresponding file sys- Properties. When the properties window
tem folders and catalog any assets found there. appears (figure 8), click the Field Linking tab.
(Figure 6) Creating categories automatically.
In addition to source categories, Cumulus can Figure 8 provides an overview of properties used
NOTE: Auto-cataloging via source categories automatically generate normal categories too. to create (and disable) automatic categories.
is a handy option available with all Cumulus
It works like this: Cumulus reads a metadata NOTE: To prevent source categories from
systems, but for more powerful and flexibility,
value embedded inside a newly cataloged asset being created, deactivate all modules targeted
consider Canto’s Email Cataloger add-on, or a
(or updated asset record). If a category of the at $Sources.
number of Canto partner products specifically
same name exists, the asset is assigned to that
designed for auto-cataloging. If the assets you catalog (or update) have meta-
category. If not, the category is created and the
data in the chosen field, a new category is cre-
Unlike normal and related categories, source cat- file is assigned to it.
ated under the target master category. If the
egories cannot be created manually. This is due
You’ve might have noticed categories appearing category exists, the asset is assigned to it.
to their unique association with a storage media
automatically when you’ve cataloged PDF, Pow- (Figure 8 offers some usage ideas for this fea-
location. If you create a category under the
erPoint or Zip files, because Cumulus defaults to ture.)
Sources tab, it will be a normal category.
creating new categories for the pages, slides,
Choose when automatic categories are created
You can delete source categories at any time, and archived files etc. of these file types.
or assigned
you can also prevent them from being automati-
Automatic categories are configured from the Options at the top of Field Linking tab of the Field
cally created, which is explained next.
Preferences window of any Cumulus catalog, as Properties window (figure 8) determine when
shown in figure 7. categories should be created or assigned:
When Cataloging Assets Create/assign the cat- egories when cataloging assets.

FIGURE 5: Source cat-


egories are automati-
cally created to reflect
the cataloged files’
storage locations. The
directory path seen in
the operating system
window here is
reflected by source
category tree show in
the Cumulus window
on the left.

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LEARNING CUMULUS (EXPLORING SERIES): Tapping the True Power of Cumulus Categories

FIGURE 8: (Left) In the Link Matching Fields (upper) list of the properties window are
modules that are “hardwired” to create categories automatically. Use the Deactivate but-
ton to disable the creation of any categories you don’t want. The drop-down menu in the
Category Target column shows a list of all master categories found in the catalog. The new
categories will appear under the chosen master category.

The lower list of the window contains mod-


ules (filters) you’ve added via the Add button
to create the categories you need. In this
image, the EXIF filter has been chosen, which
can extract the EXIF metadata value for Cam-
era Model. As a target master category,
$Cameras was chosen. (This is a custom mas-
ter category, like those you can create using
Cumulus Enterprise, Complete or an upgraded
Entry or Workgroup system.) When a file is
cataloged, Cumulus checks for a Camera
Model metadata value. If the value is found in
the file, Cumulus creates a category named for
the camera model, or the category already
exists, it assigns the asset to it.

(Right) When you click the Add button to add


your own modules, choose only [String] type
fields. Other types won’t work.

When Updating Records Create/assign the cate- metadata field must be added to a category view
gories when updating asset records. set in order to make it available to users.
The other options aren’t applicable when work- Open the Preferences window for your catalog
ing with automatically created categories. and open the Catalog Settings section. From this
location, add the metadata fields you need, as
Source categories and the Cumulus Vault
shown in figure 10.
Source categories are not created for files cata-
loged into the Cumulus Vault, because the Vault
is the “source” location of these files. If you want
Cumulus to create source categories for the for-
mer file system locations of Vault files, first cata-
log the files “in place.” Move them into the
Cumulus Vault afterward. The source category
assignments will remain intact.

Giving categories their own metadata.


As mentioned, Cumulus categories can contain
their own metadata values. These metadata val-
ues should not be confused with the metadata of FIGURE 10: Category metadata fields can be added to
the files assigned to the category—category and a catalog at any time. All standard Cumulus metadata
field types are supported.
asset record metadata always remain indepen-
dent inside Cumulus. Asset record metadata are
values that apply to a single file or asset. Category Once the new fields are added to the catalog,
metadata are values associated with all files click the Apply button and then add the fields to
FIGURE 9: Category metadata fields appear and are
assigned to the category. edited just like asset record metadata fields. This
a category view set, using the Category View Set
image shows a set of category metadata fields that section of Preferences. (Figure 11)
To provide a real world analogy of the benefit this are used for project management.
offers, think of a category as a project organizer. NOTE: Consult the Cumulus Admin Guide for
Each project you work on has attributes (or NOTE: All editions of Cumulus enable you to information on how to create new metadata
metadata) that help you manage and track it— create and edit category metadata, but only fields and add them to category view sets.
due date, manager, etc. Enterprise, Complete and upgraded Work- (Make sure to make the field user editable
group and Entry systems permit you to find after you create it.)
Say, for example, you create a category for a new
press release. You’ll assign all files used in the categories based on their metadata. Using category metadata
press release to this category, but the metadata Adding category metadata Once category metadata fields have been added
values that apply to the press release as a whole Category metadata fields are added to catalogs to a catalog and at least one category view set,
you’d assign to the press release’s category, as they may be accessed by permitted users.
in virtually the same way as asset record meta-
shown in figure 9.
data fields. Likewise, once added, a category

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LEARNING CUMULUS (EXPLORING SERIES): Tapping the True Power of Cumulus Categories

More about the Categories


record field
The Categories asset record field is useful for
several operations that are category related:
• Email notifications when assets are
assigned to a certain category. (This
FIGURE 13: Permissions configured via the Cumulus would be a Record Event catalog trigger
Server Console can be used to restrict access to cer-
tain category view sets. Here, the Project Manager for the Categories field.)
FIGURE 11: Newly created category metadata fields
user has access to the Project Management category • Live filtering that restricts access to cer-
must be added to at least one category view set in
view set. Regular users wouldn’t see this view set
order for users to be able to see and edit the values. tain files based on their category assign-
unless the permission was also granted to them.
ments. (This would be a record live filter
that searches for Categories field values.)
To see a category’s metadata, select the category prise, Complete and upgraded Workgroup and
and choose Metadata > Information. A window Entry systems can search for categories based on
appears that contains the category’s metadata. their metadata values. (Figure 14)
Taking category metadata further
Users can then access the category view set Category metadata can be used in conjunction
you’ve created or edited using the Category View with other Cumulus features too:
Set drop-down menu, shown in figure 12.
Email notifications Use Category Event triggers
to generate email notifications based on category
metadata field value changes.
Example: Get email when a project status is
changed to Delayed.
Field formulas Set a category metadata value
based on the values in other category metadata
fields.
FIGURE 14: The Find Categories window looks and
behaves exactly like the Find Records window, so users Example: Check a “Ready for Release” box the
need no additional training. moment all required approvals have been
FIGURE 12: Users select among the category view sets
available them via permissions using the drop-down
granted.
menu shown. Purposes for searches like these include: Category Live Filtering On Cumulus systems
• Show me projects (categories) due this week. that offer Live Filtering, restrict which categories
Category metadata values can be edited and are visible to certain users based on real-time
saved just like asset record metadata. • Show me projects (categories) marked final. rules.
When you perform the search, Cumulus shows Example: Hide project categories from guests
If you want to restrict certain category metadata
you a list of categories that match your criteria. until the project has been marked Approved.
fields from certain users, put those fields on a
(Figure 15)
new category view set and use Cumulus permis-
sions to determine which users can access that
FIGURE 15: The cat-
view set. (Figure 13) egory tree is updated
after a category
NOTE: Using Cumulus Enterprise, Complete or metadata search to
upgraded Workgroup and Entry systems, you show matching cate-
gories. Double-click a
can also restrict the editing of specific fields to category to see its
certain users. files.

In addition to browsing and editing category


metadata field values, users of Cumulus Enter-

About Canto, Cumulus and Canto Professional Services For more information, contact your
Canto has been dedicated to helping customers fully utilize their digital assets since 1990. Canto Cumu- local Canto partner, or Canto:
lus is a cross-platform solution that enables companies to easily organize, find, share and track their
ever-increasing numbers of digital files, in any format. Canto’s worldwide network of certified developers
In the U.S.
offers an impressive assortment of plug-ins that enhance the Cumulus product line further.
+1 (415) 495-6545
In the E.U.
Canto Professional Services offers Cumulus consulting, training, installation, configuration and customi- +49 (0) 30 390 485 0
zation services. Take what you learn in Exploring Documents further with Canto Professional Services.
Everywhere
Learn more: www.canto.com info@canto.com

Canto, the Canto logo and Cumulus are registered trademarks of Canto. Other company and product names might be trademarks of their respective owners. Some product
claims and features are not included in all versions of the software and/or might require additional Cumulus Add-ons or Plug-ins.
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