AAArrrrgggghhhhhhhh

[chrisc]

I keep getting amessage that Bridge can't make the cache work and perhaps I should purge it...

Only, when I go to the purge instructions, it tells me if I purge the files, i'll lose all my thumbnails...does this mean I lose all my images, or just duplicates?

I have been a bad boy and not kept up with my alternate file storing and it would be a major pain in the arse to have to do it all in one fell swoop.

Any advice???

[Stevewebb]

I had a similar problem when the number of images in a single folder hit about 10000.

The answer for me was to split my images into year folders.

Purging the cache should only delete the thumbnails for each image that bridge creates when you first open a folder or view new images. It is nothing permanent as bridge will simply re create those thumbnails next time you open a folder that doesn't have any. The only downside is that it takes some time to do this.

So to put it into an example for you. If I have a folder with 25000 images, bridge has created and stored in the cache 25000 preview thumbnails. If I split those images into folders of say 5000 images each in the knowledge that I will not be likely to view older images very often, then purge the cache, when I then open the folder to view the smaller folder of current images bridge will take a few minutes to build the thumbnails again but once it has the cache will a fifth of the size it was before.

I think also that the cache can also get clogged with thumbnails for images that have been deleted so it doesn't hurt to purge it every once in a while.

[macromeister]

As Steve so eloquently said, you should purge your cache regularly. That is easier if you have more folders, as the rebuild time is quicker per folder. You will find Bridge should run faster if you regularly purge.

On a slightly different note - I find the 32bit version of Bridge is much faster than 64bit. That may not be the same for you - it might just be my PC.

[chrisc]

As long as I know I am not going to lose my images permanently, I'll purge the stew out of it. I break my folders into months so it should be able to clear those caches pretty quickly.
Thanks, guys!