Having an overview is essential in a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system, and handling duplicates and versions is a critical part of that. Mediaflow not only helps you avoid duplicates of original files, but also allows you to efficiently manage and organize all versions of your documents, ensuring you always have access to the right file at the right time. You can even open files directly from Mediaflow in your favorite programs and save them as new versions.
Save time and storage with download presets
The download presets feature in Mediaflow lets you crop and create different versions of your originals for various uses. We suggest uploading only high-resolution, un-cropped images to Mediaflow. If you have multiple versions of an image in different formats and sizes, there's no need to upload all of them. This helps you find your files more easily and saves storage space.
Ensure the correct version is used
There may be other versions of files in Mediaflow, such as retouched images or different document versions. To keep your folders organised, you can merge these files under a single thumbnail. This way, you only need to tag them once with keywords and other metadata, and you'll find all versions in one spot. You can recognize the different versions with a small icon on the thumbnail. In Mediaflow, you choose which version will be active, and only that version will appear in media portals and integrations.
Versions are Ideal for:
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Changes in images (retouching and color correction) where you want to keep the original for security, but not use it.
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Different documents or InDesign files, where you can see what has changed in previous versions.
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Video files – update an already published video with a new version.
Versions are not recommended for:
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Different angles of the same subject. Instead, upload them as individual images for quick selection.
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A black-and-white or color version. Upload them as separate images; this is necessary if both need to be shared in integrations and media portals. You can also create black-and-white formats with download formats from a specific color profile.
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Similar images taken in series, such as portraits that are very similar. Choose the best images and upload them individually.
Creating versions
You create versions by selecting the files you want to merge, then right-clicking on the files and selecting Merge Files.
A window will appear where you can select which file is the active version. This can be changed later by clicking on Versions in the right panel and choosing "Manage Versions" under one of the version images.
Managing versions
Under the Info tab > Versions in the right panel, you can view all versions related to the file, download different versions, and decide which version should be visible in the archive. If you upload a file to a folder where a file with the same name already exists, the system will prompt you to choose what to do with the new file.
In the Versions tab, you will find the following options:
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Download – Click here to download the versioned file.
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Manage Version – Click here to open a window with options to manage the version in various ways.
A file with versions means that only the active version (the visible file) is downloaded if you double-click or right-click and choose Download Original File. To download an older version, go to Info > Versions in the right panel and click Download under the relevant file.
Video Versions
You can also use version management for video files. This can be helpful if you want to update an already published video with a new version. Since the original embed code and URL remain, there's no need to republish the video. To do this, select the old and new versions of the video and choose Merge Files. Then, choose to make the new version the active one.
If you've created additional tracks for your video in the Video Manager (such as subtitles, chapters, and audio tracks), you can copy these tracks from the old version to the new one. Do this under the Settings > Import Video Data tab and select which video you want to import tracks from. Note that this must be done before merging the files, as you cannot import tracks from an inactive version.
Duplicate handling during upload
When you upload a file to Mediaflow, the system automatically analyzes it to see if an identical file already exists. If an exact match is found, it is used instead. This matching is based on the metadata within the files. The system detects the file as a duplicate even if you upload it with a different file name. It also considers identical file names to identify potential duplicates. While correct file names matter less in Mediaflow because files are searchable in many ways, they can still indicate a problem, such as files that already exist or shouldn’t be uploaded.
Identical file in the same folder
If you upload a file with the same filename to a folder, the system will alert you that it might be a duplicate. In the dialogue box, you can select from different options. If you choose to create a new version, the current file will be assigned a new active version and will be updated across all folders and media portals where it exists.
Identical file in other folders
If the system detects that an identical file already exists in another folder, the new file is not uploaded again. Instead, a preview is generated with a link to the original file. This means that even if it now appears in multiple folders, it won't use additional storage space. In the right panel, you can see which folders the file is in and remove it from any folders you don't want it in.
Files with the same name in the same folder
If you upload a file with the same name to a folder, the system will alert you that it might be a duplicate and prompt you to choose the dialog box.
Files with the same name in other folders
In Mediaflow, there is a shortcut folder called Files with the Same File Name. Here, files that share the same name as another file in the system will appear if they are uploaded to different folders. In these cases, the system won’t alert you when the file is uploaded because different users may have access to different folders. This folder helps identify files that may need to be merged or renamed for clarity. If you're a Pro user, you can already see on the homepage which files need review.
To clear files from this folder, you can rename one of the files to a new file name. Do this under the Indexing tab in the right panel.
Workflows with version management
Mediaflow's duplicate handling responds to identical metadata and file names. This means that if you download, modify an image, and then upload it again, the system treats it as a new, unique file. This may be preferable if you want both files available separately. If you prefer to merge these files as versions, you can do so manually in Mediaflow or ensure the file name remains the same so the dialog box appears, allowing you to create a version there. Another option, if you're a pro user, is to use the Open/Save plugin.
Edit seamlessly with the Open/Save plugin
With the Open/Save plugin, Pro users can open a file directly in Mediaflow, edit it in any program, and save it back. You select which program you want to open the file in. After editing, save it as usual. A dialog box will appear, where you can choose to save it as either an active or inactive version.