Sharing a cache in Adobe Bridge

Using Adobe Bridge as a means of archiving and accessing a digital asset library accessed by multiple users has always been a somewhat clunky affair. Each time the library was updated, users had to update their locally stored image cache.  Well, no more!

If you're using the latest version of Adobe Bridge you're in luck -- multiple users can now share caches which reduces lag time in accessing images and also reduces hard drive space on each machine. Just go to Tools>Cache>Manage Cache.

To learn all about sharing the cache in Bridge visit the Adobe website.

Note: for users of Adobe Bridge CC 2018 and earlier you're stuck with the old method. Sorry.

Adobe Bridge new caching system

The caching system used by Adobe in its image asset manager Bridge is the very heart of the program. If you don't understand it thoroughly you should, and if you do, well, now is the time to take a look at the changes they have made in the latest iteration of Bridge.

For me, one of the most disconcerting aspects of the latest version is its attempt to want to purge and/or optimize the cache. In older versions you had to do this manually, but now it can actually be set to perform the task regularly. And if you use Bridge to archive lots of photos this could spell real trouble. Unless, of course, you have have the latest version of Bridge which allows you to export/share/import caches.

You find the cache details in Preferences: Bridge>Preferences>Cache. That should also give you the precise location of the cache file(s) on your machine.

Anyway, be extra-careful and be sure to check out Adobe's website for more information on the cache, purging it and optimizing the cache in Bridge.

I'll deal with the new sharing cache feature in tomorrow's post.