Test 1: Accessibility

In our search to learn what Bridge's limitations are as a browser, I ran a series of tests recently to see how the program handled our new central library. The new drive, a 2-terabyte mirrored RAID system presently holds a 434-gigabyte library of more than 107,000 image files.

First I tested Bridge's ability to access files using a centralized cache. Based on speculation in our office as well as discussions found online, we posted a central cache in the library itself and pointed the various machines to that one location.

1. On PC/CS3 I created a test image file, tagged it with a unique keyword and moved it into the “Working” folder on the library drive.

2. Placed cursor at root library level and ran search for unique keyword on new image: NO RESULTS. (Expected.)

3. Returned to “Working” folder to “index” the new image.

4. Back to top level and ran search again: NO RESULTS. (Unexpected.)

5. Back to “Working” folder and selected test image – noted metadata/keywords visible in the metadata panel in Bridge.

6. Back to top level and run search: NO RESULTS.

7. Back to “Working” and moved test file to “Hospitality” folder.

8. Back to top and run search: NO RESULTS. (Expected.)

9. Return to “Hospitality” and select image.

10. Run search at top level: NO RESULTS. (Unexpected.)

11. Run search of “Hospitality” keyword: NO RESULTS.

12. Return to “Hospitality” folder and attempted search: NO RESULTS.

13. Various search criteria attempts all produce NO RESULTS.

Repeated test on a Mac/CS3 and with a second PC/CS3 with the same results.

Attempted to repeat test on Mac laptop/CS4 – Bridge produced an error message stating that it could not see the cache it was originally pointed to and wanted to recreate a new LOCAL cache folder.

(Light bulb.)

1. Quit Bridge and disconnected from library drive.

2. Re-launched Bridge CS4 and let it build a new local cache.

3. Reconnected to library, and let it re-index a folder: it opened the thumbs almost immediately and indexed a 2.6 gig file of 564 images in 3-5 secs. I immediately commenced a search and it found the desired images in 4-6 secs.

Conclusion: Centralizing the cache to be shared by different versions of Bridge is a problem.

How/why remains unclear: online forum discussions lead me to believe CS3 and CS4 create different “types” of caches. Adobe has not confirmed.

In any case since each machine would have to be indexed on its own and continue its own indexing, having a central cache seems irrelevant and the benefits (?) don’t justify the potential risks