Jekyll2024-01-01T19:43:35+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/rss/index.xmlTropyTropy is free open-source software that allows you to organize and describe photographs of research material.New Project Types in Tropy 1.132023-03-31T00:00:00+00:002023-03-31T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/new-project-types-in-tropy-1.13<p>The latest version of Tropy introduces a new project type designed to make Tropy projects more portable and greatly reduce instances of broken paths between images and project files. When creating a new project, Tropy now prompts you to choose from two project types: <em>Standard</em> or <em>Advanced</em>, as you can see below.</p>
<figure>
<img srcset="/assets/images/blog/2023/03/new-project.png 1x, /assets/images/blog/2023/03/new-project@2x.png 2x" src="/assets/images/blog/2023/03/new-project.png" alt="Screenshot of the project window" class="screenshot" />
<figcaption>When you start a new project, Tropy now prompts you to choose a project type.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The default option for new Tropy projects now creates a <em>Standard</em> project (.tropy) with a branded folder (Windows/Linux) or bundle (Mac OS) containing copies of any images imported into that project. In addition to making a Tropy project and associated images much more portable between users, a Standard project also allows the user to access and annotate images without needing to consolidate from the original. This marks a change from previous versions of Tropy where projects pointed to original image files, which could sometimes result in broken paths if image files got moved around on your hard drive.</p>
<p>If you prefer to continue managing photo locations on your own, you can opt to create an <em>Advanced</em> project (.tpy). Advanced projects are, in essence, “classic mode” for Tropy, which gives users full control on how to manage their image files. In Advanced projects images continue to be linked to the project through absolute or relative path, but the project file itself only retains data added to images in Tropy. If the original photos are moved or the path is otherwise broken, Tropy will need to consolidate items in order to visualize them correctly, as in previous versions. The Advanced project provides a more flexible approach to managing your images. For instance, in an Advanced project you can have the photos in multiple locations or keep using a specific folder structure; for larger projects you can split up the photos and keep some on an external drive to save hard disk space.</p>
<p>From the updated Tropy Preferences panel, when editing the Project Settings it is also possible to convert Advanced projects (existing .tpy projects you may have) into the new Standard project type, automatically making copies of all imported, consolidated photos and placing them in the new Standard project’s folder. See new Project type “Convert” pencil button displayed below:</p>
<figure>
<img srcset="/assets/images/blog/2023/03/preferences.png 1x, /assets/images/blog/2023/03/preferences@2x.png 2x" src="/assets/images/blog/2023/03/preferences.png" alt="Screenshot of the preferences window" class="screenshot" />
<figcaption>You can convert to a Standard project type under the Project tab in Tropy Preferences. <br />Click the pencil icon to reveal the Convert button.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In both project types, Tropy still does not modify the original image files. Any edits or transformations that you make in Tropy are just layered on top of the original images, as before. With Standard and Advanced projects, users may export original-quality versions of the images as they appear in the projects in PDF and JSON-LD formats. Standard project files can also be shared with other Tropy users. (If a project uses a customized metadata template, other users will still need to import that template separately into their Tropy installation in order to display the metadata in the same format.) We hope you will enjoy the new project types in Tropy 1.13. If there are any issues, as always, we are happy to take your questions on our <a href="https://forums.tropy.org/">forums</a>.</p>Anita Lucchesi and Douglas McRaeThe latest version of Tropy introduces a new project type designed to make Tropy projects more portable and greatly reduce instances of broken paths between images and project files. When creating a new project, Tropy now prompts you to choose from two project types: Standard or Advanced, as you can see below.Graduate Student Resources2020-10-07T00:00:00+00:002020-10-07T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/graduate-student-resources<p>The Tropy webinar for graduate students is coming up this Friday, October 9 at 11:00am EDT. We’ve had a lot of grad student interest in this session, and registration is now full. Here are some links to resources that will be discussed during the session:</p>
<ul>
<li>Tropy <a href="https://docs.tropy.org/">user manual</a>: start by reading the user manual before you begin using Tropy</li>
<li>Tropy <a href="https://forums.tropy.org/">forums</a>: a good place to ask a question that’s not covered in the documentation (after you’ve fully read the documentation, of course!)</li>
<li><a href="https://dp.la/">Digital Public Library of America</a> & <a href="https://www.europeana.eu/en">Europeana</a>: examples of content aggregators that will help you search for digital source material</li>
<li><a href="https://www.zotero.org/">Zotero</a>: a tool to collect and organize your secondary sources</li>
<li>Subscribe to the Tropy <a href="https://buttondown.email/tropy">newsletter</a> for updates and resources</li>
<li>Follow Tropy on <a href="https://twitter.com/tropy">Twitter</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you’re not able to attend the webinar live, don’t worry! The session will be recorded. Look out for the video, which will be posted on the Tropy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ3QCuNGz825BGSHG9JryeA">YouTube channel</a> in the coming days.</p>Abby MullenThe Tropy webinar for graduate students is coming up this Friday, October 9 at 11:00am EDT. We’ve had a lot of grad student interest in this session, and registration is now full. Here are some links to resources that will be discussed during the session:Webinar Just for Graduate Students2020-08-11T00:00:00+00:002020-08-11T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/webinar-just-for-graduate-students<p>Hey, graduate students! We’re guessing this whole covid business isn’t what you thought you were getting when you started grad school. You probably saw yourself as spending hours, days, or weeks looking at sources from which you can create incisive analysis, or traveling to farflung locations to do research. But now you may be feeling apprehensive or discouraged about doing archival research in the age of covid. You also might be thinking that keeping yourself on track amidst everything else that’s going on feels impossible.</p>
<p>So, what can we do about these problems? We can’t open archives for you, or set your agenda for you, but we can provide you with some advice about how to do research online in the age of covid, and about how to organize that research once you’ve done it.</p>
<p>So join us on October 9 at 11:00am EDT to talk about doing research, tips and tricks for maximizing your time, and how to keep yourself organized from the very beginning.</p>
<p>Topics we’ll cover:</p>
<ul>
<li>How to search for research materials online</li>
<li>How to reach out to archivists</li>
<li>How to photograph materials in an archive</li>
<li>How to keep track of what you find in online and physical archives</li>
<li>How to record the right information about your sources so you can use them later</li>
<li>How to organize your sources so they make sense</li>
<li>When: October 9, 2020, 11:00am EDT</li>
<li>Where: Zoom</li>
<li>Who: The Tropy team + you!</li>
<li>Registration: Click <a href="https://gmu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FPFpOydRStapAJzqivjVHA">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>The webinar is free but registration is required. Questions? Email Abby Mullen, amullen2@gmu.edu.</p>Abby MullenHey, graduate students! We’re guessing this whole covid business isn’t what you thought you were getting when you started grad school. You probably saw yourself as spending hours, days, or weeks looking at sources from which you can create incisive analysis, or traveling to farflung locations to do research. But now you may be feeling apprehensive or discouraged about doing archival research in the age of covid. You also might be thinking that keeping yourself on track amidst everything else that’s going on feels impossible.Tropy Webinar Recording2020-06-17T00:00:00+00:002020-06-17T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/tropy-webinar-recording<p>We held our first Tropy webinar on June 16, 2020, and it was a success! If you couldn’t make it, that’s ok. We have made a recording available of the unedited session <a href="https://youtu.be/jWjP90EWHkQ">on YouTube</a>.</p>
<p>We’d also like your feedback about what online training you might want from us in the future; feel free to leave us a comment on <a href="https://twitter.com/tropy">Twitter</a> or on the <a href="https://forums.tropy.org/">forums</a>. We’ve considered many different options, including more discipline-specific training or training about a particular part of Tropy that you’re interested in, so tell us what you want!</p>
<p>Also, please sign up for <a href="https://buttondown.email/tropy">our newsletter</a> so you can be apprised of any future events.</p>Abby MullenWe held our first Tropy webinar on June 16, 2020, and it was a success! If you couldn’t make it, that’s ok. We have made a recording available of the unedited session on YouTube.Webinar about Tropy!2020-05-29T00:00:00+00:002020-05-29T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/webinar-about-tropy<p>You’ve been asking for a long time for the Tropy team to provide online instruction about our software, which helps you organize and describe your photos. Recent events may have made your need for an organizational system more pressing.</p>
<p>Maybe you are faced with a summer of processing the archival photos you already have, rather than going out and taking more. Maybe you’re finding a new interest in family history as you consider the ties that bind you to others. Maybe you’re taking a lot more photos of the things around you. Or maybe you just need more structure in your life.</p>
<p>Whatever the case, if you need a way to organize and describe photos, then come to this webinar, where we’ll demonstrate the basic features of Tropy and talk about why you’d want to organize your photos. You’ll also have the unique opportunity to talk to members of the Tropy team who usually stay behind the curtain doing the hard work.</p>
<p><strong>What</strong>: Tropy 101</p>
<p><strong>When</strong>: June 16, 2020, at 10:00am EDT</p>
<p><strong>Where</strong>: Zoom because distance</p>
<p>Registration is required. You can register <a href="https://gmu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rWibB5K6QcSaqOqafkC1oA">here</a>.</p>
<p>We will be attempting to livestream on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ3QCuNGz825BGSHG9JryeA?view_as=subscriber">YouTube</a> as well, and the recording will be available after the event (but you won’t be able to ask questions if you don’t attend the live event! ;) ).</p>
<p>Questions? Reach out to us on Twitter at @tropy, email to amullen2@gmu.edu, or post on the <a href="https://forums.tropy.org/">forums</a>.</p>Abby MullenYou’ve been asking for a long time for the Tropy team to provide online instruction about our software, which helps you organize and describe your photos. Recent events may have made your need for an organizational system more pressing.Archival Research in a Time of Social Distancing2020-03-17T00:00:00+00:002020-03-17T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/archival-research-in-a-time-of-social-distancing<p>All over the world, archives and libraries are shutting their doors as covid-19 spreads. These closures mean that researchers can’t use the not-yet-digitized collections that exist in those places. Or does it?</p>
<p>As we’ve been teaching people about Tropy, one thing we’ve learned is that researchers nearly always want to be generous with their photographs. We get asked all the time if researchers can share their photos back to the archives from whence they came. But what if, instead of sharing them back to the archive, you could provide research materials to another research whose research trip has been cancelled or postponed?</p>
<p>In the newest release of Tropy (1.7), we’ve made it possible to export items – photos, metadata, and all – in a zip archive, which can then be shared with anyone. We’ve set up a <a href="https://forums.tropy.org/c/document-exchange/13">special category</a> on the forums where you can post about documents you were hoping to get, or documents that you have that you think someone might need.</p>
<p>Using the archive plugin, users can then exchange documents. If the documents are small enough, you can exchange them right on the forums; otherwise, you might need to set up an exchange using a shared folder system (like Dropbox).</p>
<p>We would recommend that you don’t just exchange photos, of course – give your fellow researchers the metadata they need to find things again or cite materials properly!</p>
<p>Please let us know how else we can help you with your research as you develop new workflows during social distancing.</p>Abby MullenAll over the world, archives and libraries are shutting their doors as covid-19 spreads. These closures mean that researchers can’t use the not-yet-digitized collections that exist in those places. Or does it?Train the Trainers Fall Registrations2019-10-07T00:00:00+00:002019-10-07T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/train-the-trainers-atlanta<p>It’s that time again — time for another round of Train the Trainers! This fall we’re going to Atlanta and Texas, and in the spring we’ll be heading to Illinois and the Midwest. These session are free, but registration is required.</p>
<h2 class="h3" id="atlanta">Atlanta</h2>
<p>Here are registration links to the sessions for Atlanta.</p>
<ul>
<li>Librarians session, register <a href="https://pitts-emory.libcal.com/event/5812557">here</a>.</li>
<li>Faculty/researchers session, register <a href="https://pitts-emory.libcal.com/event/5812464?k=a6be7768aadf83a42493179e3babe3dc">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="h3" id="college-station-tx">College Station, TX</h2>
<p>Here are the registration links to the sessions for Texas A&M.</p>
<ul>
<li>Librarians session, register <a href="https://tamu.libcal.com/calendar/1881/tropy-AM">here</a>.</li>
<li>Faculty session, register <a href="https://tamu.libcal.com/calendar/1881/tropy-PM">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Hope to see you at one of these sessions!</p>Abby MullenIt’s that time again — time for another round of Train the Trainers! This fall we’re going to Atlanta and Texas, and in the spring we’ll be heading to Illinois and the Midwest. These session are free, but registration is required.Tropy 1.4.3: More Metadata in More Places!2019-03-04T00:00:00+00:002019-03-04T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/tropy-1-4-3-more-metadata-in-more-places<p>Today we released Tropy 1.4.3. Its primary new features are some new ways to add metadata in more places.</p>
<h2 id="additional-fields-in-the-metadata-pane">Additional fields in the metadata pane</h2>
<p>Sometimes you find that you want to record extra metadata about a particular item, but you don’t want to create a whole new template that won’t get used for other things. For example, you might be working with an etching that has been colorized, and you want to record the person who did the colorizing. <strong>Enter our new feature: <a href="https://docs.tropy.org/in-the-project-view/add_metadata#adding-additional-fields-to-individual-items">add additional fields</a>.</strong></p>
<p>To add an additional field to an item’s metadata, right-click on the template name and select <em>New Field.</em> A box will pop up where you can select from any metadata vocabulary term to create your additional field. (Note that even for additional fields, mapping to an existing metadata schema is required.) Once you’ve selected the vocabulary term for your new field, it will appear at the end of your existing metadata template. Notice that the field name is italicized — this is an indication that it is not part of the template.</p>
<p>In our example here, you can see that “Contributor” is in italics — this is our additional field, which won’t appear in any other instances of the template <em>Digitized Artwork</em>. It’s only for this item.</p>
<p><img srcset="/assets/images/blog/2019/03/additional-field.png 1x, /assets/images/blog/2019/03/additional-field@2x.png 2x" src="/assets/images/blog/2019/03/additional-field.png" alt="" class="screenshot" /></p>
<p>This feature is available for templates of any level: item, photo, or selection.</p>
<p>But wait, you’re saying–you can’t customize templates on the photo or selection level!</p>
<h2 id="photo-and-selection-level-templates">Photo and Selection Level Templates</h2>
<p>Tropy 1.4.2 also introduces <a href="https://docs.tropy.org/in-the-item-view/selections#add-metadata-to-your-selection">photo and selection level templates</a>. These work just like item templates, and you create them in just the same way.</p>
<p>This feature is especially nice if you’re working with long multi-photo items, or if you use selections to call out standard features in an item. For example, if you work with newspapers, you can customize a selection template to call out article-specific metadata.</p>
<p>In our example here, we’ve created a template to represent the additional metadata we want to collect from this article: title, author, and attribution.</p>
<p><img srcset="/assets/images/blog/2019/03/selection-template.png 1x, /assets/images/blog/2019/03/selection-template@2x.png 2x" src="/assets/images/blog/2019/03/selection-template.png" alt="" class="screenshot" /></p>
<h2 id="extra-bonus-features">Extra Bonus Features</h2>
<p>We’ve also rolled out a new tool for photo clarity: sharpen. You can access sharpen in the <a href="https://docs.tropy.org/in-the-item-view/photo-editing#advanced-photo-editing">advanced tools</a> on the photo-editing toolbar.</p>
<h2 id="documentation-and-forums">Documentation and Forums</h2>
<p>You can read up on all these new features, as well as all other features, in our <a href="https://docs.tropy.org/">documentation</a>. And if you run into problems, or you have suggestions for improvement, please post on our <a href="https://forums.tropy.org/">forums</a>.</p>Abby MullenToday we released Tropy 1.4.3. Its primary new features are some new ways to add metadata in more places.DC Train the Trainers2018-10-17T00:00:00+00:002018-10-17T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/dc-train-the-trainers<p>Train the Trainers is coming to Washington, DC (or really, to Fairfax, VA)! We’ll be convening on our home turf, George Mason University, to do two sessions, one for librarians/archivists, and one for faculty, as outlined <a href="https://tropy.org/blog/training-you-to-teach-tropy/">here</a>.</p>
<p>Bring a laptop so you can play along! These workshops are free, but we do ask you to register so we know how many are coming.</p>
<h2 class="h3" id="details">Details</h2>
<h3 class="h4" id="librariansarchivists">Librarians/Archivists</h3>
<ul>
<li><em>Date</em>: December 12, 2018</li>
<li><em>Time</em>: 10am-12pm</li>
<li><em>Location</em>: George Mason University–Student Union Building I, Room 3A</li>
<li><em>Registration</em>: https://goo.gl/forms/OqKJwn5vAPfxkLQm2</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="h4" id="faculty">Faculty</h3>
<ul>
<li><em>Date</em>: December 13, 2018</li>
<li><em>Time</em>: 10am-12pm</li>
<li><em>Location</em>: George Mason University–The Hub Meeting Room 4</li>
<li><em>Registration</em>: https://goo.gl/forms/oWlNlXwipbCRBbxg2</li>
</ul>
<p>A few links that may be helpful:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www2.gmu.edu/about-mason/coming-campus">Getting to campus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.gmu.edu/resources/welcome/FairfaxMap2018.pdf">Campus map</a></li>
<li><a href="https://parking.gmu.edu/parking-services/visitor/">Parking at GMU</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Questions?</strong> Email Abby Mullen at amullen2 at gmu dot edu.</p>Abby MullenTrain the Trainers is coming to Washington, DC (or really, to Fairfax, VA)! We’ll be convening on our home turf, George Mason University, to do two sessions, one for librarians/archivists, and one for faculty, as outlined here.Boston Train the Trainers2018-10-03T00:00:00+00:002018-10-03T00:00:00+00:00https://tropy.org/blog/boston-train-the-trainers<p>The Tropy team is pleased to announce the first of our Train the Trainers workshops, to be held <strong>at Northeastern University on November 13</strong>.</p>
<p>We invite librarians, archivists, and faculty members from across the Boston area to join us as we talk about how to teach Tropy to others.</p>
<p>We will be holding two separate workshops, one for librarians and archivists, and one for faculty members. (Make sure you sign up for the right one!)</p>
<p><strong>You don’t need any digital experience to attend these workshops.</strong> You don’t even have to use Tropy yourself. But if you ever teach anyone about research methods or research tools, this workshop is for you.</p>
<h2 class="h3" id="the-details">The Details</h2>
<p>These workshops are free, but we do ask that you register so that we don’t run out of space.</p>
<p>Details and registration for the <strong>librarians and archivists</strong> track can be found here: <a href="https://northeastern.libcal.com/event/4657814">https://northeastern.libcal.com/event/4657814</a></p>
<p>Details and registration for the <strong>faculty</strong> track can be found here: <a href="https://northeastern.libcal.com/event/4657824">https://northeastern.libcal.com/event/4657824</a></p>
<p>Thanks to the Northeastern Libraries and the NULab for Texts, Maps, and Networks for their support!</p>
<p><strong>Questions?</strong> Email Abby Mullen at {amullen2 at gmu dot edu} and follow <a href="https://twitter.com/tropy">@tropy</a> on Twitter for updates.</p>Abby MullenThe Tropy team is pleased to announce the first of our Train the Trainers workshops, to be held at Northeastern University on November 13.