How do you all keep track of all your PDFs?

[TheophilusCarter]

I remember watching a shitty English-language remake of a Japanese horror movie in which the world was being invaded by spectres from the aether. The Scientist Who Unwittingly Released The Evil described his work in hushed tones: "We found frequencies... that no-one had ever thought of searching for!"

Which is a bit like saying "We found numbers that no-one had ever thought of counting!" Dumb.

"Wait ... there are frequencies BETWEEN 4000 AND 5000?! ... "

Yeah, that's some good old-fashioned movie science right there.

 

[Toadmaster]

Indeed. My other major hobby is music. Don't get me adding up how much I've spent on instruments and equipment, and I'm nowhere near as bad as some folks.

The 4 that immediately came to the top of my head were golf, boats, fast cars and collecting ex-wives. I could be tempted by boats, but I've learned through others better to know a boat owner than to be a boat owner. I don't generally think of music, but sure, it is possible to spend some serious money there.

The folder is only purchased products from drivethrurpg.com, Bundle of Holding, Kickstarter, etc. I keep my personal game files in a different folder. However, a file could be maps or other items that came with the purchase, or a separate file for the cover (e.g. the Fantasy HERO Bundle of Holding did that). So it's not a pure count of "books".

Sure that makes sense. I actually like it when they pull covers and other parts you might want to print separately out of the main file. I knew I was a lightweight when it comes to pdfs. I'm finally seeing some vindication in recent posts supporting my theory.

 

[TheophilusCarter]

I don't generally think of music, but sure, it is possible to spend some serious money there.

Oh my goodness, yes. Pretty much the least you can spend for a minimally playable upright bass is $1k-ish, and good basses can start to cost as much as a new car. Don't even get me started on piano (baby grand, anyone?) ...

 

[ffilz]

Here's where I keep my Classic Traveller PDFs.... :-)

 

[KrakaJak]

I mostly use Google Drive, so that I can access them from wherever. I think I have around 1000 pdfs. My filing system is not good, but I more or less remember where everything is. Doing a reorganization has been on my toDo list for years, especially now that tabletop board games have begun to join my online "library."

 

[Scuba Steve]

I do a combination of making a folder for the specific game/system if it's something generic or can be used in almost any kind of setting you can think of, and then the rest I have folders for genre (so like Cowboy themed, High Fantasy themed, Cyberpunk themed, etc.)

 

[chuckdee]

On my computer, I keep them meticulously organized by game family, then by specific system, then by core rulebooks, supplements (by series), and then third-party (by publisher, then by series and/or function).

This is pretty much exactly how I organize mine. I want to have a catalog also, as sometimes I forget what's under which system- especially when something is available in multiple systems, as I try to file those together rather than spreading them out for sanity's sake.

 

[Toadmaster]

Oh my goodness, yes. Pretty much the least you can spend for a minimally playable upright bass is $1k-ish, and good basses can start to cost as much as a new car. Don't even get me started on piano (baby grand, anyone?) ...

That is why I find that clip from the Blues Brothers funny. I'm guessing there is a real story behind that bit about somebody they knew trading their car for an instrument or piece of equipment needed for a gig..

 

[KrakaJak]

This is pretty much exactly how I organize mine. I want to have a catalog also, as sometimes I forget what's under which system- especially when something is available in multiple systems, as I try to file those together rather than spreading them out for sanity's sake.

Out of curiosity, what are your "Families" of games?

 

[TheophilusCarter]

That is why I find that clip from the Blues Brothers funny. I'm guessing there is a real story behind that bit about somebody they knew trading their car for an instrument or piece of equipment needed for a gig..

Old joke ...

Q: "What's a musician"?
A: "Someone who puts $5000 of gear in a $500 car to drive to a $50 gig ... "

(True story ... )

 

[chuckdee]

Out of curiosity, what are your "Families" of games?

Well, I have two overarching categories - one for systems that I actively (or might actively) use, and one for systems that I just have.

Under my active category, I have it set up like this:

I have a few there that I haven't used in a while, so I probably should move them to my archive folder. But I also have so many that I haven't filed that I should take care of that first.

 

[Dammit Victor]

Out of curiosity, what are your "Families" of games?

Major examples would be "TSR D&D & Clones", "3.X/d20/PF D&D", "BoL/Everywhen", "Cortex Games", "Fate Games", and so on.

Most games outside of those families exist in their own spaces.

 

[chuckdee]

One thing I haven't really figured out in my categorization, is how to handle settings that I don't use in the games they're for. My largest example is Eberron, though it applies to Iron Kingdoms, Exalted and Aberrant/Trinity. I use the source material, but not the system. I sometimes use Storyteller and the IKRPG system, so that was a bit easier, but I never play 5e/4e any more. I just made an Eberron folder, and have all of my 5e/4e stuff in my archive.

 

[Bunch]

One thing I haven't really figured out in my categorization, is how to handle settings that I don't use in the games they're for. My largest example is Eberron, though it applies to Iron Kingdoms, Exalted and Aberrant/Trinity. I use the source material, but not the system. I sometimes use Storyteller and the IKRPG system, so that was a bit easier, but I never play 5e/4e any more. I just made an Eberron folder, and have all of my 5e/4e stuff in my archive.

This is why I'd like to build a database with all my stuff and apply tags to everything.

 

[chuckdee]

This is why I'd like to build a database with all my stuff and apply tags to everything.

I've tried that using a couple of programs, but the problem is entering everything and tagging it. I barely have time to get them into their correct folders. I've tried Alfa Ebooks Manager, Calibre, and Tagspaces. Getting the books in isn't a problem in any of them, but getting them tagged is.

 

[Bunch]

I've tried that using a couple of programs, but the problem is entering everything and tagging it. I barely have time to get them into their correct folders. I've tried Alfa Ebooks Manager, Calibre, and Tagspaces. Getting the books in isn't a problem in any of them, but getting them tagged is.

Mine are already in a file hierarchy so some of the tagging could be done automatically. Names could also be useful for tagging. After that I could grab existing tags from places like BGG and RPG.net.

 

[Rich H]

It varies but its all folder based... Options:

1. RPGs -> Name of Game -> [If needed; sub-folders divided into things like "Rules", "Campaigns", "Adventures", etc then under those I may folders for PCs, etc]
2. I also duplicate some PDFs/docs as well if I mine various games for ideas, bringing them together as a whole so may organise some for a specific game I want to do that combines/uses books and ideas from multiple systems - I often organise into genres for this kind of thing; so if I'm thinking of running a horror game I'll create a Horror folder and gradually populate it with copies of game material from elsewhere other folders

Here are a few screenshots to show what I mean:


And an example of subfolders within a game (eg, The One Ring):

 

[Chris Brady]

Typically place them in folders by system and publisher.

This. It's really that simple for me.

 

[chuckdee]

It varies but its all folder based... Options:

1. RPGs -> Name of Game -> [If needed; sub-folders divided into things like "Rules", "Campaigns", "Adventures", etc then under those I may folders for PCs, etc]
2. I also duplicate some PDFs/docs as well if I mine various games for ideas, bringing them together as a whole so may organise some for a specific game I want to do that combines/uses books and ideas from multiple systems - I often organise into genres for this kind of thing; so if I'm thinking of running a horror game I'll create a Horror folder and gradually populate it with copies of game material from elsewhere other folders

Here are a few screenshots to show what I mean:

- snip image -

And an example of subfolders within a game (eg, The One Ring):

- snip image -

I like the way that you use numbers to presumably make your most used ones go to the top? I'd not thought of that, and will be stealing that!

 

[AsenRG]

"You have 4917 titles awaiting your review", Drivethru announced when I opened my profile.

Those that I keep on my hard drive, I have arranged using a mixed subject-and-dice mechanic system which also uses the names of the files. So for example Traveller and Cepheus Engine share a subfolder of the 2d6 folder while all (three or so) of my D&D5th files share a subfolder of the OSR folder, while the CHAINMAIL subfolder contains Crimson Blades, Spellcraft & Swordplay and similar systems.

It's messy but it works for me.

 

[chuckdee]

"You have 4917 titles awaiting your review", Drivethru announced when I opened my profile.

Those that I keep on my hard drive, I have arranged using a mixed subject-and-dice mechanic system which also uses the names of the files. So for example Traveller and Cepheus Engine share a subfolder of the 2d6 folder while all (three or so) of my D&D5th files share a subfolder of the OSR folder, while the CHAINMAIL subfolder contains Crimson Blades, Spellcraft & Swordplay and similar systems.

It's messy but it works for me.

Lightweight!

 

[AsenRG]

Lightweight!

And people tell me I'm fat!

 

[Halda]

I do them by system, then sub-folders if necessary due to the amount of files. My Old World of Darkness files are a great example of this rule, plus all the DCC stuff i have.

 

[AsenRG]

If I haven't said so, welcome to the Pub, Halda !

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

I do them by system, then sub-folders if necessary due to the amount of files. My Old World of Darkness files are a great example of this rule, plus all the DCC stuff i have.

Welcome Halas!