Numbers as Keywords

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swteven

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Would there be any issues to consider when using numbers as keywords?

The reason I would be doing this is to identify different sizes of printed photographs that I have available for purchase. I would like to use my existing LR catalog but this may be a case for having separate catalog for this purpose.

For example, lets say I have a 16x20 inch printed photograph. I would use the number 16 as a keyword to identify the shorter side of a 16x20 inch printed photograph. When searching the catalog with the keyword 16 then I could find all my printed photographs that are 16x20 inches in size.

I know that I could also do this with Excel or another database program but I want to try it in Lightroom. The numbered keywords will live in their own parent folder so as not to clutter my keyword list.

It would seem like this would work but I am just trying to foresee any problems that might come up later in my catalog.
Any feedback is welcome - Thanks!
 
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I don't expect a problem with using only numbers, but if you want to be sure, why not use something like 'Print16' or 'Size16'.
 
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In keywords, Lightroom should treat 16 as text, not a number; eg, you cannot add a 16 to 20.
As I said in an earlier post, I use numbers for my print sizes; eg 4x6, 5x7 ...
 
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Scott, to explain in a little more detail JohanElzenga's rationale. If you search on "16" , you may also pick up 160, 16X20 and 12X16. The phrase "16X20" used as a keyword is almost guaranteed to be unique. As would Print16.
I like the keyword solution I would make sure these are designated as non Exportable. You can even create a Smart Collection that would automatically populate based upon the criteria {Keywords}{contains}{16X20} You could also assign multiple keywords for "16X20" & "8X10" could refer to the same image. If you are doing your own printing, then you could set up a Smart Publish Service for printed images based upon these keywords. If you print your own via a publish service, a Publish timestamp is entered into the Develop history.
 
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Exactly. You have to be a bit careful with keywords, because Lightroom has some known flaws in this area. For example: if you have person keywords and you have pictures of John Doe, you would expect that searching on 'John Doe' will only show you those pictures. Not so! It will also show pictures of the happy couple John Smith & Jane Doe. Even though you separate keywords with a comma, Lightroom does not understand that a space between two words should then mean it's one single keyword phrase. That's why it's safer to define really unique keywords.
 
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Thanks for the comments about using numbers as keywords. I will make the numbers unique by adding another character and will also designate as non Exportable keywords.

Cletus - I like your Smart Collection idea!
 
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A 'collection set' is just a placeholder for collections. It's ike a folder for collections. Perhaps you meant 'a set of collections'? Yes, you can obviously make a collection called '16 x 20' or something like that, and then drag any photo into it that is printed at that size. The disadvantage is that if you see this photo somewhere else in Lightroom, you have no indication of at which print sizes it is available. I think keywords is better.
 
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I agree that keywords would be better, but just to be clear that if you did use collections instead then (assuming you had thumbnail badges enabled) clicking on the "collections" badge for a particular image in the grid or filmstrip will list all the collections that image is in. So it could work, but would be more clunky in my view.
 
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