Cataloging images is the concept of assigning catalog labels to images. In IDimager jargon we call an image “cataloged” once it has one or more catalog labels assigned to it. This can be achieved in two ways. The first way is by using the Collection Viewer (thumbnails), and the second way is by using the Catalog Explorer.
The simple fact that an image is known to the database does not mean that it is catalogued. An image is considered catalogued once it gets one or more catalog labels assigned to it. All the images that don't have catalog labels assigned to them may be known to the database, and will be considered "Uncataloged" when they are part of (one of) your Watch Folders. The watch folders can be defined in the Options dialog, tab sheet "Catalog". Normally there you'd enter one or more top level folders from the file system that contain your images. For instance, if you store all your images in a single folder called "D:\Images" then can add this folder to the Watch Folders. If you use multiple physical folders to store your images in, then add each top level folder. IDimager will automatically watch all sub folders of each watched folder so you don't have to add additional sub folders to the list of watch folders.
Define your watch folders in the Options Dialog (Tools -> Options -> Catalog tab sheet).
In the sample above you notice that I keep all my images in a single folder, so this is the folder that I'll add to the watch folders. Then click <OK> to confirm the new watch folder and again click <OK> to apply the changes in the options.
From now in IDimager will keep track of changes in the folders. These changes will be monitored with IDimager File Monitor system, which is active in the background while IDimager is running. For instance, when you move images on the file system outside of IDimager and IDimager is running, then the File Monitor will pick up these changes and automatically process them in the database.
Configuring your watch folders is a one time operation.
Now let's see how images can become part of the catalog database.