Virtual Collections are stored in the database and, unlike Fast Collections, they will remain available after a restart of the application. In fact, virtual collections behave identical to portfolios in the Catalog Explorer. The images contained in a virtual collection will be displayed conform your options setting for "Tools -> Options -> Catalog -> Catalog version display type". The Virtual Collection will display either the main or the album version (if any) of every image it contains. Unlike with Fast Collections, you can not mix any image in them. Virtual Collections are stored as part of the database.
At any time you can move a Virtual Collection to a portfolio. That makes Virtual Collection a good starting place for working with Portfolios. Collect your images in a Virtual Collection first and when finished simply move the Virtual Collection to a more permanent portfolio.
Create a new Virtual Collection
It is very simple to create a new Virtual Collection. Simply select one or more images and drag them to an empty space of the tab bar (right side) below the Collection Viewer.
Drop the images on the bar and IDimager will prompt to name your Virtual Collection
That's it. You have created your first Virtual Collection. You can always open these images by opening the tab. You can also drag more images to this Virtual Collection. You do that by dragging the images to the tab.
As an alternative, you can also create a new empty Virtual Collection by hand. To do that, click the yellow + icon at the far left of the tab bar. That will prompt for a name and the empty Virtual Collection is created.
Remove a Virtual Collection
Once you have created a new Virtual Collection, you can also remove it. Right click on the tab of the Virtual Collection that you'd like to have removed.
Then confirm the removal.
Store Virtual Collection to Portfolio
At any time you can move your Virtual Collection to an existing Portfolio. Right click on the Virtual Collection and select "Store Virtual Collection to Portfolio". IDimager will then prompt you for a portfolio and gallery to store the Virtual Collection.
Select your Portfolio and Gallery and click OK.
The Virtual Collection will then be moved to the selected portfolio/gallery.
