Enhance file filtering (actually,bring it to the next level)

Ideas for improvements and requests for new features in XnView MP

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liberty
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Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:16 pm

Enhance file filtering (actually,bring it to the next level)

Post by liberty »

Currently, there's no advanced file filtering available. Time to catch up ;)
For example, even basics are not implemented, such as filtering all *.psd out of a directory full of *.psd, *.nef, and *.jpg.
At least for such simple filter tasks, the "quick search" seems to be a fall back option to remedy the filtering shortcomings.

But quick search searches only for text fragments. It ends with anything beyond that, e.g. is not possible to filter e.g. pictures photographed in a certain time frame.

In that respect, XNView is far inferior to other picture browsers and their filtering, such as Microsoft Windows Explorer ;)

My Suggestion:
Let's make sophisticated filtering available to keep up with Windows and other browsers, or even better them!
Instead of creating overloaded clicking-horror dialog boxes, it should be textual (the same approach as the Windows Explorer's search bar).

To avoid re-inventing the wheel
- explore, if the Windows Search Engine has an API to make use of it in XNView "for free".
- the "quick search" edit box should accept Windows Search expressions, prefixed with e.g. "ws:" or "windows:" (both should work)
example search expression: "ws:created:01.01.2017..31.01.2017"

Make use of the power of ExifTool, as well.
- the "quick search" edit box should accept expressions, which ExifTool accepts for its "-if" filtering command.
- to tag these search expressions as to be processed by ExifTool, they could be prefixed with "et:" or "exiftool:" (both should work).

That would close the current weakness of XNView, having no powerful ad-hoc filtering tools implemented at the moment.

Another annoyance is, that the built-in picture viewer (its navigation to prev/next files) ignores any "quick search" filtering done in XnView browser.
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m.Th.
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Re: Enhance file filtering (actually,bring it to the next le

Post by m.Th. »

Hi liberty!

Welcome among us! :)
Currently, there's no advanced file filtering available. Time to catch up
Well, the things surely could be improved. However till then, you have:
- Quick Search (you already found it)
- View | Filter By... - an easy way to filter the current folder
- Categories Filter pane - to filter by Rating, Color, Tag status and Categories/Keywords
- a good search engine at Tools | Search
For example, even basics are not implemented, such as filtering all *.psd out of a directory full of *.psd, *.nef, and *.jpg.
For the time being, try to write PSD in QuickSearch box. It works? ;)
is not possible to filter e.g. pictures photographed in a certain time frame.
Yes, this would be good. However you have Tools | Search for this.

Btw, which is the difference between Filter and Search in your opinion?
Let's make sophisticated filtering available to keep up with Windows and other browsers, or even better them!
Instead of creating overloaded clicking-horror dialog boxes, it should be textual (the same approach as the Windows Explorer's search bar).
Heh! :)

...but it should be user-friendly. The command line approach of Windows Explorer isn't quite discoverable/user-friendly.

IMHO Tools | Search is better that that.
- explore, if the Windows Search Engine has an API to make use of it in XNView "for free".
not cross-platform.
- the "quick search" edit box should accept Windows Search expressions, prefixed with e.g. "ws:" or "windows:" (both should work)
example search expression: "ws:created:01.01.2017..31.01.2017"
Do you really think that many non-tech savvy people would remember this? Much more easier is to surface there the Regular Expressions engine already used in searching of Categories (Categories pane).

- the "quick search" edit box should accept expressions, which ExifTool accepts for its "-if" filtering command.
:)

ISTM that you're a command-line junkie :)

Btw, ExifTool is slow to load. Again, I think that Regular Expressions would be enough in Quick Search. Implementing a special syntax there would be difficult to use for the vast majority of users. You have Tools | Search with a visual GUI to provide this.
Another annoyance is, that the built-in picture viewer (its navigation to prev/next files) ignores any "quick search" filtering done in XnView browser.
Yes, I think that this should be an option to enable/disable.
m. Th.

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Dreamer
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Re: Enhance file filtering (actually,bring it to the next le

Post by Dreamer »

liberty wrote:Another annoyance is, that the built-in picture viewer (its navigation to prev/next files) ignores any "quick search" filtering done in XnView browser.
If you mean, that you'd like to browse only filtered images in fullscreen/viewer, you can use the Search (Ctrl+F > type text > Enter > Enter to browse), as workaround.
Dreamer
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