Enhance file filtering (actually,bring it to the next level)
Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2017 1:32 pm
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.
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.