XnView Software

xnview wrote:What do you means by Physical?
For this release, i was not able to make many changes, so Folders tree can not be merged with Favorites.

I mean Physical=Folders(+Favorites) <- vs -> Virtual=Categories/Album/Ratings...
(the fact that Favorites is still separated from Folders is not a big deal. But I believe Folders and Categories should not be mixed in the same tree)

Your 2nd suggestion with splitter is interesting.

nightflyer wrote:My thoughts are:
-I don't see use for Filters and History tab. We have filters on secondary toolbar. I would not use such History. Persistent and Dynamic Searches would be OK for me (Dynamic are re-searched every time they are selected, Persistent only on demand). The basis for this Searches can be extended Search window.

I use the History sidebars of my Web browsers quite frequently. I also spend an equal amount of time in XnView and think a similar tool would be very useful there.

Filter/Searches, terminology isn't critical. My request is allow the user to save the searches/filters with names and present a list of the named searches in a tab of the Navigator panel. Selecting from the list would show the corresponding images in the File List Panel. I guess a dropdown "Saved Searches" list in the Search tool button would suffice in the short run but I like the idea of browsing through groups of images with a single click or the up/down arrow.

JohnFredC wrote:My request is allow the user to save the searches/filters with names and present a list of the named searches in a tab of the Navigator panel. Selecting from the list would show the corresponding images in the File List Panel. I like the idea of browsing through groups of images with a single click or the up/down arrow.

What about managing Searches in the same Organisation tree, along Categories and Ratings?

Quotes from my old thread:

Olivier_G wrote:Main ideas:
- Folders define a 'physical' hierarchical structure
- Categories define a 'virtual' hierarchical structure
- Building 'Searches' should be made trough a dialog (to drag'n drop 'Folders', 'Categories', 'Information' directly into it, with logical operators)
- You can save and re-use 'Searches' (edit, add, combine...)
- 'Searches' (or 'elaborate Categories') should be managed just like other 'categories' in the Tree view

You could directly select multiple Categories, Folders, Searches and Information (with Ctrl & shift keys) and see the syntax of the resulting search. You would be able to edit directly the syntax if needed.

Olivier_G wrote:

xnview wrote:What do you means by Physical?
For this release, i was not able to make many changes, so Folders tree can not be merged with Favorites.

I mean Physical=Folders(+Favorites) <- vs -> Virtual=Categories/Album/Ratings...
(the fact that Favorites is still separated from Folders is not a big deal. But I believe Folders and Categories should not be mixed in the same tree)

I agree

Your 2nd suggestion with splitter is interesting.

So 2nd solution or not??

The combined preview/properties panel with a splitter might be a big improvement over Alpha 3 and would have almost the same functionality as my idea for separate panels for preview and properties.

Just to be clear, the Preview panel would contain two sub-panels divided by one of the new-style splitters ??? First sub-panel would be the image and the second sub-panel would have a tabbed interface to the various individual property panels (EXIF, etc)?

Until we can get drag & drop rearrangement for individual panels, that sounds OK as an incremental step. One advantage is that the layout menu and supporting code would not have to change. A second advantage is the ability to see the image AND its associated properties simultaneously.

It would be best for me if the new-style splitter inside the Preview panel is a vertical splitter with the properties sub-panel (and its tabs) on the right of the image preview subpanel.

JohnFredC wrote:The combined preview/properties panel with a splitter might be a big improvement over Alpha 3 and would have almost the same functionality as my idea for separate panels for preview and properties.

Just to be clear, the Preview panel would contain two sub-panels divided by one of the new-style splitters ??? First sub-panel would be the image and the second sub-panel would have a tabbed interface to the various individual property panels (EXIF, etc)?

Yes, a panel with preview + splitter + tabs (histogram, exif, ...)

Yes, a panel with preview + splitter + tabs (histogram, exif, ...)

Sounds good. Support ++

I also think solution #2 is better.
Only one thing to add is show/hide buttons in both directions.
So you can browse with only preview, only with tabs (when you have big thumbnails) or with both.
Another button would be good, to change separator horizontal/vertical.

What about the option to automatically catalogue/create thumbnails for a folder tree and not only the current folder we posted about a while ago?
Pierre, you said you would implement it and I was hoping to see it in the alpha versions

robc wrote:What about the option to automatically catalogue/create thumbnails for a folder tree and not only the current folder we posted about a while ago? Pierre, you said you would implement it and I was hoping to see it in the alpha versions

It's there. Check Options>Thumbnails>Cache: 'Add folder' => it will Cache selected folder and subfolders.
(please discuss this issue in a different topic, as this one is more about Organization/Categories and how to handle it)

I didn't notice it, it's incredibile... I kept on looking for something like "Tools | create thumbnails"...

Thanks a lot, Olivier I will discuss it in the proper place. And sorry, Pierre, for not having noticed it!

Quite interesting thread. See also a more recent update.

I don't move it to 'closed' but to 'postponed' to support other current&future interface discussions. I created new topics for spotted bugs regarding 1.90 as well.