How to handle images for external digital picture frame

[ben]

Hi everyone,

i would like to get your advice about how to realize a certain task with iMatch5.

My goal:
I built a digital picture frame (DPF), which should locally store a copy of all the images that should be shown.
These images are a subset of my images stored on my computer and are part of my regular iMatch5 database.
I would like to somehow mark my favorite images, reduce their image size, and transfer them to the DPF.
I would like the images on the DPF to be always synced to my computer (images added, removed, changed metadata).
I would like a solution that is as convenient as possible (high degree of automation, few clicks, ...).

Details:

• The DPF runs a ftp server, but i could think of other connection types as well (network folder, ..)
• The folder structure on the DPF and my computer should be identical. Some folders won't exist on the DPF since their images contain no marked pictures.
• As an alternative all images are placed in one folder beside a text/xml file which holds the original full path name of all images. In this case the filenames would be replaced by a unique name. This textfile has to be up to date all the time.
• Metadata should be kept in the pictures, at least some (description, year, location, keywords).
• Sync is a must feature. The images on the DPF should be updated when i:

            - add an image -> mark a new image
            - remove an image -> unmark an image
            - update metadata in iMatch


 
What kind of solutions do you see? Scripts, Versioning, ...

I really appreciate your comments, and thanks for taking the time,

Ben

[Ferdinand]

This is a very complex requirement.  Good Luck   

There were scripts in V3.6 that had very basic parts of this, but nothing for IMatch 5 that I've seen.

I think that you would need to base this around an app, since that's essentially a web browser inside IMatch.

But you're going to be writing a lot of complex custom code, IMHO.

[ben]

This is a very complex requirement.  Good Luck   
But you're going to be writing a lot of complex custom code, IMHO.

I know, but i think most of it can be done by iMatch functionalities. The rest will be iMatch srcipts.

The good thing about private projects is, that you're not under time pressure. It's done when it's done. ;-)

[Ferdinand]

There was a coppermine upload script, that had elements of what you are trying to do.  It was written by khodadad.  I have migrated it to IMatch 5 but don't use it much.  It may be of interest since it contains code to upload files, although much of it is specific to the CPG case.  I guess I could post it in the script gallery.

[ben]

I guess I could post it in the script gallery.

Thanks that would be nice. can you please post the link afterwards.

Any further comments are very welcome!

Ben

[Ferdinand]

Normally I'd post scripts in the script gallery, but I'm less confident about this one - it's some time since khodadad modified it for Coppermine 1.5 and since I migrated it to IMatch 5.  I don't have the time to retest again right now. The script runs, which is a good sign.   So I'm just posting it here so you can grab it if you want.  I may then delete it.  Good luck.

(This script contains a lot of clever code by khodadad and a number of clumsy hacks by me.  Also the migration to IMatch 5 was a rush job and I haven't really cleaned up the code properly afterwards.  Which may explain some of the odd things that you may find.)

[ben]

Got it, thanks a lot.
I will look into it, as soon as my new little son allows me to do it ;-)

[Ferdinand]

I've deleted the file.  If there is other interest in it I will see if I can find the time to clean it up and retest it and post it in the script gallery.