REQUEST FOR COMMENT: File Lens

[Mario]

Hi, users

I'm currently working on a feature for IMatch WebViewer (and probably IMatch as well) with the working title File Lens.

Please read and comment below. This is your chance!

Goal

The File Lens will be added to IMatch WebViewer to allow users to change metadata, keywords, categories and Attributes directly in their browser.
The File Lens will open in an "overlay" window after the user has selected one or more files and then triggers the file lens command (toobar button, keyboard shortcut).

Timeline

I plan to make it a standard feature in IMA 2018. Depends on how much other stuff is to do and how many problems show up 

Design & UI

Responsive design. Must work on small smart phones / tables and scale to 4K monitors. Same as the rest of IMatch WebViewer.

Easy to use. Many IMatch Anywhere users don't know much about DAM or IMatch for Windows.
Flexible: For power users, all typically required features should be there.

At the top is a header, displaying a thumbnail, file name, folder name, rating, label and collections of the 'current' file.
Below that the user can select the type of data he wants to edit: Metadata, Keywords, Categories, Attributes (probably GPS/Map data).
By clicking one of these tabs the user switches between specialized views (metadata view, keyword view).

A first look (click to zoom) (All subject to change, still making up my mind and reviewing feedback)





Modes

The FL has two operation modes:

1. All Files:
Changes made by the user are applied to all selected files.
For repeatable tags (e.g., keywords) the user can control whether the existing tag data is replaced or new data is appended.

2. Per File:
The user can navigate between all selected files within the File Lens window, making changes to each file individually.

Privileges

The File Lens supports IMWS group privileges. If a user cannot modify metadata, the File Lens will still show but not allow the user to make changes. Similar for keywords, Attributes and categories. The Admin controls who can modify what.


Thoughs

The Metadata View is driven by a JSON file. This makes it customizable (which tags to show and how). For the first edition I plan a fixed set of tags that works for the majority of users - to keep things simple. Simple is important for IMatch Anywhere.

For the Keyword view I plan to support 'a' thesaurus.
The thesaurus in IMatch is per-user. But for IMatch Anywhere I would need to support some centrally managed thesaurus - for family, team, corporate or institutional use. Whether or not 'per-user' thesauri are required needs to be determined. I tend to support only one global thesaurus in IMatch Anywhere. Maintained and administrated in the Admin panel, by authorized users.

I also plan to support keyword favorites, recent keywords and automatic keyword suggestions.

For the Categories View I will implement features similar to the Category Panel.

The Attributes View will work very similar to the Attributes Panel in IMatch.

Lots of things to do - as always. But I'm still in my 2.-year plan (which started with the implementation of IMatch Anywhere).

I could also envision a File Lens App for IMatch. As a simpler way of modifying metadata. For less experienced users. Or just a quicker, distraction-free way of input common data.

[DigPeter]

This looks like a good idea.  With octogenarian eyesight, I find the existing metadata panel too small for easy operating. 

For large descriptions, could the description box be made scalable?

I use a personalised thesaurus, which I hope could be applied to the File Lens.

I wouold like it to be available in IMatch.

[Mario]

With octogenarian eyesight, I find the existing metadata panel too small for easy operating.

Do you know that you can increase the font size in the Metadata Panel, Keyword Panel and Attributes panel conveniently via the Gear icon in the toolbar?

See the knowledge base article Configuring IMatch for High-DPI Screens and Easier Reading and the IMatch help for full details. One of the many features which allow you to make IMatch fit your needs and workflow.

For large descriptions, could the description box be made scalable?

You can change the size of the description box by dragging the lower-right edge. This is pretty common.

I use a personalised thesaurus, which I hope could be applied to the File Lens.

Do you use IMatch Anywhere?

[sinus]

All in one place for editing is a good idea.
Changing something in the metadata, quickly another category and then an attribute, very good. I can simply change the tab to another part, seems very good to me.

[Jingo]

I like... my ultimate product is almost here!!!  Now, just need to get the family to start keywording again... this will be a welcome feature!

[Mario]

just need to get the family to start keywording again

Key features in IMatch for successful (accurate and fast) keywording are: Favorites for @Keyword categories (Splashers!) and proper synonyms in the thesaurus. This can speed up keyword entry by several hundred percent. Just saying 

[DigPeter]

Do you know that you can increase the font size in the Metadata Panel, Keyword Panel and Attributes panel conveniently via the Gear icon in the toolbar?

Yes thanks.  This takes up more of the limited space in the text boxes.  I cannot grab the lower-right edge of the description box. 

You can change the size of the description box by dragging the lower-right edge. This is pretty common.

See comment above.

I use a personalised thesaurus, which I hope could be applied to the File Lens.

?

Do you use IMatch Anywhere?

No - I would be the only person to use it.  IMatch is adequate for me.

[Mario]

Yes thanks.  This takes up more of the limited space in the text boxes.

You cannot have both, large fonts and lots of space int he panel. Make the panel bigger or float it or move it on a secondary monitor. Then you'll have plenty of space even with very large fonts.

I cannot grab the lower-right edge of the description box. 

'Course not. I meant the description box in the File Lens, not the Metadata Panel.


Tip: To make the input field for the description larger (or any other field) change the number of rows in the Metadata Panel Layout for that field. Or even make it full size, to cover the entire width of your panel. There are many possibilities: Height, full-width, auto fit to content...

Here is a full-width description field with 10 rows, for example:

[DigPeter]

Thanks Mario.

Will I be able to use my thesaurus?

[Mario]

Thanks Mario.

Will I be able to use my thesaurus?

As I said, I plan to implement a central all-user thesaurus for IMWS. Whether or not per-user thesauri will be supported depends. Of course you should be able to import your existing thesaurus into the global thesaurus as the 'seed'. The format will be the same as for IMatch desktop.

There are also potential issues with the size of the thesaurus. IMatch easily manages thesauri with tens of thousands of nodes. Doing the same in a browser on a smart phone or tablet or Smart TV is hard or impossible (memory, performance) and thus the way how the File Lens deals with the thesaurus, how it represents it, how the thesaurus editor in a browser works is all subject to research.

[DigPeter]

Thanks Mario.

Will I be able to use my thesaurus?

As I said, I plan to implement a central all-user thesaurus for IMWS. Whether or not per-user thesauri will be supported depends. Of course you should be able to import your existing thesaurus into the global thesaurus as the 'seed'. The format will be the same as for IMatch desktop.

There are also potential issues with the size of the thesaurus. IMatch easily manages thesauri with tens of thousands of nodes. Doing the same in a browser on a smart phone or tablet or Smart TV is hard or impossible (memory, performance) and thus the way how the File Lens deals with the thesaurus, how it represents it, how the thesaurus editor in a browser works is all subject to research.

I will "watch this space"

[jch2103]

Sounds promising!

[sinus]

At the top is a header, displaying a thumbnail, file name, folder name, rating, label and collections of the 'current' file.
Below that the user can select the type of data he wants to edit: Metadata, Keywords, Categories, Attributes (probably GPS/Map data).
By clicking one of these tabs the user switches between specialized views (metadata view, keyword view)

Hi Mario
I have more thougth about this. 
This is a great thing.
Basically this means, instead switching between several panels to see and/or edit fields and collections and so on I would have all datas at one place: this new app.

You create this app with Javascript. First for Anywhere, later for IMatch.
I hope, I understand this correct.

In this App we could switch between tabs, instead "fiddles" with different panels, what is sometimes a problem of place.

This sounds really cool.Nevertheless, the coolest thing would be this.

Say, Georg would be the user. He is only interested in some fields. He is not interested in GPS, rating, dots, keywords and other thiings.
He  is only interested in

Headline
Description
Categories
Attributes

For George it would be simply great, if all these things would be in one tab. So he could work only on one tab, would see the fields and stuff, what he is interested, on one place. Not even switching necessary for him between tabs.
George could simply select one or several files and would see always only "his data of interest."

But Marianne has other wishes. She want have only

Date of created
Headline
Keywords
Rating
Labeling
GPS

She would like to have another tab with "her stuff".

I am sure, you know, what I mean, Mario.
A "personalized tab" with all my stuff, what I am interested in. 

This would be a really great thing.

But how to achieve this?
No glue.

If there would be such a tab, and the app is done with JS, some sophisticated people could maybe create such a super-tab by copying some stuff from the other tabs.
But most users could do this not.

So I do not know, how you could create such a super-tab.
But if I imagine it, this would be great.

Such an app could be also quite big, because (mostly) no other panels are more necessary, having them permanantely.

If I really had such a "super-tab", this would be cool.
I would give this app a good, big place and load all other panels only, if still necessary.

Only my 2-cents about your great app-idea with your "File-Lens" (at first I was irritated by the name, because I thought instantly at camera-lenses, but you mean it more "global"?)

[Mario]

You create this app with Javascript. First for Anywhere, later for IMatch.
I hope, I understand this correct.

Yes. IMatch Anywhere first. Maybe later IMatch.

In this App we could switch between tabs, instead "fiddles" with different panels, what is sometimes a problem of place.
This sounds really cool.Nevertheless, the coolest thing would be this.

Not really. If you work on Metadata. you cannot see the categories or keywords or Attributes. In IMatch you can arrange the panels in any way you like, seeing as much or little information as you like.,

You can simulate the File Lens in IMatch by

a) Bringing the Metadata Panel, Keyword Panel, Categories Panel and Attributes panel into one group.
b) Closing all other panels.

This gives you in IMatch exactly what you will see in IMA in the File Lens - just with more options and features.
If you wait for something like this, you already have it today in IMatch.

You can also customize the Metadata Panel to show exactly the tags George is interested in. Not Categories and Attributes, because the way you work with them is totally different from metadata input.

For George it would be simply great, if all these things would be in one tab.
(...)
A "personalized tab" with all my stuff, what I am interested in.

This is not the scope of the File Lens.  If you need a custom solution for you or your co.-workers, feel free to create an app which does this for IMatch and/or IMatch Anywhere.
The powerful app system allows you to do that.
Implementing an app which provides customization on that level so every user can create his/her own custom view or whatever would be very time-consuming and challenging. And never good enough to be really useful for a majority of users. We would see posts like "Yes, great. But I also need that feature" immediately after releasing v1 of such a feature for IMatch.

If would be much smarter to write an easy IMatch client in TypeScript, based on Node and Electron. Or PhoneGap or Titanium.

But how to achieve this?
No glue.

Funny 

[sinus]

But how to achieve this?
No glue.

Funny 

Thanks for your details, I understand this and can reproduce what you have written.

Oh  I guess you find one of my error funny, glue instead of clue! SORRY, but in a way, funny. 
I ought to go for some monthes to England. 

[Mario]

I really don't care for typos or how good somebodies English is. Many of the people here use English as second or third language.

Of course I know that you intended to write "No clue". But "No glue" was indeed funny in that context 

[sinus]

I really don't care for typos or how good somebodies English is. Many of the people here use English as second or third language.

Of course I know that you intended to write "No clue". But "No glue" was indeed funny in that context