IMatch 2018: App based File Window

Mario · March 14, 2018, 07:08:07 PM

While finishing the technology that allows IMatch 2018 to have File Window layouts implemented as apps, I'm making some experiments to see what can be done with it, how it all works together, how the performance is etc. Actually, I'm playing with ideas and available libraries. The end effect of course should be an improved workflow or new ways to work with images and other files inside IMatch. Or, just more fun with your images, better presentation, ...

I have one/two features planned which requires totally new kinds of visualizations and these are what made me come up with this new technology.
What I have in mind is much easier (and quicker) to do with the new file window technology and the cool features available in modern browsers.

But there are literally tons of other things we could do with this.
For instance, the masonry (Smart) layout used for IMatch Anywhere WebViewer™ could also work great in IMatch itself. People like this a lot and why not have it in IMatch, as an option?

I've made a quick test to see how this performs, and it's very fast even for scopes with a few thousand files. This covers 99% of the typical use case.

I have made a video of a file window app which uses a masonry layout and I show how the regular file window toolbar zoom controls the image size used by the browser embedded in the file window. Nothing spectacular, but it shows how fast this will be:

Here is the short video:

https://www.photools.com/bin/fw-test.mp4

Let me know what you think.

Jingo · March 14, 2018, 08:03:03 PM

Very cool Mario... I like the possibilities this new tech allows... I can think of some dynamic views and overlay possibilities... Looking forward to the release!

sinus · March 14, 2018, 11:15:41 PM

Very cool, indeed!
Looks great.

Carlo Didier · March 15, 2018, 03:46:29 PM

Pretty fast!

BanjoTom · March 16, 2018, 12:31:11 AM

Fast AND -- as everyone else has noted -- VERY COOL!

Mario · March 16, 2018, 09:22:12 AM

Yes, it's good as a proof of concept (that app-based File Windows and even views can work). Now we need to come up with some good ideas what to do with this...

I need it for one new concept that will premiere in IMatch 2018. This concept will run in a dedicated View.

For File Window apps I'm still trying out different things.
I've checked out some of the popular "image gallery" JavaScript libraries - but these are just toys. They often break down badly if you need more than a few hundred images in the gallery. Not really designed for mass data, really. But an IMatch File Window must be able to handle 500, 5000 or 50,000 files. No sense in limiting this for app-based file Windows.

But I see a lot of potential. From a Lightroom-like layout with a two side-by-side images and a thumbnail strip to modern "card"-based layouts which render metadata next to the image in some way to a "slide show in the File Window" layout....

Suggestions, ideas, web references etc. welcome.

ubacher · March 17, 2018, 06:47:57 PM

I would appreciate a thumbnail layout which displays panorama files stretched over two or more thumbnail-slots.

Mario · March 17, 2018, 06:55:26 PM

That's what the masonry (Smart) layout in my video would do automatically. Or the existing WebViewer.

ben · March 17, 2018, 09:09:26 PM

I love the video

It would be great to zoom the thumbnails to bigger sizes than the thumbnail size in the database.

Mario · March 18, 2018, 07:51:42 AM

Quote from: ben on March 17, 2018, 09:09:26 PM
I love the video

It would be great to zoom the thumbnails to bigger sizes than the thumbnail size in the database.

File Window App control the 'scale' of the thumbnail slider in the FW toolbar. And decide how to interpret that scale.
So, a file window app may allow thumbnails of any size, for example using the thumbnails in the database up to 300px for speed, and then switching to the cache images maintained by IMatch and scale them as needed on-the-fly (browsers are pretty good at that now). Or the app relies on the cache image generation provided by IMWS, but in the context of IMatch this would require additional disk space.

All that depends on the app, neither IMatch nor IMWS enforce a limit. This is what makes this so exciting. And the fact that extending/changing an App is much quicker and easier than changing the IMatch application itself.
A File Window app or View can show all kinds of data, even merging data fetched from IMatch with data loaded from the Internet or from somewhere else.

It makes a lot of sense for users to think about this and come up with ideas about how we can utilize this new technology to provide new and useful features...

ben · March 18, 2018, 08:28:47 PM

QuoteIt makes a lot of sense for users to think about this and come up with ideas about how we can utilize this new technology to provide new and useful features...

ACDsee has a nice feature which can show a popup of a thumbnail.
That's helpful if the quickview is closed and you just want to have a quick look at the image.

http://www.filmscanner.info/BilderSW/ACDSeePro3_Verwalten_1.jpg

Mario · March 18, 2018, 08:34:44 PM

That's what the quick preview panel is for. It has the advantage to know how to deal with proxies, stacks, annotations, navigation and more... You can open/close it anytime using <F9>,<Q>...

ben · March 18, 2018, 10:19:34 PM

You asked, what we think you could do with the new technology.
So, that was my feedback.

The Quickview Panel is different.
With my idea you could have a quick glance at the image by hoovering over the image (or holding whatever key).
This is quicker than opening the quickview, even by shortcuts.

I worked with ACDsee before iMatch and i used this quite often.

But, just an idea...

Mario · March 18, 2018, 11:03:37 PM

But if you want something like this, you probably don't only want it in App-based File Windows but also in the IMatch file window?
How large is the image ACDSee shows? What for RAW files without an existing cache image? It can take 1 to 10 seconds to produce a cache image (depends on WIC, RAW format, ...).
Feel free to add a feature request about this.

sinus · March 19, 2018, 08:25:08 AM

Quote from: Mario on March 18, 2018, 11:03:37 PM
But if you want something like this, you probably don't only want it in App-based File Windows but also in the IMatch file window?
How large is the image ACDSee shows? What for RAW files without an existing cache image? It can take 1 to 10 seconds to produce a cache image (depends on WIC, RAW format, ...).
Feel free to add a feature request about this.

Maybe I do not understand this correct.
This is often the case today, a click brings a popup with a larger image. I see that in online galleries, in shops or something similar even in the normal Google image search (The picture is larger). Just a bigger picture, a RAW without cache, just zoom in, even if it's bad. Just to see the picture bigger.

Mario · March 19, 2018, 08:57:22 AM

Zooming a 240 pixel thumbnail to 1000 or 2000 pixels?

Besides, web sites don't have a Quick View panel which does this already. Just hold down <SPACE> and move the mouse over the images in the file window.

sinus · March 19, 2018, 10:08:08 AM

Quote from: Mario on March 19, 2018, 08:57:22 AM
Zooming a 240 pixel thumbnail to 1000 or 2000 pixels?

No, but to 600 - 1000 pixel. I think, mostly exists a cache. Hence, this would not be a problem!?

In such (rare) cases, where this is not true, I would prefere to see such a "pixled" pop-up than nothing.

I mean, this would be only for viewing the thumb better, not to work with it or to have best quality.

Like my attachement, the small thumb has 200 pixel in the width.
To see better the persons, the bigger "pop-up" has 800 pixels in the width, and for rare cases I can see here better some "details" than in the small thumb, even the big one is really heavy pixaleted!

But, as Ben pointed out, you asked for ideas, this from Ben I simply find the idea from him cool.

At the moment I have no other ideas, unfortunately.

Mario · March 19, 2018, 10:34:32 AM

Quotemean, this would be only for viewing the thumb better, not to work with it or to have best quality.

Don't you use the Quick View Panel for that?
I have it always open in order to see the focused file in larger size, with the ability to click to zoom to 100% super fast.
Color-managed, with annotations etc. I can even quickly thumb through the hidden files in a stack with it.

We have the QuickView Panel, the Viewer and the Slide Show already to see images in large.
On my system it takes about 1s after pressing <Enter> to see the focused file in the Viewer (assuming the file is a JPEG or the cache image for the RAW already exists).
The file is displayed in perfect quality, color managed, with additional details. I can navigate etc.

As I said to Ben, please add a feature request for this.
A feature like this will require quite some work and I want to be sure that more than one or two persons need this.
Web sites usually don't have to deal with RAW files, stacks, proxy images, virtual transformations and other IMatch features which often require extra work to "just" display an image...

sinus · March 19, 2018, 11:09:05 AM

Quote from: Mario on March 19, 2018, 10:34:32 AM
Quotemean, this would be only for viewing the thumb better, not to work with it or to have best quality.

Don't you use the Quick View Panel for that?

Yes, of course. We have only your video to look just for now

and I can imagine only, how it looks here.
And if I imaging having only one montor (e.g. my laptop at home), I would make this file window as big as possible without the quickview and only if necessary click on a thumb and then it would be nice to see a popup.

Quote from: Mario on March 19, 2018, 10:34:32 AM
I have it always open in order to see the focused file in larger size, with the ability to click to zoom to 100% super fast.

With a small laptop too?

Quote from: Mario on March 19, 2018, 10:34:32 AM
As I said to Ben, please add a feature request for this.
A feature like this will require quite some work and I want to be sure that more than one or two persons need this.
Web sites usually don't have to deal with RAW files, stacks, proxy images, virtual transformations and other IMatch features which often require extra work to "just" display an image...

As also Ben said, you asked for ideas and this idea from Ben I liked.
I thought, you collect ideas here and then implement what you think is good.

So for me no need to add a FR.
If such a pop-up is finally here, very good. If not, then it is the way it is, no problem for me.

Mario · March 19, 2018, 01:47:51 PM

QuoteYes, of course. We have only your video to look just for now and I can imagine only, how it looks here.

That was just a test. I have no idea if and how I will implement this.

QuoteWith a small laptop too?

Even on my low-end W10 tablet. Remember that you switch the Viewer into multiple modes, including "Maximize". This fits the Viewer into the IMatch window, full-size..
View Mode in the context menu of the Viewer, <F12><M>

Yes, I've asked for ideas about which File Window Apps could be implemented.
But this sounds rather like a more general feature idea for the File Window in IMatch. And feature requests should always go into the FR board. I don't search all forums for feature ideas later. What's in FR can be discussed and is not forgotten.