Viewer: 'reverse' image movement at 100% & move to next/previous image

Sorted · July 20, 2013, 01:10:40 PM

Mario, I particularly like the IM5 viewer but would like to request a small improvement. I am using the FastStone Image Viewer a great deal because it allows one to zoom to 100% at a mouse click and to navigate in the direction of the mouse pointer. I.E., moving the mouse to the right will bring the right side of the image into view & vice versa. Also, the movement of the image across the screen with Faststone is very fast without holding a key (Shift with IM5) down. When choosing raw images for conversion and defects or checking final versions of jpegs for stock submission I find this very quick indeed, especially as I have large numbers to review in a hurry. Any chance of implementing this?

One more request for the viewer: unless one selects a group of images beforehand it is not possible (so it seems) to move to the next or previous image with the arrow keys once an image is open in the viewer (unless one returns to the thumbnails). This seems odd as it the usual way of navigating through a set of images in a folder when browsing in a viewer.

Thanks,

Jeremy

Mario · July 20, 2013, 03:00:49 PM

I'm not sure about what you want me to do.

Do you suggest I should model the Viewer after the software you happen to use?

What with other people which don't use FastStone but maybe FastPictureViewer, ACDSee, LR, Aperture, or even the Windows slide show? All of these applications have their own specific ways of dealing with mouse movements. I'm quite sure that the way the Viewer works fits well with the workflows and habits of the majority of users. If not, your feature request will get many +1 votes and then we'll know more.

The same applies to the fast pan. Some users prefer slow pan, others prefer past pan. The Viewer and the Quick View panel allow you both - with slow pan as the default and <Shift> to speed up the pan. That was a design decision I made. I cannot heap options on top of other options, e.g. adding options to allow users to switch to either fast or slow pan as the default. IMatch has too many options already, which makes it look overly complicated for new users...

I sometimes just have to make a decision and implement things in a certain way. A well-known programmer's book states that "Options are just a manifestation of indecisiveness" - which is only partly a joke

QuoteOne more request for the viewer: unless one selects a group of images beforehand it is not possible (so it seems) to move to the next or previous image with the arrow keys once an image is open in the viewer (unless one returns to the thumbnails). This seems odd as it the usual way of navigating through a set of images in a folder when browsing in a viewer.

I'm not sure that I understand you right. To tell the viewer which files he has to display, you select these files in the file window and then press <Enter> or <Shift>+<Enter>. You can navigate through the files in the viewer with the arrow keys (or the mouse wheel). When you switch from the viewer back to a file window, the arrow keys navigate the file window. The Viewer is independent from the file windows, it has its own selection of files.

Sorted · July 20, 2013, 04:20:48 PM

Quote from: Mario on July 20, 2013, 03:00:49 PM

"Do you suggest I should model the Viewer after the software you happen to use?"

No, of course not. I wondered if I should mention other software; clearly should not have. Merely mentioned it in case you were familar with the way it worked and to illustrate the function. I realise you cannot add features ad infinitum but it is your forum with a feature request section so is it reasonable to complain if a request is made? I do appreciate that you must be exhausted with such demands and there is no compulsion on your part to meet them.

I imagine that some potential customers might well prefer this method of display because it, for me anyway, seems a natural way to navigate around an image. I don't have any idea how hard it is to implement but it is probably not a big request compared with some which are being made - and maybe met. I haven't used the other software you mention so cannot comment upon how viewers/browsers are implemented there.

"I cannot heap options on top of other options, e.g. adding options to allow users to switch to either fast or slow pan as the default. IMatch has too many options already, which makes it look overly complicated for new users..."

To my mind these 'lower level' functions, especially the image viewer which is very fundamental, is something which shoud definitely have options. It is really basic to image evaluation. Others might disagree.

"I'm not sure that I understand you right. To tell the viewer which files he has to display, you select these files in the file window and then press <Enter> or <Shift>+<Enter>. You can navigate through the files in the viewer with the arrow keys (or the mouse wheel). When you switch from the viewer back to a file window, the arrow keys navigate the file window. The Viewer is independent from the file windows, it has its own selection of files."

Yes, this is what I do. However it is a very common occurrence that one views a single image and only after appraising it for whatever reason (maybe out of focus) want to browse to the next or previous. This is what photographers do everyday. It is simply inconvenient to have to select a group of images in advance just in case one needs to browse through them. It is all extra keyboard work added to an already intense workflow. I think there are few image browsers/viewers in which one has to load a selection in order to move through a folder of images. Am I wrong? It seems quite natural that once an image is displayed that one can navigate to the next or previous image withing the folder. Sorry if this sounds obtuse!

Mario · July 20, 2013, 07:22:20 PM

You quoted my entire reply but you did not write anything??

Sorted · July 21, 2013, 07:03:27 AM

Mario, I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic or if you really cannot see my reply $:-\$

Mario · July 21, 2013, 08:52:25 AM

Aaah, you have hidden your reply inside the quote block. Sorry I missed that. Usually folks just quote and then reply in normal text below the quote.

Quote from: Sorted on July 21, 2013, 07:03:27 AM
Mario, I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic or if you really cannot see my reply $:-\$

I'm never sarcastic.

I let your comments stand as they are. Other users may comment and give their preferences. If many users want these changes or at least as options, we can look into this for a later version.

Sorted · July 21, 2013, 11:48:51 AM

Ah yes, I didn't even see the quote block myself! For sarcasm it would have been rather clever. Glad it wasn't

This is only a minor request and its non-implementation certainly won't put me off. The new viewer is really good an will mean I won't have to work with another browser as I tend to do with IM 3.6. Thanks.