Is there a way to hide or overlap the central thumbnail grid?

Started by habanr, March 27, 2014, 12:23:08 PM

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habanr

One of the things I don't like on the new IMatch UI is "central thumbnail grid panel" which takes a lot of screen space and the other panels can be only stripes which is very annoying - especially in the case of map panel.

From UI point of view I like Lightroom very much. Nice panel, that could hidden and appear on demand, central screen area which could be used not only for the photo grid, but for a map, a preview also... How to achieve similar user experience with IMatch?

Mario

Well, the "central thumbnail grid panel" is the File Window, which is the most important feature in IMatch. You do all your work there.


Quotelot of screen space and the other panels can be only stripes which is very annoying - especially in the case of map panel.

You are aware that you can resize these panels, show and hide them as deeded, and even undock them to make them float? You can resize them to screen size, move them to a secondary monitor etc. And you can store these settings in a workspace and recall this later any time. Ideal for different layouts for different steps in your workflow. See the corresponding topic in the help for details on how to show/hide panels, group them, float them, resize them etc.

IMatch is much more flexible that Lightroom - not only with respect how you can customize your workspace... ;)

For example, a big map panel on top, below a File Window, the media & Folder panel and the Metadata Panel.  If that's not enough, I can undock the Map Panel (so it becomes a separate window) and maximize it to screen size or pin it to my second monitor. Works with all free panels. Only the Views are fixed on the left and cannot be undocked.



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habanr

Quote
For example, a big map panel on top, below a File Window, the media & Folder panel and the Metadata Panel.  If that's not enough, I can undock the Map Panel (so it becomes a separate window) and maximize it to screen size or pin it to my second monitor. Works with all free panels. Only the Views are fixed on the left and cannot be undocked.
With your suggested panel arrangement you have made filmstrip from grid in fact but at the same time you have squeezed "Media & Folders",  "Categories" and "Timeline" and make these panels unusable... The second monitor isn't solution for notebook. Simply I don't feel comfortable with IMatch UI layout.

Mario

I'm not sure what you are looking for. There is only so much screen estate.

For my screen shot I just docked the Map panel at the top of the IMatch window (1200 pixel laptop monitor) to show that you can work with fairly large panels. I can also make the Media & Folders Panel to auto-hide to free another 30% screen space. I can then use this to show 12 rather large thumbnails with data, or maybe 50 thumbnails if I use one of the smaller layouts.

I think this is quite impressive. And I still can show hide other panels as well. If you prefer the rather fixed LR layout model, I can't help it. The UI in IMatch has been designed to center around the File Window and that will not change quickly if at all. Most people seem to like it. If not, there's the feature request board which accepts your comments and suggestions for future version. Nothing is nailed down forever.





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-- Mario
IMatch Developer
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http://www.photools.com  -  Contact & Support - Follow me on 𝕏 - Like photools.com on Facebook