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1276

General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 01:11 PM »

I cannot change anything in that column header bar - it doesn’t allow me to find the hidden separators between the columns - I don’t think they are there.

-J-Mac (April 02, 2010, 01:04 PM)

They have to be there somewhere. Unless the Program installation got corrupted by something.

If you haven't already done it, you can:
a) Try using the zoom trick to make all columns visible; that should give you the separators.
b) Use the scroll bar to go to the right where the other columns are. When you see the separator for File Name, move it to the left.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 12:59 PM »

Here's what I see in the Collection Viewer after clicking View>Details:

-J-Mac (April 02, 2010, 12:15 PM)

Looking at this, I think the column size for the File Name must have been expanded (a lot) at some stage. It's never come up like that for me by default.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 12:56 PM »

I thought I would try changing the skin, or "style" as they call it, but each time I try the program uses 50%+ CPU and stays that way for over 10 minutes - at which time I kill it. I shouldn’t run into any issues running the program on this box; my specs are noted below:

-J-Mac (April 02, 2010, 12:47 PM)

That's more powerful than the system I'm running it on.
One way of trying to change style (not done that myself yet) without hitting the same CPU overhead would be to make a new database with one photo. Then try changing style while you are in that. Then loading your usual database.
I'm making the assumption that the CPU load is because the style changing is having to change the 'display' (seen and unseen) of all the stuff that's loaded in the database. I don't think it should be doing that, but can't think of another explanation.
I've just tried changing the style with my full database loaded. Virtually instantaneous.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 12:51 PM »

So there are some "hidden" columns it seems...

-J-Mac (April 02, 2010, 12:18 PM)

Ah yes, I've never had that scroll bar because all my columns were showing. Maybe because that's because I've got a big widescreen monitor.
Another way (usually anyway) of seeing all the columns would be to use the zoom bar at the top right to zoom right out, reducing the amount of the screen that everything is taking.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 09:03 AM »

Speaking of which, how does IDImager compare with IMatch (and others) in the context of cataloging and searching very large image collections?

-zevel (April 01, 2010, 10:04 PM)

It's a few years since I gave IMatch a thorough trial, so I might be a bit out of date - though, on a quick glance, the program doesn't seem to have changed massively since then.

IMatch is more purely an image catalog program. IDI is an image catalog program with more extra functions that you might want to use if you are using your image catalog.

There is some difference in functions. When I was looking at it, IMatch didn't have a good ability to manage versions and this had been a frequent request and had been in development for some time with nothing emerging/ (not sure if it does now); this was a feature I wanted and so that relatively small point was one of the things that steered me away.

The biggest difference is probably in style. The UI works differently. IMatch is much more of a programmers program (the scripting forum currently has 8905 posts, the 2nd biggest on the board to the General Discussion with 12766; IDI has 2150 posts in its scripting forum, with 13042 in Product Related and 9962 in IDI Pro (and 7986 in Bugs & Problems; IMatch doesn't have a forum for Bugs).

It's a question of what suits you best. They can both handle large databases of large images very well.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 08:16 AM »

I tried to use the "Move to folder..." feature in the right-click menu but the resultant dialog said it was going to automatically resize the images in order to move them. Why?!?! And there was no way to deselect that - I could change the new size and/or the method used to resize it but I didn't want the damn image resized! So I thought that perhaps the image was too large for the program, that maybe the program has a size limit on images. (Though my images don’t generally exceed about 2272 x 1704 x 24 px).

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

I've just tried this with a much bigger image - no offer to resize at all; worked very straightforwardly.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 08:05 AM »

E.g., double-clicking a thumbnail, as in most image/photo apps, opens a window with a larger view of that image. This worked the first few times I used it but then all of a sudden I was getting what appeared to be a blank window - no image at all showing in it. After I stopped muttering all kinds of unkind words to the program (Yes, I do talk to programs when they drive me to it!) I noticed that the window was actually a "recipe" window; turns out that whenever you open a large image view like this it usually has a recipe sidebar (for lack of a better way to put it) on the right-hand side. Well for whatever reason the blank recipe window (since I have created no recipes) had taken over that whole window, squeezing the actual image window down to about 2 pixels wide. Once I grabbed the left edge of the blank recipe pane with my mouse and drug it over to the right I could see the image. Why did it do that?

-J-Mac (April 02, 2010, 12:51 AM)

Not sure what is going on here. There's a lot of panels that open on the right side, but they have always stayed where they are put for me.

If you are having a few problems where the program isn't working normally (always difficult to know when it is a new program for you), then you would really need Hert to address it, and he does seem to be away at the moment. Even if you don't, I will keep an eye out for his return (after Easter maybe?) and then direct him to the relevant threads. I've always found himvery responsive (well, I've only made one request to him directly - asking for a feature to be added - and he had a script for it within a few days).

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 07:53 AM »

Of course, that is when you do the View Details view.
Further down the View menu, there is Show the Image Details, which brings up the whole EXIF panel on the right hand side - which does include the dimension details amongst a host of other stuff if you have the Full Exif or with just a few bits of basic info if you have the Exif Summary. This only applies to the chosen image of course - but it comes up very fast.

You can also sort the image display by dimensions (amongst many other choices), if that would be helpful.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 07:38 AM »

Now see, I am not seeing that here.

-J-Mac (April 02, 2010, 12:51 AM)

This is what you should see:-

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:25 PM »

I guess that you can see I can't really discuss this program right now without getting frustrated all over again! Not worth the aggravation!

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

I really feel your pain. And feel guilty, since I feel I tipped you in the IDI direction at the beginning.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:23 PM »

Unfortunately they have made it complex needlessly in many areas it seems. Category labels and keywords should not be that difficult to assign! And "synchronizing with XMP" is just crazy! Took the program three full days and nights to "sync" my ~20,000 images - and I don’t use the XMP format!

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

I'm not sure about needlessly complex - there are always people that want and are using the extra complexity or ways of doing things that the program allows. It is slow to get stuff in, but I've found that to be the case with most of these complex image programs (simple ones tend to be very fast) - but once it is in, it has always been pretty easy and fast to keep up-to-date. Once you know what you are doing and how to make it work the way you want. And that is a burdensome learning curve.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:18 PM »

Why didn't anyone in the forum there say so? IMO the forum for IDimager is not very helpful. The developer doesn’t respond there and other users, well, you see what answers/suggestions I received there.

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

I have no idea about this; I was really surprised to read the responses to your questions. I'm no virtuoso with IDI, and I'd've expected some of those who are to have answered these immediately. I can only assume that because they do things a different way, they didn't know it could be done in the way you wanted. Or maybe, I've just misunderstood your questions, or what IDI does, and have myself got hold of the wrong end of the stick.

Very surprised not to see more responses from Hert (the developer) - he always used to respond in most threads. Just checked: he has contributed over 22% of all the posts on the forum, but his last post was on 22nd March - before most of your problems. I assume he is away.

Maybe the forums have changed; they used to be very helpful. I'll start visiting again, and also going back a bit to see how different they seem to me.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:12 PM »

For the record I have about 60% of my images labeled now but it's such a complex process to do what should be a very simple task.

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

It is very simple. All you need to do is to Select All files in a folder and then drag them to the appropriate Catalog label in the Catalog Explorer. Or, if you have the Media Browser open too, you can simply drag the folder you want to the label and it will label all the images in it. Or if you happen to be looking at the images somewhere else, eg in Explorer, you can just select them and drag them to the label. There's lots of ways of doing it and they tend to be pretty fast (as you would expect); just tested it - took approx 5 seconds to labe 750 photos in one folder.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:03 PM »

And that is when I discovered that there is nowhere in the program that shows me the size in pixels; the size that I can easily see in any other image organizer or editor in the world, and even in Explorer. I have asked about it at the forum, I have read and searched their Help file, and I have read all Parts of Mike Buckley's ebook on IDimager 5.

Do you happen to know where/how I can see that info within IDimager?

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

On the View menu, put it into 'View Details' mode. That gives  a number of columns with simple info including Image Dimensions.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 08:10 AM »

What a rotten image organizer! I have spent so much time trying to work through their endless mazes of toolbars, panes, and menus trying to get the most basic things done with it only to find out that "you can't do that in IDimager".

-J-Mac (March 27, 2010, 10:28 PM)

Just a quick note to say I've only just seen this & will get back to you later today, if it would still be helpful.

I didn't realise you were having any problems - I don't often visit the IDI forums.
Have just had a quick look & the stuff you want to do can be done fairly straightforwardly. Can see all the info you want in IDI; can apply labels to all images in folder by drag and drop.

There's no getting away from the fact that it is a highly complex prog with lots of options & it is very easy to get lost in it. Surprised you didn't get responses that told you how to what you wanted on the forums..

1291

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Ad Muncher On Sale at Bits duJor Wednesday, March 31, 2010

« Last post by Dormouse on March 31, 2010, 03:36 AM »

Hey, anybody know which subscription level the Bits promo covers?

-J-Mac (March 31, 2010, 02:40 AM)

Anything and everything. Basic, Premium, Multiple, Extra Years, Lifetime. Seems even to be upgrades (may need to contact them direct for these).
You want it, they'll give you the BdJ discount on it.
 

1292

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: WinPatrol PLUS at 50% off until April 7

« Last post by Dormouse on March 29, 2010, 02:30 PM »

I think VERY highly of WinPatrol PLUS

-cyberdiva (March 29, 2010, 01:20 PM)

Agreed.
I think VERY highly of Bill too. Feels so much nicer to buy software when you fully approve of the developer.
Has to be a good deal at 50% off.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Question - Does anyone know of such a program? - Data organizer

« Last post by Dormouse on March 29, 2010, 05:35 AM »

I use Ultra Recall.
Comparison between editions.
Manual
On BitsDuJour a few days ago - but that might not help you now (though always worth asking).

I'm sure InfoQube could do this too. Or will be able to do what it doesn't do now.
Ultra Recall is pretty complex, but I've not yet got to grips with InfoQube (previously SQLNotes).

Development of Ultra Recall was (very briefly) suspended which introduces a slight questionmark about the future if the income it produces does not hold up. But that will be true for other programs too whether they say it or not.

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Living Room / CanSecWest- Iphone, Safari, ie, Firefox hacked

« Last post by Dormouse on March 25, 2010, 05:45 AM »

Day One hacks at CanSecWest

As promised, the iPhone did get hacked, along with the usual suspects.

Nice to see one of the successful hackers uses Opera for their own browsing 

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General Software Discussion / Re: Dell: No refunds for Linux users who reject Microsoft's OS EULA

« Last post by Dormouse on March 23, 2010, 06:05 PM »

Dell's contract with the purchaser is 'Give us some money, we'll give you this computer with W7 on it'. Dell would only be responsible if they'd got an agreement with MS to underwrite these returns.

-katykaty (March 23, 2010, 05:26 PM)

Dell have a contract with the purchaser. If the computer, as sold and advertised, does not have a working copy of W7 because the purchaser won't accept MS's EULA then that is Dell's responsibility not MS's. Dell, of course, do have a contract with MS and being prudent and aware of the EULA it seems reasonably likely that there will be some soft of comeback at MS if they do have to pay out.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Dell: No refunds for Linux users who reject Microsoft's OS EULA

« Last post by Dormouse on March 22, 2010, 03:45 AM »

Dell does sell machines without Windows, at a cheaper price, so you are being charged for Windows when you buy a Windows machine. That being said, if you don't want Windows, don't buy a Dell with Windows, and save some money and not deal with the hassles of fighting with Dell to get a refund on the unwanted OS.

-app103 (March 21, 2010, 11:35 PM)

The original article was about someone in the UK who bought a netbook. Presumably he did not have an option to make that purchase without Windows (if there was it would have been very straightforward for him to be refunded any difference in price or to reject the goods and get the one he really wanted). Dell had previously refunded $115 to someone who bought a notebook.

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 04:11 PM »

I don't want to unlock it, I want to jailbreak it. Two different things.

-Musubi (March 20, 2010, 04:07 PM)

Accepted: I used the wrong word; not concentrating. - but what you are wanting to do is to change the experience away from the one that Apple have designed. And Apple would argue that if they allowed people to do that, they would no longer have the smooth OS experience that makes the iPhone popular.

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 03:59 PM »

The massive number of apps only came later. First came the OS/hardware (very much designed as a single unit). Then they rigidly controlled the apps that got through so that the OS/hardware experience always worked the same. It is this bit that MS see (and probably correctly) but it isn't something that MS has ever really done/enforced before. But doing it massively restricts freedom. Why do you want to unlock the iPhone if you get one>

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 03:35 PM »

then the iphone would be paradoxically the most 'open" system because of the most developed jailbreaking community, and it's more popular = more crackers and hackers are  will try to hack and crack it.

-Musubi (March 20, 2010, 01:58 PM)

I very much doubt that. Apple control the hardware, the OS and the software and their whole philosophy is about their having total control of everything. This level of control will be new for MS & they have to carry developers with them to have a chance of getting real market share. And the carriers? - they've never shown any ability to control anything except your ability to connect. I can't see them being able to lock phones, though  you might have to access other stores through your computer rather than your phone. And their only interest is in maximising the revenue they can get - they don't really care about what you do if they get more revenue. MS and the carriers are envious of the revenue Apple get from their store, and that is what the carriers are really after. MS are wanting control because they think that is what has given Apple the usability that makes the iPhone popular.

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 09:08 AM »

I don't know that I would worry about the law. I'd think the chance of any prosecution would be nil. What it does do though, is give Apple complete justification for providing you with no support.