V2 Beta of Clipboard Help+Spell With Support for Images

[mouser]

Ok I may be finally ready to add image support to Clipboard Help+Spell, iff it's something enough people really want.

Since CHS is really focused on handling text clips i recognize that most current users probably don't have image capturing as a top feature need, but i am interested in hearing what people thing about the importance of this feature.  If/when it gets added it will of course be optional.

So, what do you think?

[superticker]

... ready to add image support to Clipboard Help+Spell, iff it's something enough people really want.

There are two different problems here: (1) Image capture and (2) image archiving/photo album. I would start by creating an image photo album program (with plugins for the different image formats), then add image capture to it later.  I would leave Clipboard Help+Spell out of it.

Another approach would involve changing the name of Clipboard Help+Spell to something with "image clip" in it, then temporarily add the feature only to spin the feature off later into an image archiving program. But this seems like an awkward approach to me.

At any rate, you can always implement COM/DCOM calls (Microsoft OLE) so that both Clipboard Help+Spell and the image archiving program can talk to one another just as MS Word and MS Excel work together as a seamless solution. My only reservation is that the API for COM/OLE is so darn complicated beyond the "standard services," OPEN, PRINT, WRITE.  You almost need a Microsoft architect to design the calling sequences.

[mouser]

Here's what i was basically envisioning:

• A new option to tell CHS to monitor the clipboard for when images are copied to clipboard.
• Options for max size of files to save, and max age to save them for.
• When engaged, and a new image is copied to the clipboard, it would be saved in CHS database/images directory, as a standalone file, and an entry added to the clip database referring to this file.
• At any time you could manually delete files in the database/images directory without harm; maybe some maintenance functions to help prune the image directory.
• Selecting a clip in the grid with an image would show the image thumbnail in the main clip view; option to show thumbnails in popup quick paste window.
• Maybe some options for automatically lossily compressing images (or older images).

[cranioscopical]

It's no surprise that my vote for this one is
                               YES              YES              YES

There are any number of image capture programs, but I find it extremely useful to have this feature running under the auspices of a clipboard monitor/manger.

[rgdot]

"It would be nice to have but it's not that important to me"

The reason for me is the obvious one, I won't need it often. Having said that

When engaged, and a new image is copied to the clipboard, it would be saved in CHS database/images directory, as a standalone file, and an entry added to the clip database referring to this file.

can be nice, even turns CHS into a de facto image database

[mouser]

Let's remember, this won't be a screenshoting tool, and it won't be a very useful general image database.. this is much more of a dumb image clipboard history feature.  It's primary feature will be to provide access to, and backup for, images you put on the clipboard in the recent past.

[superticker]

Just three questions:

• How is the new image features for Clipboard Help+Spell going to be any different from Screenshot Captor?
• Would it make more sense to enhance Screenshot Captor so it would work more like Clipboard Help+Spell for images?
• After enhancements, could COM/OLE calls be added so the two programs could work seamlessly together to manage images?

[mouser]

Ok I see there is definitely some confusion here about the nature of image features i am proposing adding to CHS.

I am open to all kinds of ideas, but let me clarify more what *I* envision.

Here's what I don't propose:

• I don't propose to make CHS a tool for managing and browsing images like good image managers,databases do.
• I don't propose to give CHS good features for taking snapshots like Screenshot Captor.

My idea was in line with how i understand most Clipboard tools that work with images do.

That is, simply watch the clipboard for when image data is put on the clipboard -- for example when you select a region in photoshop (or Screenshot Captor or whatever), and copy it to the clipboard.

The idea is that when this happens, when you select an image in any program and hit Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard, CHS would save this temporary clipboard image in a local file and record a clip entry for it.

This clip entry would show up in your clipboard history just like the text entries do now.  You will be able to preview it in the grid view, or paste it back into another program using the quick paste menu, just like a test clip.

In other words, images would be handled in just the way text clips are handled now.

[bob99]

It would be nice but I voted #2.  I've been using CHS a lot more since yesterday.  Still getting used to it but it's been very helpful with keeping track of my text clips.
And since I realized I can drag and drop an image into SC, rename it and add a note.  Which is what I'd want to do with CHS.
Not sure if it's doable, or the right thought process but could a plug-in be added to CHS that if it sees it is an image, send it to SC?

[mouser]

could a plug-in be added to CHS that if it sees it is an image, send it to SC?

One of the things that i could do is let users tell CHS how and where clipboard images should be stored.

So you could tell CHS, when it detects image data on the clipboard, save it to a file named C:\ScreenshotCaptor\Screenshots\Chs\DATE_TIME.extension
or C:\ScreenshotCaptor\Screenshots\YEAR\MONTH\TIME.extension
etc.

[bob99]

could a plug-in be added to CHS that if it sees it is an image, send it to SC?

One of the things that i could do is let users tell CHS how and where clipboard images should be stored.

So you could tell CHS, when it detects image data on the clipboard, save it to a file named C:\ScreenshotCaptor\Screenshots\Chs\DATE_TIME.extension
or C:\ScreenshotCaptor\Screenshots\YEAR\MONTH\TIME.extension
etc.

And possibly, (as an option?) allow SC to pop-up and show the image.  Then if you wanted to use any of SC's tools control is passed on to it to continue?

[cranioscopical]

this won't be a screenshoting tool, and it won't be a very useful general image database.. this is much more of a dumb image clipboard history feature.  It's primary feature will be to provide access to, and backup for, images you put on the clipboard in the recent past.

[IainB]

@mouser: Yes, I vote +1 for this.   

When engaged, and a new image is copied to the clipboard, it would be saved in CHS database/images directory, as a standalone file, and an entry added to the clip database referring to this file.
At any time you could manually delete files in the database/images directory without harm; maybe some maintenance functions to help prune the image directory

This would be very useful.
I currently use Picasa and SC. If I take a screen capture, and if Picasa is running, then Picasa will intercept it and put the captured image into a defined folder.
I have set SC to use this folder as its default storage location, so all my capturing of images goes into the one bucket.
I use Picasa to manage and delete the contents of the bucket.
If CHS could be pointed to using the same default bucket for its image captures, then that would be great.

[tomos]

I voted #2 but would lean towards #1
especially on reading more details

[barney]

It's no surprise that my vote for this one is
                                YES              YES               YES

There are any number of image capture programs, but I find it extremely useful to have this feature running under the auspices of a clipboard monitor/manger.

I'm with cranioscopical on this one  . 

A significant part (four (4) to six (6) hours) of my daily routine is to collate a number of different clips, which oft include images, into a cohesive document.  Being able to copy/paste included images from the same interface would greatly simplify - and significantly shorten - that task.

I've tried several clipboard managers over the years, but none have been adequate to the needed functionality.  CHS has come closest - with image support it would be near ideal  .

[mouser]

Image support is 50% 90% implemented.  Hope to have a beta version with image support ready for testing by end of week, april 29, 2011.




Some quick notes:

• The virtual sql groups make it easy to have a virtual folder showing all clips with images.
• When selecting an image clip you get a toolbar with quick functions to copy the image data, the path to the created image file, or quickly launch editor or viewer.
• As discussed, all captured image clips are saved to a file where you can manipulate them as you wish outside of the program; no harm comes if you delete image files outside of CHS.  Deleting an image clip will delete its corresponding external file.
• Bitmap clipboard data is by default converted to png files to save space; you can set maximum area size of images to capture.
• By default the filename for clip image files sorts clip images in subdirectories according to year/month/day.  You can customize where your images are stored.
• It's smart enough to avoid creating multiple clip image files if the image data in a new copy is the same as an existing clip image file

[cranioscopical]

    YES!    YES!    YES!


      Really  Great  Bonus

[mouser]

Ok I think it's all done except images in menus -- which is going to require some work.. Still expecting to have it done in the next day or two.

[Armando]

This is going to be both useful and fun!

[mouser]

Anyone want to beta test?

[Armando]

Sure. 
*But*... I probably won't have enough free time to give much feedback until the weekend.

[cranioscopical]

Anyone want to beta test?

Sure, make us do all the work!
I suppose you could force me, kicking and screaming all the way  

Can't wait to get at it.

[IainB]

@mouser: I'd be happy to ß test too.
Do you have anything specifically you want to test for, or just general usage?

[mouser]

V2 Beta with image support is here:
http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/clipboardhelpandspell/downloads/beta/ClipboardHelpAndSpellSetup.exe

Upgrading should be seamless, but please note that you may not be able to go back after you upgrade to this version, so if you have lots of critical clip/note data, do yourself a favor and backup your CHS Database directory first.

Note:
Upgraders will probably want to modify some settings on the "Quick Paste Pop-up Menu" tab of options.
The new default has Menu Images set to 64x64 but existing users have this set quite a bit larger.

Let me know what you think, any problems you experience, and any suggestions you may have.

[ewemoa]

Seems to work here with Irfanview and GIMP