Photo Orginization: Creating my own program

Palyriot · May 14, 2008

Hi everyone. For the past couple of days I've been working on a program for organizing your photos so you don't have to deal with Windows Explorer. I'm rather new to photography, but skilled in programming and would love if anyone could give me some ideas for development of my program.

Currently I have:

Category/Subcategory browsing
Photo browsing by category
Live preview of selected image (resizable)

Few things I plan on adding (way more will be added):

Direct ftp linking to sync online (selected photos) and offline collection
- This includes website software that will work alone or with the program
Import directly from camera or card
Smart renaming of photos
Auto BB code for showing your photos on forums
- Auto numbering
- Optional comments for each picture
Several available methods for organizing your photos.
Organized folders to allow for easy exporting of your collection

Obviously I don't have much yet, but would love some advice. Also, if anyone would like to use this program after I am finished, I will be hosting the file for anyone to use (for free).

Please, please anyone, tell me what you think would be good for a photo collection program. Also, go ahead and tell me your favorite method on organizing your photos so it can be included in the software.

Thank you,

Palyriot

hedonia · May 14, 2008

Very interesting. The problem I have with photo organizers is that they tend to be less simple than what I use by default: Each session of the year gets an order number, starting at year_number. That order number gets a folder (ClientName_Order#), and within that folder are folders for unedited files, tiffs to be edited, print ready files and web-ready proofs. That's it. I know where everything is, and I can find it in an instant.

I'm intrigued by your direct FTP idea. I'd love to have an automatic way to backup, say, the print-ready files in each folder to an online server. (I currently do it manually). I'd also LOVE to have a way to export my proofs to a new proofing page on my website, instead of doing it manually.

So, to summarize, for me the things that would make me want to buy your program:
The ability to EASILY define the method of file organization, and which files are included (I would only use it for my business files, not my personal snaps).
The ability to easily backup the edited files to the web (be it on google's server or mine).
The ability to ftp my proofs to my website, preferably along with the html code to have a simple proofing page.

These may not be things that other people would want, but that's what I would buy! Hope this helps you in your development.

JimmyO · May 14, 2008

Geez, that sounds pretty intresting. Keep us updated on how it works

dslrchat · May 14, 2008

Wow, funny I was starting something similar to this.
Using VB6, though my main issue is actually finishing my pet projects lol.

Palyriot · May 16, 2008

Thanks for all of your replies. Thank you Hedonia for your method. I'm currently adding your method to the program and have included a link to your post in this thread stating your idea. I'm making sure you get all of the credit. I've been working on the program a lot since I first wrote this thread and the program will take MANY more hours of work. I will probably wait to release the program until I have the FTP Sync feature finished.

dslrchat said:
Wow, funny I was starting something similar to this.
Using VB6, though my main issue is actually finishing my pet projects lol.

That's very cool. I'm writing mine in C#. I sometimes have a problem with finishing projects, but that's only if it's either stupid or really useless. How far did you get on your project? If you have any suggestions or ideas that you'd like to share with me, I'm open for them.

Hedonia:

Once again, thank you so much for giving me some serious insight about this project. You mentioned the word "buy" several times in your post. I'm pretty sure you were just using it as a phrase sort of, but the program will be completely free. I of course will be taking donation after the program is released. I'm a poor college student.

I think the best part of my program will be that it will take in real photographer's ideas and methods. It will be a program written by the TPF community.

I really look forward to reading everyone else's comments if anyone cares to reply.

Thank you,

Palyriot

PuppY_K1ck3R · May 16, 2008

How bout a GUI that looks like a calendar for the month and somehow have different sub folders within the days depending on when u download ur photos to the PC. But I guess what im trying to say is organizing photos in a chronological order then by category.

hedonia · May 16, 2008

No credit necessary! You're doing all the work, after all =)

By "buy", I actually did mean "buy"! I don't have a lot of money, but I believe in supporting people who are going out of their way to be creative and entrepreneurial! So, maybe I should say "donate", eh?

I like your calendar idea, Puppy Kicker (unfortunate moniker, yeesh). It would be great for people who are visually-oriented.

Palyriot · May 16, 2008

PuppY_K1ck3R said:
How bout a GUI that looks like a calendar for the month and somehow have different sub folders within the days depending on when u download ur photos to the PC. But I guess what im trying to say is organizing photos in a chronological order then by category.

I like your idea. I'll be adding it, but it won't be the main view. It will be an option you can change in the settings. Thank you for your suggestion.

hedonia said:
No credit necessary! You're doing all the work, after all =)

By "buy", I actually did mean "buy"! I don't have a lot of money, but I believe in supporting people who are going out of their way to be creative and entrepreneurial! So, maybe I should say "donate", eh?

I like your calendar idea, Puppy Kicker (unfortunate moniker, yeesh). It would be great for people who are visually-oriented.

I just have a (credit) link next to your name linking to the thread. But that's nice that you feel that you should donate. It's obvious this project isn't to make money, the donations are just there to make it possible to run the website and keep me off the streets...kind of. When I get further along would you like to be a tester for the program?