Some basic questions about EE

[c_by_sinus]

Hi all,
I am very new here.
I came here to this forum, because the programmer from IMatch (www.photools.com), a Image-management-programm, said on his forum, that Pekkas software would be one of the best.

Because I am very limited in my English and before I dive into the whole EE-stuff, please allow me some basic question!?
I came here into your thread, because this lightbox-stuff is one of the basic question.

About me: I am a professional photographer who want sell pics on the net. But for this the system must allow some basic stuff, if not, then the system is not "good enough" for this.

Here are my basic questions:

1) Can a user search for the iptc-fields, stored in a image?

2) If he found an image, can he store it in a lightbox? (not really necessary, but very useful)

3) A user found an image and then he want to download it. Then there must be a sort of password - system protect the image. Usually: the user must once register. Then he will become a password and can download one or more images with this password. Is this possible?

4) When the user downloads an image with a password - system, then the admin should be aware of that. The admin must:
a) see new users, who has registered
b) see downloads from these users (what images)
c) hast the possibility, to unregister a user
d) not a must, but very useful, when he can see, with what keywords the users has searched
For all this the admin should have a sort of log-files. In case of a and b it would be better, if the admin would get a mail additional

It would be great, if someone could answer these questions.
The questions are based on a usual requirements for photoagencies.
Because usually, in easy words, the agency fills the images with iptc-values, uploads this (hi-res) image on a system.
The system does generate thumbs and gives the journalists, image-researchers, the possibilities to search with keywords like "Venezia" or "Clinton Bill" or "Man dog lake" the images.
When he has found images, then he must register once, get a password and can download the images.
The agency will be aware of that (mails, log-files) and will send at the downloader an invoice. (Big agencies works even with online-pay-systems, but this, I think, is a more serious stuff and for small agencies not really necessary).

Thanks really for an answer, they will allow me to dive into this software (with my limited English and I am NOT a programmer) or to say, hmmmmmm, I must wait a bit, before Pekka does offer such or better system

Thanks
Markus

[Evanrich]

none of the features you ask for are available yet. Lightbox was already suggested, but still hasn't been coded or added yet.


Evan

[c_by_sinus]

evanrich wrote:
none of the features you ask for are available yet. Lightbox was already suggested, but still hasn't been coded or added yet.


Evan

Hi Evan,
Thanks a lot for your answer.
Hmmm, that is a pity, because I like the graphical aproach from EE.
But in this case, the system is simply not realy interesting for professionals, who wants sell images.
Search (or integration) iptc-fields is a must and also the download from the high-res-image.
The password-system could maybe added from outside EE ... hmm ... what a pity.
Or are here some professionals, what are working with EE? Please write then, maybe you found another way.
Thanks
Markus

[Pekka]

Hi,

EE has a ordering template system called "EE commerce" which is basically an interface to any user-defined ordering form , fed with current photo data and other required info. When user clicks "order this photo" (or whatever you have defined the text as) you get a choice of ordering methods (like Paypal, Mail) and depending on the target ordering system the photos will be fed to a shopping cart (e.g. with Paypal), sent to printing service, or order is mailed. I have one demo sell link under the photo in http://www.photography-on-the.net/ga...oto=1&lang=eng which lets you get the idea.

I have not made EE a photo shopping cart with user login and tracking. I've considered it more important to have a very good solid and fast gallery system for browsing and displaying images first, then I'll add more features in order of popularity i.e. which benefits most users. I build EE from bottom up. EE commerce is one step in helping people order/buy photos, more will surely follow ("Add to favourites" combined to EE commerce features will come in 1.6).

Most of the IPTC and EXIF data is read from images on upload and fed into database in appropriate fields. After image is uploaded it is not IPTC-read in any point after that. Currently there are 14 data fields to keyword-search from. EE has also 20 sort fields, unlimited categories and custom listing methods (types). All this is "held" while switching exhibitions. See http://photography-on-the.net/galler...&revealforms=1 how it works.

If you run a commercial photo agency I'm sure there are ready-made commercial systems for your requirements.

[c_by_sinus]

pekka wrote:

Hi,
Most of the IPTC and EXIF data is read from images on upload and fed into database in appropriate fields. After image is uploaded it is not IPTC-read in any point after that. Currently there are 14 data fields to keyword-search from. EE has also 20 sort fields, unlimited categories and custom listing methods (types). All this is "held" while switching exhibitions. See http://photography-on-the.net/galler...&revealforms=1 how it works.

If you run a commercial photo agency I'm sure there are ready-made commercial systems for your requirements.

Hi Pekka,
Thanks a lot for your answer.
Sorry to ask again: the iptc-answer I understood not fully.
From the iptc-fields used worldwide, are sure the most used: keywords, supplemental categories and caption (description).

If I understand you right, these iptc-fields will flow into your system? But we cannot search after this?
Let us say, I have one image with

iptc-keyword: table, girl, flowers
caption: A girl in a white dress is sitting on a table with flowers
suppl. categories: human, interiour

Now I use your system. These 3 fields I can see on the screen. Can I then search for "human" or for "table" or for "white"?

Sorry to ask again, but your system seems very good and the first part of your answer seemed interesting.

BTW: no, I do not know a real system, what I can buy as a small photoagencie, and where I have not to pay tousends of dollars. Maybe cumulus could be a solution, but has its own limitations.
The best image-management tool nowadays is IMatch, from my point of view, far better than Fotostation, Cumulus or Portfolio, but it lacks a real "Web-content-system" like yours

Thanks Pekka
Markus

[Pekka]

c_by_sinus wrote:

Hi Pekka,
Thanks a lot for your answer.
Sorry to ask again: the iptc-answer I understood not fully.
From the iptc-fields used worldwide, are sure the most used: keywords, supplemental categories and caption (description).

If I understand you right, these iptc-fields will flow into your system? But we cannot search after this?
Let us say, I have one image with

iptc-keyword: table, girl, flowers
caption: A girl in a white dress is sitting on a table with flowers
suppl. categories: human, interiour

Now I use your system. These 3 fields I can see on the screen. Can I then search for "human" or for "table" or for "white"?

Markus,

As it is now in beta 4, you can choose to search keywords OR caption. The search result can be limited to certain category (or all categories).

In beta 4 categories are not automatically fetched and assigned from ITPC, this is on my todo list for release version of 1.5. It is not on top of the list so I suppose it'll take about 10 days to get it "on table" and into EE (I do play two symphony concerts in Vienna next week which slows coding a bit). Caption and keywords are saved in EE as "photo description" and "keywords".

See http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...?t=16709#89751 for search tips.

As you seem to wish for something I've had on todo list as "advanced search", I'll have to see it that can be pushed to 1.5 or 1.51.

It is always possible to add features like "add IPTC data into new database fields with standard IPTC field names, link that data to photos and add an extra 'IPTC search' form for them" (actually this is easy one in technical point of view), but as I have said before I try to
a) get 1.5 out and not add features every day and keep it in beta for months, and
b) add those features first which are useful for most people out there - specific tasks which are not daily stuff for photographers will come slower.

[c_by_sinus]

pekka wrote:
Markus,

As it is now in beta 4, you can choose to search keywords OR caption. The search result can be limited to certain category (or all categories).

In beta 4 categories are not automatically fetched and assigned from ITPC, this is on my todo list for release version of 1.5. It is not on top of the list so I suppose it'll take about 10 days to get it "on table" and into EE (I do play two symphony concerts in Vienna next week which slows coding a bit). Caption and keywords are saved in EE as "photo description" and "keywords".

See http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...?t=16709#89751 for search tips.

As you seem to wish for something I've had on todo list as "advanced search", I'll have to see it that can be pushed to 1.5 or 1.51.

It is always possible to add features like "add IPTC data into new database fields with standard IPTC field names, link that data to photos and add an extra 'IPTC search' form for them" (actually this is easy one in technical point of view), but as I have said before I try to
a) get 1.5 out and not add features every day and keep it in beta for months, and
b) add those features first which are useful for most people out there - specific tasks which are not daily stuff for photographers will come slower.

Hi Pekka,
Thank a lot for your answer. This seems great. I will look your great system closer.
And BTW: Thanks for your great and quick support, it seems that behind good, very good programs stand often one person alone and this person gives very good support like you or Mario M. Westphal with his IMatch (www.photools.com).
Try to ask for example something like I had with other programs like cumulus, portfolio and others
Thanks, go ahead with your music and with your excellent work here.
Markus