contribute Your ideas for a new image database application

Hello,

I'm a software developer and meantime will start writing a new digital "photo album" software program that is meant mostly for advanced users (at least advanced features will be there). Since I'm a digital photo enthusiast myself too, I have also personal need for a good tool (unfortunately, ZoomBrowser is not my best friend . I know there are a lot of similar programs already out there, but unfortunately most of them are too limited.

That program will have several features integrated: photo album (actually a powerful database, I would like that you can link several images to one, for example you can link your original source images and development files to the final image), compherensive slideshow, image browser/manager and feature to make self-running distributable slideshow CDs from your images. I will also contain a transer module, that will transfer images from card reader to computer and allows automatic naming rules (you can construct your own file naming schemas).

I know a lot of other people are asking and looking for the same thing, so I ask, if anyone has ideas or wishes about such software, please let me know. If you are interested to get usable and functional photo database application, please let me know what features you need. What features are missing from existing programs and what should be added?


Ahto

Hi Ahto,

I haven't actually used enough different image database applications to be very helpful, but the idea of linking source, intermediate and final images, and having a download component, sounds very good to me.

Personally, I would favor the development of search/cataloging capabilities over image manipulation features, as I prefer to use Photoshop for those tasks. Easy access to archival media (CD-R, CD-RW, ORB drives in my case), and an easy way to develop and access keywords in searches would be very useful to me.

I'll keep thinking about this. Meanwhile, good luck and keep us all informed of your progress!

Thanks for listening,
Mark

Mark,

Yes, for image editing you can launch external applications, this program will not have image editing capabilities (it will probably have batch conversion etc).

Currently my idea is that the database will store smaller (for example 1024x768, user selectable) JPEG image of the original image. Original image itself may be on removable media etc, so it will be linked (and you can retrieve/launch original/development files anytime). That way in the database it takes less room, but you can still browse your album and see your images as slideshow, even your original/big images are on different CDs.

Ahto

Ahto,

I agree with Mark, especially about a keyword search capability. It might be nice for this to recognize exif data and search for keywords in it. There are applications that store user-entered keywords, but I don't know of anything that easily looks in exif to search for pictures.

Hi Atho.

Will it be available for Mac users?

Please.

Sorry, only PC!

Take a look at the (free) FotoTime cataloger application, FotoAlbum. For my purposes, all it lacks is the abilty to catalog removable media, to accurately pass filename parameters to external programs (it fails to do so with Photostitch), and to catalog .AVI files or other movie files you can create with digital cameras. The ability to separate the file locations from the thumbnail pointers, and to create multiple albums from the same pictures, is a really nice feature.