GPS suggestions

Ideas for improvements and requests for new features in XnView MP

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GeorgD
Posts: 291
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:45 pm

GPS suggestions

Post by GeorgD »

Hello all,

let's start a collaborative collection of possible features concerning GPS / geo-coded images, estimate their importance and discuss possible UI implications. Showing the location on a map in XnView MP's Browser (tick Menu > View > Panels > Information then select "GPS") or in Internet browser (Menu > Metadata > Open GPS Location in) is great, but by far not all it takes...
  • the map delay is too high (is >20sek!). IMHO extremely important, whole feature makes no sense like this. As of 2024, the map delay is short (barely noticable) – it seems the delay is only based on Internet connection speed, while XnView does not add deplay.
  • show location of multiple files, i.e. all selected files in browser mode. Clicking one marker on the map makes the respective picture the current one in browser. IMHO very important.
  • Add Settings - Browser - Thumbnail - Overlay Icons - "red GPS for missing data". IMHO important as missing geo-information is more relevant to know (exception/problem) than existing (standard, all shall have it) for several use cases, e.g. a hiking tour. See suggestion for classic XnView version http://newsgroup.xnview.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=18704 Alternative: In Search > Conditions > Add > EXIF, extend list by GPS with operator "is empty" so one can search for pictures missing GPS metadata.
  • Add option for default map zoom level, maybe split into "for 1 vs. multimple images" (multiple may be used for overview = less zoomed) and "map vs satellite vs terrain" (map is for overview, sat is for details, terrain shall be detailed enough to show elevation level). IMHO important to make feature really useful.
  • In browser mode, add options "show only pictures contained in shown map region" (disable centering map on each newly selected file?) and "sort by distance from current image" (or from manually located pin in map) IMHO very important as they enable a new way / use case to browse my collection, e.g. if someone asks "show me pictures of picturesque Bamberg". Yes, I can use tools specialized in that like GeoSetter, but they offer only minimal image tooling.
  • In Search > Conditions > Add > EXIF, extend list by "GPS" with following operators. IMHO very important to quickly find relevant pictures (e.g. with certain keywords) in bigger image selections, e.g. from all travels to a certain region when friends plan to go there. Only few tools support a search based on a combination of location and numerous other metadata.
    • "distance from manually located pin in map", "distance from coordinates", "distance from track(s)" (full path to a GPX/KML/KMZ file), "within current map view" to find pictures taken from a certain area
    • "viewing direction towards manually located pin in map" to find pictures showing a certain mountain or building (i.e. these images can not be taken at mountain's location but must be taken from another location). Note: This will usually be used in combination with "distance from ..." or "within current map view" as you cannot see Taj Mahal from Paris due to too big distance even tough the direction is correct.
    • "is empty" so one can search for pictures missing GPS metadata.
  • Allow other map sources for map panel in Borwser. IMHO important to make maps panel useful for much more use cases, e.g. altitude is a cruicial aspect for hike, bike or ski tours but invisible in standard maps of Google & OSM, and same applies to rural areas like Iceland's heart,
    where standard maps do show nearly nothing so orientation is really difficult, while terrain maps show the valleys & mountain ridges & surface types that are the landmarks for orientation like cities & streets are in urban areas. In Panel Information > GPS, add a drop down offering to quicky change between different maps. Which maps? Two ideas
    • Easy for users, but satisfying only a limited amount of use cases, and requiring ongoing maintenance beacause map APIs change: In Settings > Browser, add text "Default map" and a drop-down listing the maps of "Menu > Metadata > Open GPS location in" and additionally Google Maps Terrain and one of the Open Street Map terrain oriented renderings like OpenTopoMap/OpenHikingMap/...
    • A little more complex but much more powerful, satisfaying nearly all use cases, and requiring nearly no ongoing maintenance: In Settings > Browser, allow users to add/remove lines with 2 text fileds, one being the map's display name, one being the URL. In standard settings, the currently existing entries in "Menu > Metadata > Open GPS location in" are shown, so users see how the URLs are structured. Would be similar to JSON background imagery, see =https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Hel ... umentation, so URLs further supported maps can be found in JSOM support forums etc.
  • In browser mode, add option "sort by location" (sort using space filling curve, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-filling_curve), but a traditional thumbnail list can't reflect 2 dimensions like a map can. Alternatively, add "browse on map", so a map with overlayed thumbnails (appearing in the fashion known from Browser, so with tag status, color coding,...), which is more intuitive. IMHO nice, not important, as multiple markers on map come close.
  • Possibility to change the location by dragging on the map. IMHO not important, I can use tools specialized in that like GeoSetter, they will always be better at that task. IMHO more interesting: call those tools with current pic & map region.
  • Possibility to create a "geo film strip" for Google Earth etc. IMHO not important, I can use tools specialized in that like GeoSetter.
Feel free to append, discuss my estimation of importance & useages. /Georg
Last edited by GeorgD on Mon Jan 15, 2024 1:55 pm, edited 3 times in total.
In the XnView Wiki, you can improve the user guide / documentation / F1-help for XnView (classic/Windows) and for XnViewMP
alobo
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2017 3:24 pm

Re: GPS suggestions

Post by alobo »

Which of these suggestions have been implemented?
metal450
Posts: 132
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 6:01 am

Re: GPS suggestions

Post by metal450 »

I know this is a very old thread - but +1 for "show location of multiple files." I found this old suggestion when searching for a way to do just that - which I don't think is possible still :)
cicciobello
Posts: 223
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2013 7:08 pm

Re: GPS suggestions

Post by cicciobello »

YEAH! +1 again!
My suggestion is use offline maps: no latency and not needed internet connection.
DMHas
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:06 am

Re: GPS suggestions

Post by DMHas »

Hello together,

I know this a old thread. But I think, it will be really helpful to use optional OpenStreetMaps at the GPS screen.
OpenStreetMaps have much better map information. Is there chance to implement OpenStreetMaps as GPS maps source?

Best Regards
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GeorgD
Posts: 291
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:45 pm

Re: GPS suggestions

Post by GeorgD »

alobo wrote: Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:56 am Which of these suggestions have been implemented?
As of v1.6.1 and as far as I found, only reducing the latency of map view, and having more map types available in "Menu > Metadata > Open GPS location in" :|

I updated the original post because XnView MP developed further and I learned better what I am missing.

For me, the importance grew, because
  • geotagged pictures are much more widespread since mobile phones, digital cameras etc. have built-in geotagging campabilities
  • GeoSetter is a mostly dead project and has major stability problems in Win 10+11, but I did not yet find a proper replacement that is stable, efficient & easy to use, and actively maintained – suggestions are welcome!
In the XnView Wiki, you can improve the user guide / documentation / F1-help for XnView (classic/Windows) and for XnViewMP
cicciobello
Posts: 223
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2013 7:08 pm

Re: GPS suggestions

Post by cicciobello »

DMHas wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 5:28 pm OpenStreetMaps have much better map information. Is there chance to implement OpenStreetMaps as GPS maps source?
[%General]
gpsProvider=osm

But I had problems with the zoom. I haven't tried with the latest MP release.

I would also like to be able to select multiple images and view them on the map, even in full screen.
Yes, unfortunately GeoSetter seems dead. And by the way, doing all this inside MP would be amazing.
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michel038
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Re: GPS suggestions

Post by michel038 »

GeoSetter is a mostly dead project and has major stability problems in Win 10+11, but I did not yet find a proper replacement that is stable, efficient & easy to use, and actively maintained – suggestions are welcome!
With picageotag, you can display maps with marks to localize photos, geotag photos where gps coordinates are missing, build gpx files, use gpx files to geotag photos ... freeware.

Yes, all these functions in xnviewmp would be a must.
cicciobello
Posts: 223
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2013 7:08 pm

Re: GPS suggestions

Post by cicciobello »

michel038 wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2024 3:46 pm With picageotag
I tried PicaGeoTag.
I only found the installation version (I really prefer the portable versions).
The interface is not standard (on Windows 10), and I don't like that.
The Options window offers very few options (it's the first thing I look at in a program).
I opened a directory with various images (which I use for testing) and the program crashed (Java heap space). Twice.
It seems well made and displays multiple photos on the map (this is good).
But at a certain point I even gave up on opening a GPX track. Uninstalled.
Yes, I know, this is no way to evaluate a program. :-|
But I didn't like too many things.

For now I continue with GeoSetter.
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