Gallery

[JohnFredC]

The first version had thumbs, but the problem is effect setting. Where to put them

I'll use both tools for a little while and see if I can come up with a (not overly complicated) suggestion.

[JohnFredC]

You would like that i write my own image picker (gallery), right? Yes gallery is very slow

Yes! But it should be a separate app called XnSelect or something like that. It shouldn't be a full gallery, that would be a different app ("XnGallery", perhaps ).

It just needs to have an easy to use file system navigator with thumbs, favorites, and history. Maybe a couple of optional views: thumbs only, thumbs + filename, thumbs + filename + size + date. And the ability to sort by filename or size or date.

But a good start would be thumb images only. I would immediately set it as the default "image picker" on my tablet.

The idea of several "little" apps instead of one "big" app is very appealing.

[xnview]

It just needs to have an easy to use file system navigator with thumbs, favorites, and history. Maybe a couple of optional views: thumbs only, thumbs + filename, thumbs + filename + size + date. And the ability to sort by filename or size or date.

Could you tell me more You can navigate in the the current Gallery

[JohnFredC]

Hi Pierre

I recognize that Android is attempting to "merge" local resources with cloud resources, and that is why the Gallery is the default image picker. But in practical use for local image files the default Gallery is too "heavy" to serve as a file picker because it has to reconnect to the user's cloud resources when it opens. For instance, it reconnects with my Picasa web albums every time it opens, which takes "forever" (many pics in many Picasa albums)!!! (I recognize that local files are displayed first!)

In Windows, File Open/Save etc. make API calls that display "light-weight" standardized file selector dialogs with default domains, etc. I am new to Android, but apparently there are no similar standardized dialogs available to the developer? Total Commander for Android appears to implement its own such dialogs, and other applications don't seem to use anything like them.

So my idea was an Android app that would replicate the functionality of those dialogs, esp. for XnSketch, XnRetro, and perhaps other applications that are "document-centric".

Initial functionality should simply enable navigation through the Android file system, display image thumbs, and pass the user's selection back to the calling application (ie. XnSketch or XnRetro).

I think screen layout similar to a Windows dialog might be welcomed by many of us.

Another advantage might be more exposure for your work in the marketplace.

Yes, graphics is your thing, not file systems per se, but...

[xnview]

Ok And how do you seen the UI? features?

[JohnFredC]

Hi Pierre OK, here are some thoughts!

LAYOUT & FUNCTIONALITY-------------------------------------------

• • Fill the screen
  • Adapt to screen aspect ratio (3:2, 16:9, 16:10, etc.)
  • Auto-rotate by default (disable in Settings)

• Components
  
  • Breadcrumb bar/combo/search widget thingie (for system navigation)
  • Align Top
  • Image grid (set thumbs size in Settings)
  • Align Client
    
    Swipe: Scroll
    Single touch: Select image
    Long touch: Display context menu
    • Image context menu items:
      • Add to favorite images
        Duplicate
        Rename
        Properties
        ----------------------
        Delete
  
  • Function Toolbar
  • Align Bottom
    
    Toolbar buttons:
    
    • [Open/Save] (depending)
      
      [Cancel] (Close/return to calling app)
      
      [More] (Display "More" toolbar:scroll up from bottom)
      
      • "More" toolbar buttons:
        
        [Favorite folders] (display context menu)
        • Favorite folders menu items:
          • Folder 1
            Folder 2
            Folder 3
            ----------
            Add current folder to favorites
            Maintain favorite folders
        
        [Favorite images] (display context menu)
        • Favorite images menu items:
          • Image 1 (tiny thumb + name)
            Image 2
            Image 3
            ----------
            Add selected image to favorites
            Maintain favorite images
        
        [Settings] (display settings panel)

USER WORKFLOW----------------------------------------------------

• • XnSelect starts at previous folder
  -or-
  • XnSelect starts in commandline parameter folder (is this possible in Android?)
  
  • User employs navigation bar to change folders/search image
  -or-
  • User selects from favorite folders via More->Favorite folders
  
  • User scrolls image grid (vertical? horizontal? Both?)
  
  • User touches a thumb to select the image
  -or-
  • User selects from favorite images via More->Favorite images
  
  • User touches [Open/Save]
  
  • XnSelect returns image filename to calling app.

SETTINGS------------------------------------------------------------------

• Home folder
  • (•) Previous
    ( ) Favorite [Select...]
    ( ) Other [Select...]
  Thumbs
  • [x] Respect image aspect ratio (default=square crop)
  • [x] Grid
    • Color [Select...]
      Width [Select...]
    
    # Thumbs across
    • Portrait
      • ( ) Default
        (•) 2
        ( ) 3
        ( ) 4
        etc.
      Landscape
      • ( ) Default
        ( ) 2
        ( ) 3
        (•) 4
        etc.
  
  (Note: Default settings for thumbs across to be based on screen aspect ratios)
  
  [x] Show breadcrumb bar/allow navigation
  [x] Show "Delete" menu item
  
  (•) Auto-rotate screen
  ( ) Display fixed orientation
  • ( ) Horizontal
    ( ) Vertical
    [x] Start upside-down
  
  [x] Enable multiselection

Pierre, K-9 email has a nice "bottom toolbar" implementation. So does Dolphin mini (browser).

I don't know of a breadcrumb bar in Android. However, the Xplore file manager has an interesting approach that combines folders and files in the same hierarchy. Maybe something like that would work better than a grid + breadcrumb bar.

[xnview]

Do you have tried QuickPic??

[JohnFredC]

Hi Pierre

I just tried Quickpic! It works great.

In light of that, no need for you to re-invent the horse.