Feature Request: Image order & thumbnail options
Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:15 pm
I had posted this on the old forums but after trying the 2.1 version of the scaling filter, one of my problems has been resolved. So, I have two feature requests that I would love to see in the next version:
1) Allow an option to upload the files in the proper order. Currently the files are uploaded in opposite order (the last thumbnail you see in the preview window gets uploaded first, and the first thumbnail you see gets uploaded last). I understand this was done to be able to just remove the last thumbnail after sending it, without resorting the rest. But perhaps if you choose to send the files in order, you could do something like fade out (lower opacity) or superimpose a checkmark or something over the transmitted files, so you still wouldn't have to redraw them all.
2) Provide some solution to the problem of adding LOTS (hundreds) of photos to the uploader, and having it take a long time (minute or more) to render the thumbnails before you can upload them. My suggested solutions, in order of preference, would be:
a) Go ahead and render the thumbnails, just like today, but do it in a different thread and allow the upload button to be active and start uploading even while the thumbnails are rendering. This would be the most transparent to the user, and thus my favorite.
b) Provide a checkbox or a separate cancel button that the end user can click if they see it's taking too long to render the thumbnails, so that they can stop the thumbnail rendering and get on with uploading, etc. This is okay - if the user only has a few pictures they won't mind waiting, but if they have a ton, they may just wait to make sure the first few look okay, then want to stop the rendering so they can upload.
c) Provide a parameter/property that I can set to disable thumbnails. This is least desirable, since it means that I (webmaster) have to decide up front whether to show thumbnails, without knowing how many pictures the user is going to try to upload. If they only have a handful, they might have preferred the thumbnails even though I disable them, etc. But it's still better than having to wait several minutes before uploading.
In any of these cases, when a thumbnail is not displayed for an image, it could just be replaced with an image/icon which can be specified in the parameters/properties. That way I can choose whether to display a static image here, or just generate an "image" with text saying "no thumbnail", or make a blank image to display here, etc. Of course the filename should still be displayed under this image...
I hope this is clear and I thank the developers for taking the time to listen. I have traded a couple of private emails about this with one of the engineers but thought maybe it's best to move the discussion back to the forums in case there is any other input, etc.
Steve
1) Allow an option to upload the files in the proper order. Currently the files are uploaded in opposite order (the last thumbnail you see in the preview window gets uploaded first, and the first thumbnail you see gets uploaded last). I understand this was done to be able to just remove the last thumbnail after sending it, without resorting the rest. But perhaps if you choose to send the files in order, you could do something like fade out (lower opacity) or superimpose a checkmark or something over the transmitted files, so you still wouldn't have to redraw them all.
2) Provide some solution to the problem of adding LOTS (hundreds) of photos to the uploader, and having it take a long time (minute or more) to render the thumbnails before you can upload them. My suggested solutions, in order of preference, would be:
a) Go ahead and render the thumbnails, just like today, but do it in a different thread and allow the upload button to be active and start uploading even while the thumbnails are rendering. This would be the most transparent to the user, and thus my favorite.
b) Provide a checkbox or a separate cancel button that the end user can click if they see it's taking too long to render the thumbnails, so that they can stop the thumbnail rendering and get on with uploading, etc. This is okay - if the user only has a few pictures they won't mind waiting, but if they have a ton, they may just wait to make sure the first few look okay, then want to stop the rendering so they can upload.
c) Provide a parameter/property that I can set to disable thumbnails. This is least desirable, since it means that I (webmaster) have to decide up front whether to show thumbnails, without knowing how many pictures the user is going to try to upload. If they only have a handful, they might have preferred the thumbnails even though I disable them, etc. But it's still better than having to wait several minutes before uploading.
In any of these cases, when a thumbnail is not displayed for an image, it could just be replaced with an image/icon which can be specified in the parameters/properties. That way I can choose whether to display a static image here, or just generate an "image" with text saying "no thumbnail", or make a blank image to display here, etc. Of course the filename should still be displayed under this image...
I hope this is clear and I thank the developers for taking the time to listen. I have traded a couple of private emails about this with one of the engineers but thought maybe it's best to move the discussion back to the forums in case there is any other input, etc.
Steve