Discussion:
[KPhotoAlbum] possible new feature: select images from map
Matthias Füssel
2016-12-17 18:19:45 UTC
Permalink
Hello again,

this is a larger change, and possibly more controversial:

I always wanted to see my images on a large map and select them by selecting
an area, like I can select images by selecting a category tag.

I know that I can select an area on a map in the "advanced search" dialog,
but I don't see the images on that map, and the map is far too small for my
taste, and too far away from the main window.

So the attached patch creates a "map browser" similar to the category browser
and folder browser. This browser shows a map with all images that match the
current filter criteria. When you select a region, it adds another filter
that matches all images that have a geolocation and are inside the selected area.

There are a few limitations:
* There are no optimisations for large numbers of images on the KPhotoAlbum
side: Everything works surprisingly well for a few thousand images, but if
you have a lot more images with geo tags and use the map browser on all of
them, things will probably get very slow. Workaround: Use other filters
before the map browser (e.g. the timeline) to reduce the number of images the
map browser has to deal with.

* Once you have selected the map browser, it is not very obvious what you
should do: you have to guess that you should draw a rectangle, have to find
that (rather small) button to switch to "region selection mode" and then have
to draw the rectangle using the rather unintuitive "2 click" method (instead
of "click and drag").

* If you use more than one geoposition filter in the same "query", I'm not
sure if every variation of using the breadcrumbs will behave as expected
(just using "back" and "forward" works).

* I've tried not to break compiling KPhotoAlbum without kgeomap feature, but
have never tested whether it actually works.


For these reasons -- and because it duplicates functionality that is already
there -- I'm not sure whether this should be included in the "mainstream"
release. But since it works quite well for me, I want to share it with
everybody who likes it ;-)


Regards,
Matthias FÃŒssel
Johannes Zarl-Zierl
2016-12-22 21:30:26 UTC
Permalink
Hi Matthias,
Post by Matthias Füssel
So the attached patch creates a "map browser" similar to the category
browser and folder browser. This browser shows a map with all images that
match the current filter criteria. When you select a region, it adds
another filter that matches all images that have a geolocation and are
inside the selected area.
I really like it. I've added a feature branch BrowserGeoPositionPage to track
the development of the patch(set).
Post by Matthias Füssel
* There are no optimisations for large numbers of images on the KPhotoAlbum
side: Everything works surprisingly well for a few thousand images, but if
you have a lot more images with geo tags and use the map browser on all of
them, things will probably get very slow. Workaround: Use other filters
before the map browser (e.g. the timeline) to reduce the number of images
the map browser has to deal with.
Fair enough. The same problem exists in the annotation dialog. A progress
indicator and the possibility to cancel and go back to the previous page would
probably reduce the practical impact of this issue...
Post by Matthias Füssel
* Once you have selected the map browser, it is not very obvious what you
should do: you have to guess that you should draw a rectangle, have to find
that (rather small) button to switch to "region selection mode" and then
have to draw the rectangle using the rather unintuitive "2 click" method
(instead of "click and drag").
True.
Post by Matthias Füssel
* If you use more than one geoposition filter in the same "query", I'm not
sure if every variation of using the breadcrumbs will behave as expected
(just using "back" and "forward" works).
That will need some testing. I hope that other people will try out the feature
branch and give their feedback...
Post by Matthias Füssel
* I've tried not to break compiling KPhotoAlbum without kgeomap feature,
but have never tested whether it actually works.
It did not. But I've fixed it before committing your patch.
Post by Matthias Füssel
For these reasons -- and because it duplicates functionality that is already
there -- I'm not sure whether this should be included in the "mainstream"
release. But since it works quite well for me, I want to share it with
everybody who likes it ;-)
This is definitely something that I (and probably others) want in KPA. I think
I even think I remember a short discussion when Tobias added the KGeoMap
functionality that such a page would be nice. It's just that nobody ever got
around to do actually implement it ;-)

Cheers,
Johannes
Johannes Zarl-Zierl
2016-12-23 13:53:31 UTC
Permalink
Hello again,

One thing I missed yesterday was the lack of a license header for the PositionBrowserWidget .cpp and .h files.
I have to ask:
Is it ok to use the same header (GPLv2) that we use for all other C++ files?

Cheers, Johannes
Post by Johannes Zarl-Zierl
Hi Matthias,
Post by Matthias Füssel
So the attached patch creates a "map browser" similar to the category
browser and folder browser. This browser shows a map with all images
that
Post by Matthias Füssel
match the current filter criteria. When you select a region, it adds
another filter that matches all images that have a geolocation and
are
Post by Matthias Füssel
inside the selected area.
I really like it. I've added a feature branch BrowserGeoPositionPage to track
the development of the patch(set).
Post by Matthias Füssel
* There are no optimisations for large numbers of images on the
KPhotoAlbum
Post by Matthias Füssel
side: Everything works surprisingly well for a few thousand images,
but if
Post by Matthias Füssel
you have a lot more images with geo tags and use the map browser on
all of
Post by Matthias Füssel
them, things will probably get very slow. Workaround: Use other
filters
Post by Matthias Füssel
before the map browser (e.g. the timeline) to reduce the number of
images
Post by Matthias Füssel
the map browser has to deal with.
Fair enough. The same problem exists in the annotation dialog. A progress
indicator and the possibility to cancel and go back to the previous page would
probably reduce the practical impact of this issue...
Post by Matthias Füssel
* Once you have selected the map browser, it is not very obvious
what you
Post by Matthias Füssel
should do: you have to guess that you should draw a rectangle, have
to find
Post by Matthias Füssel
that (rather small) button to switch to "region selection mode" and
then
Post by Matthias Füssel
have to draw the rectangle using the rather unintuitive "2 click"
method
Post by Matthias Füssel
(instead of "click and drag").
True.
Post by Matthias Füssel
* If you use more than one geoposition filter in the same "query",
I'm not
Post by Matthias Füssel
sure if every variation of using the breadcrumbs will behave as
expected
Post by Matthias Füssel
(just using "back" and "forward" works).
That will need some testing. I hope that other people will try out the feature
branch and give their feedback...
Post by Matthias Füssel
* I've tried not to break compiling KPhotoAlbum without kgeomap
feature,
Post by Matthias Füssel
but have never tested whether it actually works.
It did not. But I've fixed it before committing your patch.
Post by Matthias Füssel
For these reasons -- and because it duplicates functionality that is
already
Post by Matthias Füssel
there -- I'm not sure whether this should be included in the
"mainstream"
Post by Matthias Füssel
release. But since it works quite well for me, I want to share it
with
Post by Matthias Füssel
everybody who likes it ;-)
This is definitely something that I (and probably others) want in KPA. I think
I even think I remember a short discussion when Tobias added the KGeoMap
functionality that such a page would be nice. It's just that nobody ever got
around to do actually implement it ;-)
Cheers,
Johannes
Johannes Zarl-Zierl
2016-12-30 21:33:30 UTC
Permalink
Hello Matthias,

Thanks ;-)

Johannes
Hello Johannes,
everything I send as a patch to kphotoalbum should be released under the
same license as kphotoalbum itself, so it's absolutely ok to add the
license header.
Cheers,
Matthias
Post by Matthias Füssel
Hello again,
One thing I missed yesterday was the lack of a license header for the
Is it ok to use the same header (GPLv2) that we use for all other C++ files?
Cheers, Johannes
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