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Topics - Laura Shook

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46
ThumbsPlus v10 Questions / METADATA/IPTC/EXIF/XMP #1
« on: 2015-10-14 18:03:18 »
Metadata is information stored about a file, usually stored within it. For example, metadata about an image may include such things as:

· Who created it.

· A description of the image.

· When was it created.

· What were the camera settings.

· Who may  use it.

Overview:

Metadata is known as and includes various types of information, including XMP, File Info (Photoshop), EXIF and IPTC.

The most common file metadata formats and names are:

XMP:

An extensive, rich, and extensible standard for storing all kinds of metadata in files of many different formats. It encompasses and effectively supersedes many earlier format-specific metadata standards, including EXIF and IPTC.

EXIF:

Information from a digital camera or scanner when the image is created (or modified manually). EXIF is the name for a metadata standard originally based on tags from the TIFF file format, with extensions, that could be stored in TIFF and other file types. Today EXIF is most often stored as XMP.

IPTC:

Information supplied by a news agency or source and included with the image to make it easy to find who created it, why it was created, how it may be used, and so on. IPTC was originally stored in a block of information with its own format. Because IPTC included many fields applicable to wide use, and because it was the first real codified and supported standard, it was adopted widely for other uses. Today, like EXIF, it is stored as XMP.

Photoshop:

Photoshop has always had a File Info function which allows you to set up metadata. Most of its original fields were based on the original IPTC standard.

47
Announcements / These Cerious Software Forums
« on: 2015-10-14 17:34:53 »
Thank you for your support of Cerious Software!

These Cerious Software forums are available due to customer request. They are intended for ThumbsPlus users to help each other.

Cerious Software offers Technical support for any Cerious Software product via e-mail.

Any questions, bug and crash reports or suggestions should all be sent to support@cerious.com

When you send e-mail to support@cerious.com it is assigned a case number and the system keeps this individual correspondence in a manageable order.

These forums are here for ThumbsPlus users to share ideas and give advice. They are not a support route. I will try to stop by to lend a hand but please note that in order to receive personal help from Cerious Software you need to e-mail support@cerious.com

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.

48
ThumbsPlus v10 Questions / These Cerious Software Forums
« on: 2015-10-14 17:34:09 »
Thank you for your support of Cerious Software!

These Cerious Software forums are available due to customer request. They are intended for ThumbsPlus users to help each other.

Cerious Software offers Technical support for any Cerious Software product via e-mail.

Any questions, bug and crash reports or suggestions should all be sent to support@cerious.com

When you send e-mail to support@cerious.com it is assigned a case number and the system keeps this individual correspondence in a manageable order.

These forums are here for ThumbsPlus users to share ideas and give advice. They are not a support route. I will try to stop by to lend a hand but please note that in order to receive personal help from Cerious Software you need to e-mail support@cerious.com

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.

49
The default ThumbsPlus database is an MS Access database with a .tpdb8 extension.

Out of the box the ThumbsPlus v10 database has a 2Gb size limit. For quite some time there have been many ways to configure and/or use other database options that will allow for a larger size capacity even when using this default MS Access database.

Configuring a new database using the option to "store thumbnails in files" increases the size capacity giving you the room to thumbnail millions of image files!

This option, instead of storing the thumbnails in the database itself, stores the thumbnails in a file that resides in the same folder that houses the database. This does increase the amount of space needed for the thumbnail/data storage, but gives the ability to manage much larger quantities of thumbnails in a single database.

In the first releases of ThumbsPlus v10 the default database settings (WITHOUT the option on to "store thumbnails in files"), allowed for approximately 200,000 thumbnails.

In ThumbsPlus v10 build 4004, the following database settings will allow for approximately 400,000 thumbnails if you do NOT use the database option to "store thumbnails in files".

160 x 160 sized thumbnails
True color (24-bit)
JPEG quality 80%



Note that making smaller thumbnails will increase the amount that a single database can store. Using the option to "store thumbnails in files" increases the capacity to store millions of thumbnails.

In ThumbsPlus v10 there is also the available option to increase your current database size by running a Python script that Cerious Software will provide upon request. This means that if you have a default database that is nearing the size limit of 2 Gb's, running this script will increase the available space to allow for storage of millions of thumbnails and their associated data! I will be glad to post the script and instructions here if that is requested.

You can also use other databases with ThumbsPlus that are virtually limitless in size. You can read more about these client/server databases here:
http://www.cerious.com/databases.shtml

I hope that this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.

50
Announcements / ThumbsPlus v10 FAQ
« on: 2015-07-24 16:24:19 »
Please see our new FAQ for many of the answers to your questions about installation and Windows permissions:

http://www.cerious.com/faq_thumbs10.shtml

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.

51
ThumbsPlus v10 Questions / ThumbsPlus v10 FAQ
« on: 2015-07-24 16:23:59 »
Please see our new FAQ for many of the answers to your questions about installation and Windows permissions:

http://www.cerious.com/faq_thumbs10.shtml

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.

52
General Discussion / Cerious Software Forums
« on: 2015-07-14 15:21:32 »
ThumbsPlus Users,

Thank you all for your support of Cerious Software!

These forums were created and are housed so that ThumbsPlus users can help each other and talk about the products.

Cerious Software is a very small software shop. We have a support system that must be used when you need technical or sales support. The forums are here as a support system between ThumbsPlus users. Cerious doesn't officially monitor or staff these groups.

When you have ThumbsPlus questions or problems please e-mail support@cerious.com

If there is a BETA in progress you need to send BETA reports to support@cerious.com

When you send a message to support@cerious.com you will be assigned a case number. This is very helpful to me as when a case is opened and correspondence begins I have the total picture from beginning to end. I don't have to look anywhere else except in that particular case history. So if there is something that is being discussed here and you want our input, take it to support@cerious.com. Everyone should also feel free to e-mail me personally at lshook@cerious.com at any time.

On only a few occasions have I removed a post from these forums. I do have the right and will exercise this right if I think that a post is not suitable.

Please try to be fair to Cerious Software so that we can keep these groups here for you. I want ThumbsPlus users to be able to correspond with each other in these forums. Obviously negative posts are inevitable. I tolerate them. We learn a lot from them! However, I will remove excessive Cerious Software flames as well as any inappropriate posts.

We are working very hard to improve our software and we hope that you will LOVE ThumbsPlus v10!

Please let me know if I can ever help with sales or technical support by e-mailing me at support@cerious.com

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.

53
ThumbsPlus v10 and Batch Edit Metadata

Overview:

This function allows you to edit the metadata in multiple files using a list of change items. Each change item changes a particular metadata field, with criteria based on its original contents, and updated based on fixed information or information from other file-specific information, including other metadata in the file.

Here are some examples:

· Change the Creation Date.
· Update the image's Comments only if the existing Description is blank.
· Append additional keywords to the existing list
· Update the keywords in the file metadata based on those in the database (either replace or append).
· Remove any field.
· Change the Copyright.
· Add additional information to the Description.

General procedure:

1. Select the field you want to change from the list in XMP field to modify.
2. Select the Operation you wish to perform (Set, Clear, Append, etc.)
3. Enter the New value, or use the Get value from button to load the value from other image data.
4. Click Add step to add this operation to the list.

Repeat 1-4 as desired. Then just click OK to execute the steps on all selected files.

Notes:

· You may edit an existing step; just select it and click the Edit button. This removes it from the list, so be sure to click Add step again once you've edited it.

· You can save and load sets using the appropriate buttons.

· The Append button loads a set without erasing existing steps, so you can use it to combine multiple sets.

· The order of the steps is irrelevant. While you can use the editor to update one field based on another, it only updates from the file's original metadata, not from metadata changed in earlier steps.

· You may select multiple items in the Batch List and Delete them as a group.

NOTE: METADATA PREFERENCES are included in a reply to this message!

Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.

54
ThumbsPlus v7-v9 Questions / METADATA INFORMATION
« on: 2015-07-10 10:20:41 »
ThumbsPlus users,

We have written the HELP file for ThumbsPlus v10 Metadata information and I thought that it may be helpful.

NOTE: We are working on all of the reports and suggestions about METADATA that have been discussed in the recent ThumbsPlus BETA thread!

NOTE: This doesn't include all of the METADATA and ThumbsPlus options and there are some changes that haven't been  updated yet in the HELP file.

NOTE: Batch Edit Metadata information is included in another message.

Definition:

Metadata is information stored about a file, usually stored within it. For example, metadata about an image may include such things as:

· Who created it.
· A description of the image.
· When was it created.
· What were the camera settings.
· Who may  use it.

Overview:

Metadata is known as and includes various types of information, including XMP, File Info (Photoshop), EXIF and IPTC.

The most common file metadata formats and names are:

XMP:

An extensive, rich, and extensible standard for storing all kinds of metadata in files of many different formats. It encompasses and effectively supersedes many earlier format-specific metadata standards, including EXIF and IPTC.

EXIF:

Information from a digital camera or scanner when the image is created (or modified manually). EXIF is the name for a metadata standard originally based on tags from the TIFF file format, with extensions, that could be stored in TIFF and other file types. Today EXIF is most often stored as XMP.

IPTC:

Information supplied by a news agency or source and included with the image to make it easy to find who created it, why it was created, how it may be used, and so on. IPTC was originally stored in a block of information with its own format. Because IPTC included many fields applicable to wide use, and because it was the first real codified and supported standard, it was adopted widely for other uses. Today, like EXIF, it is stored as XMP.

Photoshop:

Photoshop has always had a File Info function which allows you to set up metadata. Most of its original fields were based on the original IPTC standard.

Metadata in ThumbsPlus:

ThumbsPlus uses the XMP format, which stores all metadata an an XML tree, and Adobe's XMP library, to store and maintain metadata. ThumbsPlus has its own internal list of "supported" XMP fields, but can display metadata not on that list. ThumbsPlus allows you to modify or add many fields, but for compatibility with other applications, only those on its supported list, and only those which make sense to edit. For example, it doesn't allow you to edit the Exposure Time, since that is static information about how the image was created.

The Metadata panel shows the metadata for the current file. When you have selected a single file, you may edit the supported metadata in that file directly within the panel. To edit the metadata in multiple files, use the Batch Edit Metadata function on the Image menu.

Metadata in the ThumbsPlus database:

ThumbsPlus automatically imports metadata for several items so they may be used to quickly search for images based it.

These database items are handled automatically:

Date Taken:  ThumbsPlus loads the Date Take in the database from the XMP/EXIF field Original Date Time.

Rating:  ThumbsPlus will load Rating from the XMP rating field (xmp:rating) or the Microsoft rating field (MicrosoftPhoto:Rating). The Microsoft rating is converted from its 0-100 range to the standard 0-5.

Keywords:     Database keywords are automatically created from XMP keywords, based on the XMP Keywords setting in Keyword Preferences. (For historical reasons, these are stored in the XMP bag named dc:subject. ThumbsPlus and most other software always refer to them  as keywords.)

Annotations:  Subject to the option in the Metadata Preferences, ThumbsPlus copies the XMP Caption (also known as Description and Comment in some software) to the database Annotation field.

User Fields:  You can also create User Fields for any metadata item, and if it has the exact same name as an XMP field, ThumbsPlus will automatically populate the field from the metadata item. All metadata fields in the database should be stored as Text, rather than numeric or date/time. You may disable this behavior in Metadata Preferences.

I hope this information helps!

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software

55
ThumbsPlus v7-v9 Questions / ThumbsPlus v9 SP2 information
« on: 2014-09-18 15:04:13 »
ThumbsPlus Users,

ThumbsPlus v9 SP2 BETA 1. (BETA means we (and you) are testing the upgrade for problems.)

Completed/Changed/Fixed

When coming back up from sleep or standby, displays invalid database handle in main thread.

THEME menu item was in all caps in Customize/Commands

Fixed possible conflict with main thread of prompted input dialog when called from background thread

Fixed prompt input position when used from background thread

Fixed rare hang when filtering 48-bit images by intensity rather than channel

Fixed: Picking a file for image stamp defaults to *.aol and doesn't remember last mask

Improved positioning of image editing dialogs

Improved positioning of other dialogs

Added options for minimum view window width & height

Added options for view and main window dialog position preference

Comments dialog in view window was jumbled

Filter was on the window menu twice

Fixed thread memory leaks on filter threads

Selected Items were not highlighting selections

Tree not displaying properly with latest Codejock

Render alpha (composite) to 24-bit when saving or converting to non-alpha formats

Leaking images when stamping by dragging (perhaps pasting too)

XMP/EXIF orientation not getting updated correctly under some conditions

XMP/EXIF updates and removals not working under some conditions

XMP/EXIF info sometimes lost on save as

View window not always downsampled when zoomed out

Fixed weirdness with +/- in tree

In progress - some were not quite finished in beta 1

Ability to select dialog box font and size on the fly

Better check for legal metadata values, esp. dates

User fields don't get set from the Info tab

User fields not displaying or sorting in thumbnail list

MySQL 5.5 problem crashes find - keyword tab we are testing with MySql 5.6

Put "Select field list" in some order, whether alpha based on name or anything else

Currently planned for SP2, some did not make it into first release build:

File properties not stretching properly

Overlays (favorite, shared, zip, subst/link) not displaying in tree -- introduced in 3940

Double-click folder in thumbnail view doesn't update current path in tree

Tile & synch views of even number of images picks bad rectangles

TWAIN selection - make simpler with multiple twain devices

Not saving last scanner selected in ini

Fix height of task view list items

File types quit after 200 entries

May be bad default value for 'max memory for resampled views' or bad calculation/comparison in paint.c

Remove unneeded and confusion-causing JPEG load options

Warn when database filling up

Enter not working to finalize paste/stamp into image

Digicam load error report truncates last char of filename and closing quote

Weird sorting when clicking column headers (no thumbnail view)

View window not handling customize well (large buttons ignored, positions not always saved

"Shared stuff" in view window causing problems with accessibility and may be breaking the customization

Thank you all for your reports and help!

There will be another BETA ready for download in the morning!

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.

56
ThumbsPlus Suggestions / ThumbsPlus v9 SP2 test
« on: 2014-09-17 13:53:45 »
Dear ThumbsPlus Users,

Thank you all for your support and patience!

Because of the numerous reports of troubling problems we have decided to fix the issues with ThumbsPlus v9 SP 1 before beginning BETA with ThumbsPlus v10. We have also decided to change some behavior in v9 to reflect v7. Even more of your suggestions for these changes will be in v10!

I am posting the link here before releasing this latest as we WANT your feedback and reports of trouble before releasing this latest to the masses.

I have a list of fixes and plans that I will be posting.

PLEASE NOTE: Editing the UDF's in the info tab is not working correctly but this is known and will be working in the release.

PLEASE NOTE: Showing UDF's in the thumbnail pain is showing a few quirks but please play with this new ThumbsPlus. It is already so much better than the last build and you will be able to tell that we have put in many hours.

We welcome your comments and feedback.

You can download this latest BETA here:  
http://www.cerious.com/binaries/thumbs9sp1b1.exe

We want your feedback!

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.
704/529-0200
lshook@cerious.com

57
ThumbsPlus v7-v9 Questions / ThumbsPlus v9 SP2 test
« on: 2014-09-17 13:53:06 »
Dear ThumbsPlus Users,

Thank you all for your support and patience!

Because of the numerous reports of troubling problems we have decided to fix the issues with ThumbsPlus v9 SP 1 before beginning BETA with ThumbsPlus v10. We have also decided to change some behavior in v9 to reflect v7. Even more of your suggestions for these changes will be in v10!

I am posting the link here before releasing this latest as we WANT your feedback and reports of trouble before releasing this latest to the masses.

I have a list of fixes and plans that I will be posting.

PLEASE NOTE: Editing the UDF's in the info tab is not working correctly but this is known and will be working in the release.

PLEASE NOTE: Showing UDF's in the thumbnail pain is showing a few quirks but please play with this new ThumbsPlus. It is already so much better than the last build and you will be able to tell that we have put in many hours.

We welcome your comments and feedback.

You can download this latest BETA here:  
http://www.cerious.com/binaries/thumbs9sp1b1.exe

We want your feedback!

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.
704/529-0200
lshook@cerious.com

58
Helpful ThumbsPlus Users and BETA testers,

We have opened a new group: ThumbsPlus v9 SP1 BETA

ThumbsPlus version 9 SP1 beta 1 is now available!

We are hard at work fixing many bugs and making improvements for version 9 SP1. The first beta is now available. For more information and download instructions, visit the Release Notes page:

http://www.cerious.com/release_notes9sp1beta.shtml

I have set up this new forum to make it convenient for everyone. As you know there are not many people here at Cerious Software and though we work hard every day, things do get backed up and behind schedule. The purpose of this new group is to keep a running list of things that are not fixed. If you have reported bugs and problems and they have not been addressed in this beta, PLEASE write it up and post it in the new ThumbsPlus v9 SP1 beta forum.  

We are excited about offering this v9 SP. We hope that you find your issues taken care of. If not, we are doing and will do everything we can to make this new version as successful as any past ThumbsPlus - ever!

Thanks as always for your help, critique and support.

The Cerious Software Crew
Laura
Phillip
Heather
Adam

***ThumbsPlus 20th anniversary half-price sale ends Friday!***

It's hard to believe ThumbsPlus is turning 20!

We're celebrating 20 years of Cerious Software and ThumbsPlus with a half-price sale. All new and upgrade single-user and home network licenses are 50% off until Friday 25 October at 5PM EST (10PM UTC).

Please visit the order page to order.

https://phlipper.cerious.com/ordermenu.shtml

59
ThumbsPlus users,

I am on vacation until Monday July 1st. I know it seems like I just got here but I will be back! My plan is to continue to work with these forums on a regular basis from now on.

Phillip has promised to read, fix reported bugs and do some correspondence in these forums until I get back! If not, please feel free to e-mail him at pcrews@cerious.com or you can e-mail my assistant Heather. Her e-mail address is hsechrest@cerious.com She can make sure that folks get a response while I am away.

Thank you all for your continued support and your extreme patience.

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.
1515 Mockingbird Lane
Suite 505
Charlotte, NC 28209
704/529-0200
www.thumbsplus.com

60
Dear ThumbsPlus users,

This message is an addition to the update notice (that has not yet been sent) specifically for the Cerious Forums.

ThumbsPlus v9 build 3928 is now available for download and installation. This new build is located on the download pages. http://www.cerious.com/download.shtml

The following bugs have been fixed:

Worked around the problem in which Windows tried to load runtime libraries from invalid locations (runtime error R6034 and hanging on startup).

Fixed problem where the Find function was ignoring the first keyword in the list.
   
Fixed problem with Find where searching for similar images did not show any results.
   
Fixed problem with pasting images on certain OSes and with Thumbnail - Make from clipboard.

There are other issue that have been resolved. The list can be found in the release notes online.

I know that there will still be issues. I know that there will be problems that have already been reported. For that I am sorry. However, from here on I will be keeping the problem list and hopefully things will go more smoothly now as far as bug reporting and fixes in new versions.

Please only post one problem per thread about ThumbsPlus v9 build 3928 in the ThumbsPlus v9 category. Of course adding to the thread with more information is fine. This will make it much easier for me and my list process as we continue to update ThumbsPlus.

I hope that you will find this build to be much more stable.

Thank you for your continued support, extraordinary patience and for sticking with Cerious Software in the hard times since v8.

Kind regards,
Laura Shook
Cerious Software, Inc.
704/529-0200

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