Topic: Google bought Picasa Image Management Tool! (Read 3227 times)

Jaguu · « **on:** July 22, 2004, 12:11:11 am »

Picasa was bought by Google and can now be freely downloaded from their site. It is a nice image management tool with some pretty cool features. Maybe J River have a look at it and pick up some goodies!

bebop · « **Reply #1 on:** July 22, 2004, 01:33:25 am »

Seems like a nice simple editor/organizer. Does it have things like borders, edges and frames? I just took a quick look and didn't see any. those features are why I use Paint Shop - I leave all the serious editing to hubby who uses Photoshop. What I'd really like to see is MC being able to do this and be able to make slideshows with music tracks so I could burn to DVD or SVCD my projects (digital scrapbooks, if you will). Then MC would totally rule IMO> Bet

Jaguu · « **Reply #2 on:** July 22, 2004, 06:50:41 am »

Yes, framing images would really be a great thing. They look so much nicer and very few image viewer/editors support this feature.

bebop · « **Reply #3 on:** July 22, 2004, 10:56:05 am »

This is my favorite frame that I use with my wallpaper images - I put it on a black background and then my desktop stuff really stands out.

http://bebop-girl.com/gallery/album19/Sunset_Sky_078_2

bebop · « **Reply #4 on:** July 22, 2004, 12:03:49 pm »

downloaded and tried it out - the layout is very nice, and it seems easy to use but is really lacking in the enchancements area (ie: frames, borders, edges, adding text to pic ) am loading more pics and then will try the slideshow to see if it supports more than one MP3/ show and burning to a CD or DVD.

bebop · « **Reply #5 on:** July 22, 2004, 01:06:34 pm »

So it will play more than one tune per slideshow, provided all the tunes are in the same folder...won't read subfolders. Also, can't burn the slideshow and you can't choose transitions - just the one. If MC integrates more image handling tools, I hope that image enhancements such as frames, etc ; transitions, ability to use more than one MP3 / show and being able to burn to DVD will be included.

paulr · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2004, 06:10:17 pm »

Thanks for this info!

Question for anyone that have used this... How does this software deal with EXIF info? I looked at it and it seems that none of it is read. Will EXIF be lost if any processing is done?

I am currently using the software that came with my Casio Elixim camera, and it's okay, but it uses IE and some features are a little annoying. And, with SP2 installed, IE wants to block the active script that runs when I view the library (no matter what security settings I use), so I'd like to find something else. The EXIF issue will decide it for me I think.

Omni · « **Reply #7 on:** July 22, 2004, 06:27:34 pm »

Don't get mad at me, for this is just an idle question. But isn't it a little rude to be discussing the in's and out's of, technically, a competitor's software on JRiver's forum?

paulr · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2004, 06:41:37 pm »

I don't necessarily view it as a competitor. It's just an additional tool to employ.

But that's just my opinion.

Will MC download photo's from my camera (and delete them from my camera) and put them in some user specified directory structure when I place my camera in its cradle? If so, then disregard my previous question!

I am still learning the ins and outs of MC's photo handling.

Omni · « **Reply #9 on:** July 22, 2004, 06:49:01 pm »

Quote from: paulr on July 22, 2004, 06:41:37 pm

I don't necessarily view it as a competitor. It's just an additional tool to employ.

Just to remove any doubt, please know I wasn't posing my idle question to you specifically, just to everyone in general.

I dunno... I just thought, "Hmmm... never heard of this. I wonder what it does." So then I went to its homepage where I saw:

Auto-transfer photos from your digital camera.
Organize and find pictures in seconds.
Edit, print, and share photos with ease.
Create slideshows, order prints and more!

Based on that, it sure sounds a lot like MC to me. ;) (But I haven't downloaded it, so honestly, I'm more joking than serious here, but still.....)

bebop · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2004, 07:03:07 pm »

Omni - was using it as a comparison only - not being an advocate for the competition. Didn't mean to step on any toes here

...I would love, love, love it if I could get these things in MC and not have to bounce from one program to another.

Omni · « **Reply #11 on:** July 22, 2004, 07:07:35 pm »

Quote from: bebop on July 22, 2004, 07:03:07 pm

Didn't mean to step on any toes here

Oh, please, pay no attention to me. This thread just struck me as ironically amusing for some reason.

Carry on, people... sorry to interrupt.

paulr · « **Reply #12 on:** July 22, 2004, 07:11:01 pm »

Quote

I wasn't posing my idle question to you specifically

I know.

I am curious though if MC can or will be able to pull pictures from cameras. Currently, I place my camera in the cradle and hit a button. The button connects the camera to the computer (via USB) and triggers the default application (the Casio software that I don't much care for). The pictures are then *removed* from the camera and put on the hard disk. If MC could do this, then the only other software I would ever use for photos would be The Gimp (or Photoshop).

bebop · « **Reply #13 on:** July 22, 2004, 07:37:04 pm »

That's got me wondering too, I know I can organize my images, rotate them and print, but it didn't see recognize my camera when I plugged it in, so i have no idea how to get this to work, but will keep trying. (I Have MC 10.0.150) and having been watching what's happening in MC 11 but haven't been brave enough to try it. Like I said before, if MC is going to be able to do more with images, like add enhancements, make digital albums with music that I can burn to DVD or as SVCD, I'll be first in line with my bucks in hand.

JimH · « **Reply #14 on:** July 22, 2004, 09:08:42 pm »

Quote from: paulr on July 22, 2004, 07:11:01 pm

Quote
I wasn't posing my idle question to you specifically

I know.

I am curious though if MC can or will be able to pull pictures from cameras. Currently, I place my camera in the cradle and hit a button. The button connects the camera to the computer (via USB) and triggers the default application (the Casio software that I don't much care for). The pictures are then *removed* from the camera and put on the hard disk. If MC could do this, then the only other software I would ever use for photos would be The Gimp (or Photoshop).

Yes. MC does that.

paulr · « **Reply #15 on:** July 22, 2004, 09:27:47 pm »

Excellent! I'll see if I can't figure out how to accomplish that. As long as it takes zero user input, then it'll be perfect!

Thanks Jim

bebop · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2004, 10:10:16 pm »

Yeah...figured it out...plugged my camera via usb, turned it on, clicked camera in the action window. At first I didn't see it as my camera was listed as K (removable disk). But once I figured that out, clicked aquire and VOILA !!! Images were put into MC. Now just have to go into options and change the dir to where I want the pics to go.

Ok..here's a dumb question...does MC automatically put the new pics into a dated file or do I have to make the folder each time I import photo's?

Now if only it did the other stuff....well, a girl can always dream.

IlPadrino · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2004, 11:20:19 pm »

Quote from: JimH on July 22, 2004, 09:08:42 pm

Quote from: paulr on July 22, 2004, 07:11:01 pm
Quote
I wasn't posing my idle question to you specifically

I know.

I am curious though if MC can or will be able to pull pictures from cameras. Currently, I place my camera in the cradle and hit a button. The button connects the camera to the computer (via USB) and triggers the default application (the Casio software that I don't much care for). The pictures are then *removed* from the camera and put on the hard disk. If MC could do this, then the only other software I would ever use for photos would be The Gimp (or Photoshop).
Yes. MC does that.

JimH: Has something changed (i.e. MC now adds itself to the list of WIA events) that isn't working for me, or is your answer only true for *some* cameras? I use a Kodak DX4330 and I can *not* get MC to start acquiring my images by just pressing the button on the camera's docking station.

bjsolem · « **Reply #18 on:** July 23, 2004, 12:19:54 am »

Quote from: bebop on July 22, 2004, 10:10:16 pm

Ok..here's a dumb question...does MC automatically put the new pics into a dated file or do I have to make the folder each time I import photo's?

I just played with this tonight for the first time. I imported into the My Pictures folder and then did Rename File From Properties using [Date (year)]-[Date (month)]-[Date (day)] for the rename Directories step. Seemed to work pretty well, but it is an extra step. It would be nice to be able to attach this action as a last step of the camera acquire tool,

bebop · « **Reply #19 on:** July 23, 2004, 12:45:08 am »

I agree...especially since I am not super tech minded and I don't always get those brackets right the first few times. Thanks for doing the step by step - I printed it out for future use. Thanks again B

hit_ny · « **Reply #20 on:** July 23, 2004, 01:28:33 am »

Quote

But isn't it a little rude to be discussing the in's and out's of, technically, a competitor's software on JRiver's forum?

Actually no, i hope more people do this and specify where MC lacks in what a competitior does better. Nothing motivates to make MC better when there is a competitor that does (more) desired things already.

Jaguu · « **Reply #21 on:** July 23, 2004, 02:03:12 am »

Well, I forgot to put an OT in front of the title, but my original intention was to point out the fact that Google bought that company and product, so it could mean that Google will do something big with it and could become a major player on the market.

The product is very simple compared to MC, but has some interesting elements and in the hands of Google it could be heavily revamped!

paulr · « **Reply #22 on:** July 23, 2004, 02:26:16 am »

Well, chalk it up to inexperience with the photo section of MC, or to an XP autoplay annoyance, but I cannot get MC to automatically grab the photo's off the camera when I hit the button on its cradle. I was able to get MC to pull the images off, but I had to click on Camera in the AW and then click acquire. I'll work on it more tomorrow, but comments or ideas are welcome!

I concur with the posts above about directory naming. I'd like to have year/month/day folder structure automatically created (preferably according to the EXIF information, but alternatively according to the date I acquire the images from the camera).

Note: I was using MC 10.0.49 on an older computer for testing, so maybe it's better in 11?

JimH · « **Reply #23 on:** July 23, 2004, 07:10:26 am »

I think I misunderstood the question. Pressing the button on the camera cradle may not do anything. You need to click the camera icon.

MC will import some EXIF tag info.

I copy all my photos to a tmp folder, use properties to tag them, then use Library Tools/Rename files from properties to move them to new folders.

bjsolem · « **Reply #24 on:** July 23, 2004, 07:29:06 am »

Quote from: JimH on July 23, 2004, 07:10:26 am

I copy all my photos to a tmp folder, use properties to tag them, then use Library Tools/Rename files from properties to move them to new folders.

I don't always get a chance to Tag my pics right away, I usually try to have a tagging session about once a month to catch up on unassigned tags. But I do sometimes need to find something quickly (outside of MC) before I get a chance to tag them. That's why the year/month/day folder structure is handy.

I use cam2pc for this but I'd like to get away from that because I'm trying to take extra stuff off of my laptop.

Rename from properties is a GREAT tool! So far I haven't seen anything quite like it anywhere else. But having the folder structure automatically created as part of the camera tool would be a huge win in my opinion. Of course this could be one of those not as easy as it seems suggestions.

cncb · « **Reply #25 on:** July 23, 2004, 08:26:15 am »

I have resorted to using the built-in Windows XP image acquisition for this and it works pretty well. You can set it up to automatically copy images to a dated directory when you turn on the camera (you can also have it delete the images when done). So, I turn on my camera, XP automatically copies the images and automatically shows the copied files in an Explorer Window. I then just right-click on all the files and import them into Media Center. This works quite well although the Media Center import seems to be missing from the Explorer context menu for v11 (although I can still drag the files into Media Center from the Explorer Window to import).

bjsolem · « **Reply #26 on:** July 23, 2004, 08:31:46 am »

I didn't know about drag and drop importing, nor did I remember the right click menu.... oops.

I seem to remember the built in WinXP import wizard being really slow, but it's been a long time since I used it, so it's probably worth another look.

paulr · « **Reply #27 on:** July 23, 2004, 12:35:38 pm »

Quote

Pressing the button on the camera cradle may not do anything. You need to click the camera icon.

Okay. Consider that an enhancement request!

That, and the auto naming of folders to year/month/day format.

For now, I'll go back to using the supplied software as I really just need something that will grab all the pictures as soon as I hit the button on the cradle, with no user interaction required.

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Author Topic: Google bought Picasa Image Management Tool! (Read 3227 times)