Help! Organizing Digital Photos - DPChallenge Forums

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/08/2014 12:41:04 PM · #1

Hello, DPC!

I usually don't ask for help, but I need your help now. I have developed a software program for organizing digital photos and it's ready to launch. I need to get the word out.

(this is a bandwidth-friendly 640px image weighing 82kb)

I'll be up front with you: it might not be for you.

* If you're on a Mac, it won't work for you (unless you have your Mac set up to run Windows programs).

* If you shoot RAW, it won't work for you.

* If you already have a system in place where you have a standard way of naming folders and files, it might not work for you.

At least not the current version.

However, it might be perfect for someone you know, especially those you have to help with their photos!

The current version was written for people who like to take photos, but don't have any means for keeping track of them.

People like my 80-year-old mom. Or my sisters. Or my kids. Or a lot of my friends.

People who can snap away, especially with their cell phones, but are totally lost when someone asks them to find one of the 100s or 1000s of pictures they've taken in the past few years.

This program, Click2Tag, was created for them. It simplifies the process of

* Getting photos off cameras, cell phones, and memory cards
* Collecting photos already on your computer
* Reviewing and organizing them so they are easily found
* Sharing them with your family and friends
* Making backup copies

I wrote this for my Mom because when she was struggling to do anything with her digital photos, I could not find a single program that was easy enough for her to use. None of the free ones (like the ones from big G or M$ or the ones that came with any of the 4 cameras she's had in the past 10 years), or none of the typically recommended not-free ones. If I had found a single program that does everything Click2Tag does that she could have used without my help on a regular basis, I would have gone with that. But it's not out there.

Thus was born Click2Tag. A simple photo navigation and cataloging tool for non-photographers who like to take photos.

It took a few minutes to find over 4400 photos on my Mom's pc and a few days for her to get them organized. Now, with just a few keystrokes, she can find any image she wants in a snap. She can import new photos, catalog them, and email them to friends without any of the frustration and angst she used to have.

Here are some of the things that make it stand out from other similar programs:
* It's easy to use. You don't have to be a geek or gear-head to use it. Very slight learning curve.
* It's easy read. No small fonts.
* No hidden functionality. No right-click menus or undecipherable miniscule buttons.
* It does one thing well. It is a cataloging tool, not an all-in-one, everything-to-everybody tool.
* Lots of help and support. Everything that is clickable has a large hint. It has FAQs, overviews, and step-by-step instructions.

There is a free, trial version that has some limitations:
* The import will only import 50 photos at a time (vs Unlimited in Lite version)
* The system will import a maximum of 500 photos (vs Unlimited in Lite version)
* Collections are limited to showing 25 photos (vs Unlimited in Lite version)
* The search will only show 5 results at a time (vs Unlimited in Lite version)
* You can only keep 2 saved searches (vs Unlimited in Lite version)
* You can only email 3 photos at a time (vs Unlimited in Lite version)
* Your Select Collection is limited to 8 photos (vs Unlimited in Lite version)
* Your address book is limited to 50 contacts (vs Unlimited in Lite version)

Try it, like it, buy it. The Lite version isn't free, but it's pretty close. It's only ~~$25~~ $20 (introductory price)!

I absolutely believe Click2Tag is the best tool for what it does, and is the best value. I really need your help in getting it out there to the people who need it most: our families and friends who aren't as techno-savvy, who struggle with the frustrations that Click2Tag solves. As I said, it might not be for you, at least this version, but it might be just what someone you know desperately needs - especially if you don't have the time to do all these things for them.

A few more points:
* Before photography, I was a full-time database consultant, building mission critical database applications for all types of organizations (US Gov't, Fortune 500s, large companies, mom-and-pop operations). I didn't just do this on a lark.
* All of my software is digitally signed; I actually went through the certification process.
* My shopping cart is handled by BMT Micro of Wilmington, NC, a company with 20+ years experience in managing online software sales.
* For at least the next 2 months, I'm offering a 20% discount, making the initial price only $20. Or, if you like, you can pay the full price and I'll donate that 5 dollars to your choice of 3 charities I support.

This is just the starting point. I've already started working on the next version which might be something that you can use, even if you already have some type of system in place. For one, it will support RAW files. For two, it will offer EXIF/IPTC indexing without altering your original files (meaning that just like this version, it will be DPC friendly). There will be a nice upgrade discount, so if you would like to simply support the cause, you can buy a copy of the Lite version, even if you don't use it. ;-)

I really appreciate any help and support that you can offer.

What can you do to help
* Promote it to your family and friends
* Like my Facebook page and invite your family and friends to like it
* Tweet about it @Click2Tag
* Pin it
* Blog about it
* Recommend it whenever you run across the questions "how do you keep track of your photos?" or "what cataloging software do you recommend?"

The one thing I would ask you not to do is spam other forums or email lists. I want to be a good neighbor. I do not want to be torched the way we are prone to do here when a first time poster has nothing to offer but something that hasn't been asked for.

If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to post here or pm me.

Click the image below to visit a gallery of screenshots

Thanks so much for any support you may offer. As much as DPC has helped me over the years, I can only hope that Click2Tag can help others unlock their digital shoeboxes and make their photos relevant to the people who took the photos and the people in them.

Skip

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

09/08/2014 12:52:01 PM · #2

Hi Skip,

I've avoided cataloging software up until now, but I might check this out. A couple of questions I don't think you covered:
â�¢ is the trial version time-limited or only feature-limited?
â�¢ what is the oldest version of Windows which will run this?

Also, do you ever plan to port it to Mac, Linux, or Android systems (assuming it's otherwise successful and there's a demand)?

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

09/08/2014 12:56:38 PM · #3

Hey Skip,
I wish you great success with this. I think you have thought through the needs of the target market, and the target market is *large.* I have just a couple questions for you:
- Does the software consolidate images (actually move them) or catalog them in place?
- Is the cataloging information stored internally to the files (metadata) or externally (in the catalog)?

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/08/2014 01:02:58 PM · #4

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Thanks for asking, Paul!

The trial will run forever, but is limited to the number of photos it will work with.

While I've tested on an XP box and it ran fine, that platform was not nearly as stress-tested as later versions of Windows.

The code was architected to allow for a Mac port, but there are a handful of technical issues that will have to be resolved, first. I'm definitely interested in a tablet version, but will need to get a core userbase in place, first. Linux is a possibility, but that will definitely be demand driven.

To a large degree, Click2Tag automates a lot of what you are already doing manually...it just makes it a lot easier. And even if there are some things that might not dovetail exactly with your current workflow, there are plenty of ways to get things done.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

09/08/2014 01:08:28 PM · #5

If I have time I'll "stress-test" it (or myself) on a Windows 2000 machne .. :-)

09/08/2014 01:09:59 PM · #6

Originally posted by kirbic:

Thanks, Fritz!

In this initial version, I would describe Click2Tag as a "benevolent dictator" in that it does everything it can to help its users from doing damage to themselves (or their images). For that reason, it does move the images. For those who need to get to, the folder organization is simple and documented. The basic idea behind the folder organization is so that an image file will have relevance to someone simply browsing the file system, with or without access to the software.

This is also why the program *might not* be suitable for someone who already has an established foldering system. The next level up will probably support in place cataloging.

And NO! the cataloging information is stored in a database, making it DPC-friendly (no Exif tampering here). At some point I'll offer the ability to inject IPTC data into a file, but even then it will be done at the users discretion (as opposed to being a default behavior).

09/08/2014 01:11:32 PM · #7

Originally posted by GeneralE:

If I have time I'll "stress-test" it (or myself) on a Windows 2000 machne .. :-)

AWESOME!

09/08/2014 01:18:45 PM · #8

This could be just what I need. I have a ton of photos on various drives and have just bought a 2tb external drive to try and get them all on one drive in an organised fashion. I will happily give this a test drive on Windows 8.1 though the trial limits may restrict a proper test drive

09/08/2014 01:38:16 PM · #9

Do u have a link to download the trial? Apologies if I am being blind

09/08/2014 01:50:31 PM · #10

Originally posted by P-A-U-L:

Do u have a link to download the trial? Apologies if I am being blind

I know, that first post was fairly dense ;-)

Here's a link to the site: www.Click2Tag.com. The download link, as well as a lot of other information is there. If you have any questions, feel free to post here or pm me.

Thanks!

Message edited by author 2014-09-08 13:51:04.

09/08/2014 02:00:24 PM · #11

Thanks Skip. I have installed it and having a look now. Here are some honest initial impressions. I think it is amazing you have created this but I am sure you want my honest feedback so here it is so far.

First impressions - the website could look better - formatting of text on home page is a bit odd in places. The general feel of the website is very much that of a website created by a techie person. I am just giving my honest opinion.

Ok on to the product. The install process was fairly simple - there were a lot of quite techie messages when it was installing - something more non techie may be better.

The program icon is rather ugly (i.e the one that appears in the taskbar)

The UI of the program is rather amateur looking for a paid for program - very ugly buttons.

Ok the program is called Click2Tag - so I assume I can add tags to my photos. I have chosen a folder with 85 files which now appears in my Unsorted photos by date - under the Organise tab. Not quite sure what I do next to organise these photos - I can see I can select a photo by clicking the checkbox top left but what next? I don't want to rename them - is renaming the photos the way to tag them?

Sorry I should read the help guide but wanted to give it a quick test drive before putting kids to bed.

Hope this is helpful.

09/08/2014 03:11:23 PM · #12

A question - the program create a folder "Click2Tag" within my default Pictures folder - is there a way to change where it creates this "Click2Tag" folder?

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/08/2014 03:18:03 PM · #13

First, thanks for the feedback, Paul!

Originally posted by P-A-U-L:

A question - the program create a folder "Click2Tag" within my default Pictures folder - is there a way to change where it creates this "Click2Tag" folder?

Short answer to your question: no, not at this time.

I'll try to hit the highlights real quick, just so you (or anyone else) will have an idea as to where I am and why it is ;-)

Some general comments and a "long answer":

I'll give you that there is a lot of room for polish, if just to make it look slicker. That will come in time. My core focus has been on the mechanical side of handling people's photos and making it as easy as possible to collect, organize, and find them once in the system. It's not that I want an ugly system, it's just that I've been more concerned substance over form.

Along these lines, my primary market's photos are basically organized in their Pictures folder, by date, with rarely anything more than the out-of-camera file name. To actually be able to find a photo from a year or two or five ago is for the most part, beyond them, except for a random shot here and there.

So, the primary tagging is a matter of giving a collection of photos taken on the same day a descriptive name, using "who-what-where" words to describe the collection. The date is automatically added to the file name, as well as a sequence number, insuring that each file will have a unique name. These words and dates are indexed for searching. In addition to the file name, users can add additional descriptions to a collection. The words in these descriptions are also included in the search index.

This version allows for only folder-level tagging. The next version will allow for image-level tagging.

These limitations - that the tagging requires renaming, that the tagging is at the folder level, that the cataloging does actually move the files - while most likely problematic for someone sophisticated enough to understand how to do these things themselves, are actually a Godsend for those who can't. Even though they are limited as to what they can do, they are able to do so much more that they were before...and I can support them without having to worry about every user having a different idea as to where they want to put what. This is what I meant by being a "benevolent dictator". I want to help people do what they need to do, but in a controlled manner. For those needing more control, that's definitely not this version.

Now that I've gotten it to this point, I can focus some attention on the cosmetics and aesthetics. I'll see what I can do about the "ugly buttons". From a UI standpoint, the challenge is to make the functionality visible and literal. I didn't want to have a ton of little buttons with pictures on them or fonts too small to read. Those were the things that made LR, MS Live, and other similar programs unusable for my mom - just way too much hidden functionality. And as I spent time with others, I found it not to be just my mom, but people in general, struggling way too much with non-intuitive software. Click2Tag is not perfect, but it is pretty easy to get up to speed and keep going.

eta:

The basic idea is that your photos are either "new" to your computer (either still in camera or phone) or they are "old" (having already been copied from the device that captured them). They are sorted by date taken in either the "imported" or "unsorted" folder. As you review them, weeding out the ones you don't want and renaming the collections you do, those get moved to the "all-sorted" folder.

ALSO I'm completely open to suggestions for language and such, be it processing messages, error messages, button labels, etc. The bottom line for me isn't selling my vocabulary, it's a matter of making something easy to use.

Message edited by author 2014-09-08 15:30:17.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

09/08/2014 03:56:59 PM · #14

For those of us who want to retain an untouched original (i.e DPC-valid) how about an option to "Copy-and-rename" or "Move-and-rename" (current default as I understand it)?

09/08/2014 05:54:56 PM · #15

Originally posted by GeneralE:

For those of us who want to retain an untouched original (i.e DPC-valid) how about an option to "Copy-and-rename" or "Move-and-rename" (current default as I understand it)?

Actually, that's very doable as is; it might ultimately require some manual intervention, but nothing near what you're already doing. I'll let you know when I have the fix in ;-)