Custom Fields Feature

[MarkP]

I would like to see the custom fields expanded a bit. I did a search here and have seen this brought up a few times in the past. I am part of a group of photographers that spot aircraft at various airports. We enter a lot of the same information a lot. Like airport name and Aircraft name.

I would like to see a pull down list available where the uploader/photographer could select the airport they shot the picture at and select the aircraft they took a picture of.

I could also see this feature benefit other sites too like maybe car galleries, or motorcycle galleries. Thanks for any input you may have on this!

[Paver]

I think this is a valid request.  However, I think a better way to handle custom fields is to consolidate them into a better keywords system.  I have been working on such a keyword system for a while and hope to have something to contribute to the devel branch (which will become version 1.5).  For the purposes of this feature request, you would set up a keyword category which would be your custom field name, then set up the keywords in this keyword category (your custom field values), and set up the interface to select it (using a config panel).  In this case, you'd select for the interface a separate line item (to show up on the edit file page and the search file page) with a dropdown menu and whether a value is required or not.

Parts of this new keywords system are coded, parts are still only on paper.  If you have any comments on the suitability of such a system for custom fields or suggestions for the interface, please say so.  But remember that this board is a "no support" board, so you are merely suggesting and discussing a possible feature, and shouldn't expect answers to questions and shouldn't expect code post-haste.  That being said, once I have such a system ready for public testing, having a user with a specific application ready to test is useful.

[MarkP]

I think I understand what you are saying. If I enter say Cessna in a field it would search for Cessna entered in a field already previously from someone else that entered Cessna in a field before me and maybe open another little box with pull downs that would populate the field?

[Paver]

Yes, "Cessna" would be a keyword, and its keyword category would be "aircraft make".  All the aircraft makes you want to be available for a photo would also have the same keyword category "aircraft make".  Then you can specify that the keyword category "aircraft make" be listed on the edit file page and the search file page so people will enter it when adding new files (or editing files) and can search for it.

Basically, the current way you use "custom fields" would be replaced with keyword categories.  It's similar to how EXIF & IPTC data are used for digital camera fields with a key & value for each field.  New fields can be added by camera manufacturers because there's a generic system for saving these fields.  I'm proposing the same for the "custom fields" by rolling them into an organized keyword system.

[MarkP]

Awesome! Sounds like a excellent idea! We would be glad to test such a thing out!

[Joachim Müller]

Another option would be to use the EXIF/IPTC keywords feature and expand/improve Coppermine's ability to interact with EXIF. This would be beneficial for all, since the images themselves would be tagged, and users would be able to edit EXIF data both online (using Coppermine's interface) or offline (using EXIF editing apps on your desktop) and batch-applying keywords there.
The developemnt of the EXIF library currently used in Coppermine (http://www.offsky.com/software/exif/index.php) has sadly been discontinued, so in an ideal world we'd find another, more powerful and up-to-date EXIF library and add even better EXIF support to the Coppermine UI.
Main drawback of using EXIF data (which is, as I stated, stored within the pic's meta data header) is that the EXIF information doesn't reside in the database in the first place, so you'd have to re-sync EXIF data with the db everytime it gets edited to have the data available for (search) queries.

Thoughts?

[eruss]

I think any website with photos documenting autos, planes, trains, or other vehicles and equipent (tractors?) would benefit from such a mod.  So much information is repetitive and a drop-down would force the data to be consistent.  Great idea!

[MarkP]

Thanks eruss. My thoughts as well, many other sites would benefit from such a animal.

[MarkP]

Another option would be to use the EXIF/IPTC keywords feature and expand/improve Coppermine's ability to interact with EXIF. This would be beneficial for all, since the images themselves would be tagged, and users would be able to edit EXIF data both online (using Coppermine's interface) or offline (using EXIF editing apps on your desktop) and batch-applying keywords there.
The developemnt of the EXIF library currently used in Coppermine (http://www.offsky.com/software/exif/index.php) has sadly been discontinued, so in an ideal world we'd find another, more powerful and up-to-date EXIF library and add even better EXIF support to the Coppermine UI.
Main drawback of using EXIF data (which is, as I stated, stored within the pic's meta data header) is that the EXIF information doesn't reside in the database in the first place, so you'd have to re-sync EXIF data with the db everytime it gets edited to have the data available for (search) queries.

Thoughts?

Wouldn't that cause a major hit on the database queries? I recently did a change to the normal size pics and updated all the pics in the database to reflect the new size and we only have around 2000 pictures, it caused my ISP to contact us saying there was a major draw on the server we reside on wondering what we were doing. Also I the custom fields could/should be searchable by just clicking the word in the photo information.

[nickfzx]

I really want this mod/feature...and would love to test it out and provide bug reports and feedback...I would like to try it out asap...otherwise I may have to try and code a similar system myself (that probably won't be as good) as I want to have this feature in place in the next couple of months.

My site is a community art gallery where I want images to be 'tagged'(or keyworded whichever is the PC term) by genre and medium and would love the set of features you describe.

I am prepared to put in whatever time is needed to bug test and provide feedback properly.

[su_ict]

Thoughts?

Here are mine : Using EXIF data for storing information and reading it out has been one of my ideas before going with CPG - i rejected the idea because you would :

• by using existing EXIF fields compromise further use of the image for other purposes
• by adding extra fields get al lot of maintenaince on your hands (you already mentioned syncing with the DB)

Also in my mind is that EXIF data is not intended to be used for storing extra information other than already stored when a picture is taken.

I would definitly use a keyword system - in fact - i am in the process of setting up a CPG gallery and could use one, now 

[nickfzx]

I have just written a simple mod that might address some of the needs expressed in this thread...it doesn't make any major changes...it just makes the current setup a little better.

go here to see what it does:
http://forum.coppermine-gallery.net/index.php?topic=42196.msg200258#msg200258


although i would still really like to try out Paver's new keyword system

[MarkP]

Nice mod but not quite what I was looking for.

[MarkP]

So anyone working on something like this yet?

[Joachim Müller]

So anyone working on something like this yet?

Something like what? You'd at least have to describe in which aspect you'd like to see this changed.

[MarkP]

Sorry about the late post...I would atleast like to see more custom fields available that can be added through the admin section. ( I already know about the mods that do this they modify to many core files for my taste)

Another cool feature (I dont know how feasable) would be if the custom fields could be clickable....meaning if someone already filled out the custom field with say 1969 Corvette...a user could click on that and be taken to a page where all 1969 Corvettes are shown. Another cool feature would be if Camera Type were clickable as well. Click on the camera type and you would be whisked away to all photos taken by a Canon Rebel XTI

I would also like to see (as I mentioned above) drop downs for custom fields. We use Coppermine for a aviation related website http://www.opshots.net/gallery

And we use a lot of the same things over and over and it would be cool to have a drop down that would auto populate the field somehow.

I hope this makes sense and you guys are doing a bang up job on Coppermine already! Thanks!