Bug 344259

Summary:	Extend queues to work with any operation on multiple images from multiple albums
Product:	[Applications] digikam	Reporter:	Roger Foss <roger.foss>
Component:	BatchQueueManager-Workflow	Assignee:	Digikam Developers <digikam-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED
Severity:	wishlist	CC:	caulier.gilles
Priority:	NOR
Version:	5.1.0
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Other
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:	5.1.0
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Roger Foss 2015-02-17 00:05:48 UTC

Problem:
we want to be able to select multiple images from multiple albums in the collection, for use in any operation within Digikam. If we select a few images from the currently selected album, then select a tool or export filter to operate on, we also want to be able to add more images from the collection.

This goes for things such as Tools / Create Calendar, Tools / Resize Images, Export filters, etc.
Currently, a lot of these only offer to add images using a simple file browser - they won't let you browse the collection for additional images!

Proposed solution:
One way you could achieve this is to have a concept of image selection sets. Digikam could let you create a named IMAGE LIST - a virtual list of images selected from multiple albums.
These image lists could then be fed into any operation that Digikam can perform.
You could feed an IMAGE LIST into a QUEUE, or to an export filter, or to a tool like Create Calendar or to the Print Assistant plugin.

A right-hand sidepanel could be used to show an IMAGE LIST, and the user could drag-and-drop images from the collection into the IMAGE LIST. IMAGE LISTS could be saved with meaningful names, ie. "Pics of our daughter", or "Willy's first year".
IMAGE LISTS could be similar to saved searches, except you can add additional images to them simply by browsing the collection and drag-and-dropping.

IMAGE LISTS should be a core concept for operating on multiple images.
Any plugin or tool that operates on multiple images should be able to use IMAGE LISTS. Also, wherever you usually Add images you should be able to browse the collection and add more to an image list.

I hope this wish makes sense. If implemented correctly, it could simply and consolidate UI functions for selecting images.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Try to print, create a calendar or export pictures from multiple albums in one go.
2. Try to select a few pics in the current album, then select

This bug about the print assistant is concerned with the same issue, but focuses on printing multiple images from multiple albums. https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=342920

Comment 1 Roger Foss 2016-07-09 14:39:27 UTC

What's going on with this bug / feature request?
It's been over a year and I've seen multiple notifications of this being marked as a duplicate bug.
However as far as I can tell very little has been done about this.
I am not talking about creating new code or patches, but just adding this suggested feature or something similar to the roadmap.

Surely most people can't be happy about not being able to add more pictures from different albums to a set of images intended to be manipulated by the batch scheduler or printed by the print wizard?

Comment 2 caulier.gilles 2016-07-09 14:48:01 UTC

All is already implemented.

You can set image from different album at the same time to a common queue or in separated queues. Use drag and drop between icon view and BQM or use contextual menu from icon-view to add items to BQM.

The batch is able to process target file in original album, or in a specific place.

Did you tried digiKam 5.0.0 ?

Gilles Caulier

Comment 3 Roger Foss 2016-07-11 19:24:54 UTC

You are absolutely ALMOST completely right.  I Just confirmed I can drag and drop from multiple albums into a queue.  Also many of the Export tools allow drag and drop.

What's missing then to "work with any operation" as the bug title suggest, is for drag and drop to work with the Print Assistant.  The use case is this:

I want to print an A4 page with images of a person - but those images are distributed across several albums. Selecting a few images and starting the print assistant won't work because it's dialog box is modal - it won't let me go back to the main window and select more.

I originally submitted Bug 342920 - Allow to use D&D with Print Assistant dialog (non-modal) which describes this.  Then later I submitted THIS bug because I thought it would be a good idea to create a standard mechanism for selecting images from multiple albums.  So it could be used for any operations, not just printing.

Given the current state of these bugs, I guess THIS bug could be closed and then hopefully some effort is put into the print assistant.

Comment 4 caulier.gilles 2016-07-11 19:40:20 UTC

Thanks for the feedback.

Later Print Assistant will be merged in digiKam core with print image feature given in Image Editor which provide Color Management support (Print assistant cannot).

We will take a care about to improve D&D with print image tool.

Gilles Caulier