Bug 392936

Summary: "Shown" grouped images look identical to non-grouped images
Product: [Applications] digikam Reporter: MarcP <iwannaberich>
Component: Albums-ItemsGroupAssignee: Digikam Developers <digikam-bugs-null>
Status: RESOLVED FIXED    
Severity: wishlist CC: brownphotographic, caulier.gilles, iwannaberich
Priority: NOR Keywords: usability
Version First Reported In: 7.0.0   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Microsoft Windows   
OS: Microsoft Windows   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In: 8.9.0
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: Screenshot, showing "shown" and "hidden" grouped images.
Proposed improvement (shadow behind "shown" grouped images)
More visible grouped image fro icon-view : link icon over thumbnails

Description MarcP 2018-04-09 15:19:59 UTC
Created attachment 111921 [details]
Screenshot, showing "shown" and "hidden" grouped images.

This is a suggestion to improve the look of grouped images. 

Currently, grouped images, when "hidden" (right click "hide grouped images") appear as a stack of pictures. However, when "shown" (right click, "show grouped images"), they look identical as ungrouped pictures (see attachment), and there's no way to tell which of the next pictures are part of that group. Well, there's a number, but it's not very intuitive.

If there was some kind of background color/shadow that clearly indicated which pictures are part of a group, it would be visually more intuitive.
Comment 1 caulier.gilles 2018-04-09 15:29:09 UTC
Yes, but what do you propose in case of multiple group set in same album and all expanded. 

If we use a different color for each one, we will see a rainbow in icon-view. This will be not ergonomic.

Gilles Caulier
Comment 2 MarcP 2018-04-09 15:37:06 UTC
Created attachment 111922 [details]
Proposed improvement (shadow behind "shown" grouped images)
Comment 3 MarcP 2018-04-09 15:38:16 UTC
Something like this (see attachment 111922 [details]). There is no need to use different colors. Actually, I prefer a minimalist approach. Just drawing some kind of shadow behind the images belonging to a group would be enough to visually identify that they are part of the group, even when "shown".
Comment 4 caulier.gilles 2018-04-09 15:49:45 UTC
shadow behind "shown" grouped images ??? Where on your screenshot ? there is no visible difference for me...

Gilles Caulier
Comment 5 MarcP 2018-04-09 15:52:38 UTC
It's subtle. The background behind the two IMG_6321.JPG pictures in my screenshot is painted gray (second row, second and third pictures, I even added rounded corners!). This gray area could be shown only for "shown" grouped image groups.
Comment 6 caulier.gilles 2018-04-09 17:03:06 UTC
Created attachment 111927 [details]
More visible grouped image fro icon-view : link icon over thumbnails
Comment 7 caulier.gilles 2018-04-09 17:03:44 UTC
See my proposal : this indicate well the image grouped together with a link icon over thumbnails.
Comment 8 MarcP 2018-04-09 17:42:08 UTC
Not bad, but I'd prefer something more subtle. I'd leave my grouped pictures "shown" by default (since otherwise they don't appear in some searches), and that black chain can be a bit intrusive. I think the darker background could be enough, or maybe using a lighter color for the chain symbol.
Comment 9 caulier.gilles 2018-04-09 18:16:07 UTC
Note : your solution do not work if you apply Color label to images. This last one become hidden.

Gilles Caulier
Comment 10 MarcP 2018-04-09 18:19:49 UTC
Oh, ok. I have never personally used color labels.
Comment 11 caulier.gilles 2020-08-04 08:19:13 UTC
digiKam 7.0.0 stable release is now published:

https://www.digikam.org/news/2020-07-19-7.0.0_release_announcement/

We need a fresh feedback on this file using this version.

Best Regards

Gilles Caulier
Comment 12 MarcP 2020-08-04 09:30:34 UTC
Still present, but it's mostly a cosmetic issue, and not a very important one.
Comment 13 Maik Qualmann 2020-09-18 05:54:50 UTC
*** Bug 426664 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 14 caulier.gilles 2025-12-09 14:26:48 UTC
Git commit 377215ed713f46e99bd21233d288f25a13b483f8 by Gilles Caulier.
Committed on 09/12/2025 at 14:16.
Pushed by cgilles into branch 'master'.

Image Properties Sidebar tab. If no items are selected from the current album, show all statistics about files, including Grouped items.
Related: bug 399220, bug 512555, bug 499108
FIXED-IN: 8.9.0

M  +1    -0    core/app/views/stack/itemiconview.cpp
M  +20   -3    core/libs/properties/itempropertiessidebardb.cpp
M  +6    -0    core/libs/properties/itempropertiessidebardb.h
M  +23   -35   core/libs/properties/itemselectionpropertiestab.cpp

https://invent.kde.org/graphics/digikam/-/commit/377215ed713f46e99bd21233d288f25a13b483f8
Comment 15 caulier.gilles 2025-12-09 14:40:11 UTC
Hi Marc,

I works to improve the Grouped Items usability. The first stage is to show tree-view of grouped items from the right sidebar, even if no item is selected in current album. This look like this:

https://imgur.com/xdokewJ
https://imgur.com/rpyaXDs
https://imgur.com/PpWNToR

One feature implemented is to be able to open a group from the icon view by expanding a group on the image properties tree-view. The reverse is also valid. This is the first help to quickly view all group in the current album and to access it.

My next stage will be to implement a icon view item highlighter when user move the mouse over the tree-view items.

Gilles Caulier
Comment 16 caulier.gilles 2025-12-10 14:24:30 UTC
Git commit 245614fb1920996726a0cd59e49e5b64829f1937 by Gilles Caulier.
Committed on 10/12/2025 at 14:03.
Pushed by cgilles into branch 'master'.

Enhancement: Grouped Items Usability Improvements
This update introduces significant usability improvements for grouped items in digiKam:

- Visual Highlighting for Open Groups: Previously, only closed groups were visually distinguished by a decorative border around the thumbnail of the stack's representative image. Now, each item within an open group is also highlighted with a colored border, ensuring better visual consistency and making it easier to identify group members at a glance.
- Tree-View in Image Properties: The Image Properties right sidebar tab now supports a tree-view display for grouped items. Users can expand or collapse group stacks on demand, providing a more intuitive and flexible workflow.

For a visual demonstration of these features in action, check out the screencast of digiKam 8.9.0: https://i.imgur.com/9QZ8kZw.mp4
Related: bug 512555, bug 381414, bug 401205, bug 499108
FIXED-IN: 8.9.0

M  +4    -3    NEWS
M  +28   -0    core/app/items/delegate/itemdelegate.cpp
M  +8    -0    core/libs/widgets/itemview/itemviewdelegate.cpp
M  +1    -0    core/libs/widgets/itemview/itemviewdelegate.h

https://invent.kde.org/graphics/digikam/-/commit/245614fb1920996726a0cd59e49e5b64829f1937
Comment 17 MarcP 2025-12-10 15:03:10 UTC
That sounds great. Thanks Gilles.
Comment 18 caulier.gilles 2025-12-11 08:36:26 UTC
Git commit 45e5e4e61456efaf231bd3b98b326e9b6c9f6969 by Gilles Caulier.
Committed on 11/12/2025 at 08:34.
Pushed by cgilles into branch 'master'.

Grouped items overlay icon: redesign and improve readability of number of grouped items
Related: bug 426664

M  +17   -6    core/libs/widgets/itemview/itemviewdelegate.cpp

https://invent.kde.org/graphics/digikam/-/commit/45e5e4e61456efaf231bd3b98b326e9b6c9f6969