slide sorting re-visited

[LumenLux]

The recent answers re Irfanview, suggested a new topic for this very old subject.

What I am really trying to find is the "best" software that anyone uses to VISUALLY arrange slides in the order you want to use them in PTE. I expect the interface would be very similiar to using an old "light table" or "slide sorter" for transparencies. (slides, dias, whatever) Simple: thumbnails on screen, drag a slide to where you want it to show relative to the other slides. Thumbnail size should be a choice to allow smaller or larger number of slides on screen at once. When slides have been dragged and dropped into position, the slide order should be able to be saved on-screen for later re-working. Most importantly, it should have system (batch renaming?) to save the final order so that the slides will be in the same order when imported by PTE.

Yes, several programs do this. Yes, there are other methods of sorting that work for some of us in certain circumstances. I will list here a couple of mentions in previous thread. I invite everyone to add to this list any programs that you like to use for the VISUAL sort described above.

Irfanview - can not do this.

ACDSee - reportedly can. I have not tried yet.

Thumby by boxig - I don't know yet, thanks Granot for mentioning, I will still look or you can tell me now with the more complete description I have given above.

Breeze Browzer - please someone confirm if this works this way.

FixFoto - Tripstrilles, please confirm if this uses the described method.

MGI Photo Suite - I think I used this in the past. Anyone using this? Is it "slick"?

PhotoShop Elements 2 - Seems like the browser function could, but I haven't learned how?

U-lead Photo Explorer - anyone know if this now works as described above?

THE perfect slide sorter - Who can tell me which one this is?

[JRR]

Thumbs Plus is excellent for sorting, but you have to manually re-number.

Don't forget Alrobin's PTE Adjustor. It gives you a light table to sort all your images in a PTE file, you don't have to re-number the images, it puts them back into the .pte file in the order you want.

See http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums//index...ct=ST&f=2&t=419

[Danabw]

ACDSee has a rename/number feature that is very easy to use.

Dana

[ADB]

Hi Lumenlux

Thumbs Plus does this admirably and it is fast. Also you can automatically renumber once you have sorted your images and then import them straight into PTE in the order you require.

Good luck!

Cheers

Andrew

[Tripstrilles]

FixFoto has the normal sort-function like other photo-editors. We have do wait, until Igor has integrated a thumbnail-mode into PTE. I hope so.

R.

[dilemmania]

Hello LumenLux,

PicturesToExe is the Holy Grail

Excellent you bring up this subject right now. I am ready to order BreezeBrowser but think I will let this thread run its course in case something better reveals itself. I am tired of being restricted to the 12 picture limit in the trial version.

BreezeBrowser has these features you asked for, its $44.95 USD ouch! I think ThumbsPlus is $79.95 USD

• Yes - thumbnails on screen, drag a slide to where you want it to show relative to the other slides.
  
• Yes - Thumbnail size should be a choice to allow smaller or larger number of slides on screen at once.
  
• Yes - When slides have been dragged and dropped into position, the slide order should be able to be saved on-screen for later re-working.
  
• Yes - Most importantly, it should have system (batch renaming?) to save the final order so that the slides will be in the same order when imported by PTE.
  

Also what I enjoy is its ability to create a webpage slideshow with drop shadows and other effects. You can create your own personal webpage templates and it codes the rest instantly.

I don't see any batch image editing controls (color/contrast) in BB as does EasyThumbNails, but then EasyThumbNails doesn't have a drag and drop thumbnail light table layout.

Good Luck,

[jimlarkey]

Confirming previous post(s), Breeze Browser does have the features you seek.

- Drag & Drop Light-table.

- Automatic Renaming of Resorted Images.

Further;

- No Graphic Editing features (viewer-browser mainly).

- Exif & IPTC editing.

- Slick downloader (freeware).

[LumenLux]

Thanks for so many good approaches. I have tried a few so far. None of them deeply. So far, ACDSee seems quite intuitive with the sort function and I like the speed with which it takes drag & drops. It is nice that the default sort is indeed the "custom" sort. I wonder how hard it would be for Igor to have PTE's main screen slide list be able to accept drag and drop from explorer or even from the custom sorted screen of say ADCSee?

[rcataldo]

The perfect slide sorter? Easy and cheap!

My workflow is as such... I use Jasc Aftershot (www.jasc.com) to do two things...

1) Batch resize all the images I need into a new directory. It allows me to change the quality of the JPG and size them all in one batch. I shoot with a D60 and G3. I usually target my PTE presentations to be approx. 1280 x 1024 at high quailty JPG. That reduces the file size from 3 MB to approx. 200K each.

2) I visually arrange the new images in the order I want in Aftershot. Aftershot has an option to batch rename all the images selected (e.g., "SmithWedding001"...to..XXX ) in the order presented.

3) I can then open PTE and basically select all the files in that final directory.... make a few PTE adjustments, add some music, etc. and I am finished.

Assuming a minimal set of image adjustments, one can go through the workflow above in 3-5 minutes.

Have a good day.

Renato

[dilemmania]

Hello rcataldo,

I like your program choice. When you say visually arrange, do you mean the program has the feature of dragging and dropping all the viewed thumb nails into a selected order, then you can batch rename them in this order?

2) I visually arrange the new images in the order I want in Aftershot. Aftershot has an option to batch rename all the images selected (e.g., "SmithWedding001"...to..XXX ) in the order presented.

AfterShot has been renamed to Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album 4

Thanks for your input!

[Grant]

Hi,

I can add a little info, ULEAD Photo Explorer V7 (V8 has come out, and I haven't upgraded) can do the light table via drag and drop moving, and the icons are sizeable in steps from 256x256 down to 64x64. It has a rather nice renameing tool built in that adds numbers in front/back/ crops X characters, etc. Very powerful. I got it for $25 just for this purpose and haven't been dissapointed yet.

For Image database functionality, I use IMatch. It will also do light table and file rename, but is a little cumbersome at times for quick and fast usage, although for image search and organization it is amazing.

Grant

[rcataldo]

dilemmania: "do you mean the program has the feature of dragging and dropping all the viewed thumb nails into a selected order, then you can batch rename them in this order?"

The answer is yes! I simply rearrange the images in the window by dragging them around. I have had several hundred in the window at one time. When I am ready, I simply batch rename and the order is all set. The program also preserves the EXIF data if you need it later.

I know JASC updated the product and name to Photo Album 4 last month, but I have yet to get it. From the examples, it is the same application with a few additions. I also think they changed the name to keep up with the Adobe Photoshop Album application.

If you intend use it with a lot of large files, just keep in mind the workflow I recommended. I tend to resize the group of photos into a new directory before I play around with the order.

// Renato //

[LumenLux]

If you intend use it with a lot of large files, just keep in mind the workflow I recommended. I tend to resize the group of photos into a new directory before I play around with the order.

// Renato //

Renato, thanks for your thoughts on work flow. I like to learn from others so I don't have to figure out every single thing by trial and error. If I understand correctly, you (batch) resize before doing any touch up or tweaking of the photo. I had thought maybe it was better to work on the full size file and then downsize it. I realize any given process may go quicker if working on the smaller file. But are there some photo adjustments that can be better made on the original full size file?

[rcataldo]

I personally use Photoshop Elements (PE) to improve the image quality. Jasc PA4 has some options to do this as well, but it is not as accurate as PE. I was originally commenting on the image management issue to get the images resorted, resized, and renamed. My actual workflow from my D60 to PTE is more like the following after a wedding...

D60 RAW -> CF Reader -> Mindstor Backup (onsite) and PC (home) -> Breezebrowser Raw conversion to 16Bit TIFF -> Photoshop Elements to improve image quality in TIFF format (30MB image size) -> Jasc PSP batch TIFF to JPG (highest quality) in new directory (2.5MB image size) -> Jasc Aftershot (now PA4) resize to new directory (high image quality, 1280 x 1024) (150K image size), reorder, rename -> PTE -> produce CD -> erase intermediate files not necessary -> Back up all remaining project files to Firewire drive and DVD drive.

I know that some people may have a problem with the above workflow, but I found the combination to be very fast, very reliable, produces exceptional image quality, and is completely customizable at any stage if the need arises. Keeping 500 original TIFFs at 30MB each is difficult. I keep the RAW+ the Large JPG files + files use for PTE. Everything else I can redo later from RAW if needed.

I hope this helps.

Renato

[Truelight]

The newest version of Xatshow allows you to drag your thumbnails around, putting them in the order you want for your show. Of course then you can go on to make your slideshow, (and Xatshow will put -both- a VCD and .EXE show on the same self-executing CD). Right now I'm watching the battle between Proshow Gold and Xatshow for "king of the hill." PTE still reigns in the .exe category and no one else has the kind of "object buttons" that PTE offers, but the inability to make VCD shows (for DVD player viewing) is a limitation. Fortunately, none of these programs is very costly. You can own 'em all and then use the best tool for your needs.