The most important sub-hierarchy within my archive is `$HOME/archive/events_memories/` and its sub/folders `2014/`, `2013/`, `2012/`, and so forth. As you might have guessed already, there is one **sub-folder per year**. Within each of them, there are single files and folders. The files are named according to my file name convention described in the previous section. Folder names start with an [ISO 8601][7] datestamp in the form "YYYY-MM-DD" followed by a hopefully descriptive name like `$HOME/archive/events_memories/2014/2014-05-08 Business marathon with colleagues/`. Within those date-related folders I keep all kinds of files which are related to a certain event: photographs, (scanned) PDF-files, text files, and so forth.
For **sharing data** , I maintain a `$HOME/share/` sub-hierarchy. There is my Dropbox folder, folders for important people I share data using all kinds of methods (like [unison][18]). I also share data among my set of devices: Mac Mini at home, GNU/Linux notebook at home, Android phone, root-server (my personal cloud), Windows-notebook at work. I don't want to elaborate on my synchronization set-up here. There might be another blog entry for this if you ask nicely. :-)
Within my `$HOME/templates_labels/` sub-hierarchy, I keep all kinds of **template files** ([LaTeX][19], scripts, ...), cliparts and **logos** , and so forth.
My **Org-mode** files, I mostly keep within `$HOME/org/`. I practice retentiveness and do not explain how much I love [Emacs/Org-mode][20] and how much I get out of it this time. You probably have read or heard me elaborating the awesome things I do with it. Just look out for [my `emacs` tag][21] on my blog and its [hashtag `#orgmode`][22] on twitter.
So far about my most important folder sub-hierarchies.
### My workflows
Tataaaa, after you learned about my folder structure and file name convention, here are my current workflows and tools I use for the requirements I described further up.
Please note that **you have to know, what you are doing**. My examples here contain folder paths and more that **only works on my machine or my set-up**. **You have to adopt stuff** like paths, file names, and so forth to meet your requirements!
#### Workflow: Moving files from my SD card to the laptop, rotating portrait images, and renaming files
When I want to move data from my digital camera to my GNU/Linux notebook, I take out its Mini-SD storage card and put it in my notebook. Then it gets mounted on `/media/digicam` automatically.
Then, I invoke [getdigicamdata.sh][23] which does several things: it moves the files from the SD card to a temporary folder for processing. The original file names are being converted to lower-case characters. All portrait photographs are rotated using [jhead][24]. Also with jhead, I generate file-name time-stamps from the Exif header time-stamps. Using [date2name][25] I add time-stamps also to the movie files. After processing all those files, they get moved to the destination folder for new digicam files: $HOME/tmp/digicam/tmp/~.
For skimming through my image and movie files, I prefer to use [geeqie][26] on GNU/Linux. It is a fairly lightweight image browser which has one big advantage other file browsers are missing: I can add external scripts/tools that can be invoked by a keyboard shortcut. This way, I am able to extend the feature-set of the image browser by arbitrary external commands.
Basic image management functionality is built-in to geeqie: navigating my folder hierarchy, viewing image files in window-mode and in full-screen more (shortcut `f`), renaming file names, deleting files, showing Exif meta-data (shortcut `Ctrl-e`).
On OS X, I use [Xee][27]. Unlike geeqie, it is not extendable by external commands. However, the basic navigation, viewing, and renaming functions are available as well.
#### Workflow: Adding and removing tags
I created a Python script called [filetags][28] which I use for adding and removing tags to single files as well as a set of files.
For digital photographs, I use tags like, e.g., `specialL` for landscape images that I consider suitable for desktop backgrounds and so forth, `specialP` for portrait photographs I would like to show to others, `sel` for a selection, and many more.
##### Initial set-up of filetags with geeqie
Adding filetags to geeqie is a manual step: `Edit > Preferences > Configure Editors ...`. Then create an additional entry with `New`. There, you can define a new desktop-file which looks like this:
The wrapper-script `vk-filetags-interactive-adding-wrapper-with-gnome-terminal.sh` is necessary because I want a new terminal window to pop-up in order to add tags to my files:
In geeqie, you can add a keyboard shortcut in `Edit > Preferences > Preferences ... > Keyboard`. I associated `t` with the `filetags` command.
The filetags script is also able to remove tags from a single file or a set of files. It basically uses the same method as described above. The only difference is the additional `--remove` parameter for the filetags script:
For removing tags, I created a keyboard shortcut for `T`.
##### Using filetags within geeqie
When I skim though image files in the geeqie file browser, I select files I want to tag (one to many) and press `t`. Then, a small window pops up and asks me for one or more tags. After confirming with `Return`, these tags gets added to the file names.
The same goes for removing tags: selecting multiple files, pressing `T`, entering tags to be removed, and confirming with `Return`. That's it. There is [almost no simpler way to add or remove tags to files][29].
#### Workflow: Advanced file renaming with appendfilename
##### Without appendfilename
Renaming a large set of files can be a tedious process. With original file names like `2014-04-20T17.09.11_p1100386.jpg`, the process to add a description to its file name is quite annoying. You are going to press `Ctrl-r` (rename) in geeqie which opens the file rename dialog. The base-name (file-name without the file extension) is marked by default. So if you do not want to delete/overwrite the file name (but append to it), you have to press the cursor key for `<right>`. Then, the cursor is placed between the base name and the extension. Type in your description (don't forget the initial space character) and confirm with `Return`.
##### Using appendfilename with geeqie
With [appendfilename][30], my process is simplified to gain maximum user experience for appending text to file names: When I press `a` (append) in geeqie, a dialog window pops up, asking for a text. After confirming with `Return`, the entered text gets placed between the time-stamp and the optional tags.
For example when I press `a` on `2014-04-20T17.09.11_p1100386.jpg` and I type `Pick-nick in Graz`, the file name gets changed to `2014-04-20T17.09.11_p1100386 Pick-nick in Graz.jpg`. When I press `a` once again and enter `with Susan`, the file name gets changed to `2014-04-20T17.09.11_p1100386 Pick-nick in Graz with Susan.jpg`. When the file name got tags as well, the appended text gets appended before the tag-separator.
This way, I do not have to be afraid to overwrite time-stamps or tags. The process for renaming gets much more enjoyable for me!
And the best part: when I want to add the same text to multiple selected files, this also works with appendfilename.
##### Initial set-up of appendfilename with geeqie
Add an additional editor to geeqie: `Edit > Preferences > Configure Editors ... > New`. Then enter the desktop file definition:
On GNU/Linux, I use [mplayer][31] to play-back video files. Since geeqie does not play movie files on itself, I have to create a set-up where I can open a movie file in mplayer.
##### Initial set-up of mplayer with geeqie
I did already associate movie file extensions to mplayer using [xdg-open][32]. Therefore, I only had to create a general "open" command to geeqie which uses xdg-open to open any file with its associated application.
Once again, visit `Edit > Preferences > Configure Editors ...` in geeqie and add an entry for `open`:
open.desktop
```
[Desktop Entry]
Name=open
GenericName=open
Comment=
Exec=/usr/bin/xdg-open %F
Icon=
Terminal=true
Type=Application
hidden=false
NOMimeType=*;
MimeType=image/*;video/*
Categories=X-Geeqie;
```
When you also associate the shortcut `o` (see above) to geeqie, you are able to open video files (and other files) with their associated application.
##### Opening movie files (and others) with xdg-open
After the set-up process from above, you just have to press `o` when your geeqie cursor is above the file. That's it.
#### Workflow: Open in an external image editor
I rarely want to be able to quickly edit image files in the GIMP. Therefore, I added a shortcut `g` and associated it with the external editor "GNU Image Manipulation Program" (GIMP) which was already created by default by geeqie.
This way, only pressing `g` opens the current image file in the GIMP.
#### Workflow: Move to archive folder
Now that I have added comments to my file names, I want to move single files to `$HOME/archive/events_memories/2014/` or set of files to new folders within this folder like `$HOME/archive/events_memories/2014/2014-05-08 Business-Marathon After-Show-Party`.
The usual way is to select one or multiple files and move them to a folder with the shortcut `Ctrl-m`.
So booooring.
Therefore, I (again) wrote a Python script which does this job for me: [move2archive][33] (in short: `m2a`) expects one or more files as command line parameters. Then, a dialog appears where I am able to enter an optional folder name. When I do not enter anything at all but press `Return`, the files gets moved to the folder of the corresponding year. When I enter a folder name like `Business-Marathon After-Show-Party`, the date-stamp of the first image file is appended to the folder (`$HOME/archive/events_memories/2014/2014-05-08 Business-Marathon After-Show-Party`), the resulting folder gets created, and the files gets moved.
Once again: I am in geeqie, select one or more files, press `m` (move) and either press only `Return` (no special sub-folder) or enter a descriptive text which is the name of the sub-folder to be created (optionally without date-stamp).
**No image managing tool is as quick and as fun to use as my geeqie with appendfilename and move2archive via shotcuts.**
##### Initial set-up of m2a with geeqie
Once again, adding `m2a` to geeqie is a manual step: `Edit > Preferences > Configure Editors ...`. Then create an additional entry with `New`. There, you can define a new desktop-file which looks like this:
m2a.desktop
```
[Desktop Entry]
Name=move2archive
GenericName=move2archive
Comment=Moving one or more files to my archive folder
The wrapper-script `vk-m2a-interactive-wrapper-with-gnome-terminal.sh` is necessary because I want a new terminal window to pop-up in order to enter my desired destination folder for my files:
vk-m2a-interactive-wrapper-with-gnome-terminal.sh
```
#!/bin/sh
/usr/bin/gnome-terminal \
--geometry=157x56+330+5 \
--tab-with-profile=big \
--hide-menubar \
-x /home/vk/src/m2a/m2a.py --pauseonexit "${@}"
#end
```
In geeqie, you can add a keyboard shortcut in `Edit > Preferences > Preferences ... > Keyboard`. I associated `m` with the `m2a` command.
#### Workflow: Rotate images (loss-less)
Usually, portrait photographs are being marked automatically as portrait photographs by my digital camera. However, there are certain situations (like taking a photograph from above the motif) where my camera gets it wrong. In those **rare cases** , I have to manually fix the orientation.
You have to know that the JPEG file format is a lossy format which should be used only for photographs and not for computer-generated stuff like screen-shots or diagrams. Rotating a JPEG image file in the dumb way usually results in decompressing/visualizing the image file, rotating the resulting image, and re-encoding the result once again. This causes a resulting image with [much worse image quality than the original image][5].
Therefore, you should use a lossless method to rotate you JPEG image files.
Once again, I add an "external editor" to geeqie: `Edit > Preferences > Configure Editors ... > New`. There, I add two entries: one for rotating 270 degrees (which is 90 degrees counter-clock-wise) and one for rotating 90 degrees (clock-wise) using [exiftran][34]:
# Desktop files that are usable only in Geeqie should be marked like this:
Categories=X-Geeqie;
OnlyShowIn=X-Geeqie;
# Show in menu "Edit/Orientation"
X-Geeqie-Menu-Path=EditMenu/OrientationMenu
MimeType=image/jpeg;
```
rotate-90.desktop
```
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Name=Losslessly rotate JPEG image clockwise
# call the helper script
TryExec=exiftran
Exec=exiftran -p -9 -i -g %f
# Desktop files that are usable only in Geeqie should be marked like this:
Categories=X-Geeqie;
OnlyShowIn=X-Geeqie;
# Show in menu "Edit/Orientation"
X-Geeqie-Menu-Path=EditMenu/OrientationMenu
# It can be made verbose
# X-Geeqie-Verbose=true
MimeType=image/jpeg;
```
I created geeqie keyboard shortcuts for `[` (counter-clock-wise) and `]` (clock-wise).
#### Workflow: Visualizing GPS coordinates
My digital camera has a GPS sensor which stores the current geographic location within the Exif meta-data of the JPEG files. The location data gets stored in [WGS 84][35] format like "47, 58, 26.73; 16, 23, 55.51" (latitude; longitude). This is not human-readable in the sense I would expect: either a map or a location name. Therefore, I added functionality to geeqie so, that I am able to see the location of a single image file on [OpenStreetMap][36]: `Edit > Preferences > Configure Editors ... > New`
This calls my wrapper-script named `vkphotolocation.sh` which uses [ExifTool][37] to extract the coordinates in a suitable format that [Marble][38] is able to read and visualize:
Mapped to the keyboard shortcut `G`, I can quickly get to the **map position of its location of a single image file**.
When I want to visualize the **positions of multiple JPEG image files as a path** , I am using [GpsPrune][39]. I was not able to derive a method where GpsPrune takes a set of files as command line parameters. And because of this, I have to manually start GpsPrune, select a set of files or a folder with `File > Add photos`.
This way, I get a dot for each JPEG location on a map of OpenStreetMap (if configured so). By clicking on such a dot, I get details of the corresponding image.
If you happen to be abroad while taking photographs, visualizing the GPS positions is a **great help for adding descriptions** to the file name!
#### Workflow: Filtering photographs according to their GPS coordinates
This is no workflow of mine. For the sake of completeness, I list features of tools that make this workflow possible. What I would like to do is looking for only those photographs out of a big pile of images, that are within a certain area (rectangle or point + distance).
So far, I found only [DigiKam][40] which is able to [filter according to a rectangle][41]. If you know another tool, please add it to the comments below or write an email.
#### Workflow: Showing a sub-set of a given set
As described in the requirements above, I want to be able to define a sub-set of files within a folder in order to present this small collection to other people.
The work-flow is pretty simple: I add a tag (via `t`/filetags) to the files of the selection. For this, I use the tag `sel` which is short for "selection". After I tagged the set of files, I can press `s` which I associated with a script that shows only the files tagged with `sel`.
Of course, this also works with any tag or tag combination. Therefore, with the same method, you are able to get a decent overview on all photos of your wedding that are tagged with "church" and "rings".
Nifty feature, isn't it? :-)
##### Initial set-up of filetags for filtering according to tags + geeqie
You have to define an additional "external editor": `Edit > Preferences > Configure Editors ... > New`:
What `filetags` with parameter `--filter` does is basically the following: the user gets asked to enter one or more tags. Then, all matching files of the current folder are linked to `$HOME/.filetags_tagfilter/` using [symbolic links][42]. Then, a new geeqie instance is started which shows the linked files.
After quitting this new geeqie instance, you see the old geeqie instance, from where you invoked the selection process.
Wow, this was a very long blog entry. No wonder that you might have lost the overview here and there. To sum up the things I am able to do within geeqie (that extends the standard feature set), I have this cool table below:
shortcut function `m` m2a `o` open (for non-images) `a` add text to file name `t` filetags (add) `T` filetags (remove) `s` filetags (filter) `g` gimp `G` show GPS position `[` lossless rotate counterclockwise `]` lossless rotate clockwise `Ctrl-e` EXIF `f` full-screen
Parts of a file name (including its path) and tools I use to manipulate the components accordingly:
```
/this/is/a/folder/2014-04-20T17.09 Pick-nick in Graz -- food graz.jpg
In practice, I do the following steps to get my photographs from the camera to my archive: I put the SD memory card into my SD card reader of my computer. Then I start [getdigicamdata.sh][23]. After it is finished, I open `$HOME/tmp/digicam/tmp/` within geeqie. I skim through the photographs and delete the ones that did not work out. If there is an image with the wrong orientation, I correct it by `[` or `]`.
In a second run, I add descriptions to files I consider worth commenting on (`a`). Whenever I want to add tags I do so as well: I quickly mark all files that should share a tag (`Ctrl` \+ mouse-click) and tag them using [filetags][28] (`t`).
To combine files from a given event, I select corresponding files and move them to their "event-folder" within the yearly archive folder by typing the event description in [move2archive][33] (`m`). The rest (no special event folder) is moved to the yearly archive directly by move2archive (`m`) without stating a event description.
To finish my work-flow, I delete all files on my SD card, dismount it from the operating system, and put it back into my digital camera.
That's it.
Because this work-flow requires almost no overhead at all, commenting, tagging, and filing photographs is not a tedious job any more.
Quite frankly, I never thought of video thumbnails and I don't miss them. A quick research in the preferences and with my search engine did not suggest that there is a possible way to enable video previews in Geeqie. So no luck here.
