Catalog state - Stacking

[Hert]

I'm not familiar with how stacking and versions interact in IDI so I'm not sure what happens when you start to put versions of images in stacks. Does the whole version set end up in the stack or can you put an individual version in a stack by itself and still have it as a member of a version set? I would hope the latter is the case.

You can't do that in IDI. But can we please discuss PSU here and not IDI?

Hert

[tstoddard]

Hert,

It was not my intent to turn this topic to a conversation about IDI. I'm sorry if it appeared that way. I was more interested in discussing stacking versus version sets. The only reason I used IDI in my post was because it was the only application I know of that supports both. I guess I should have asked, if PSU were to support both stacking and version sets, how would they work together?

I was really just trying to answer freudenthaler's request for an example of a use of stacking that can't be "squeezed into version sets".

Anyone coming up with an example for stacking with can't be squeezed into version sets?

My example would require him to put a version set into a stack. As far as I know, you can put a version set into a stack but you can't put a version set into another version set. I was asking about how it would work in IDI only to try to validate my example. I wasn't sure about my assumptions and I didn't want to mislead anyone.

Thanks for you input.

[gcoupe]

But can we please discuss PSU here and not IDI?

Hert

It's a point of comparison that most of us here are familiar with. And since we are trying to find out the capabilities of PSU, it's only natural that IDI becomes a reference point.

[Hert]

Geoff,

Then why doesn't anyone say *in productX I can do this and that, now I'm shocked that PSU can't do that"? Why expect PSU to do what IDI does while they are different products, and the last thing I want PSU to become is a mirror of IDI with the same pitfall/end result. If IDI was that good then I would've continued it

Hert

[gcoupe]

Because IDI is the product we are familiar with - and it's the product we chose because it came closest to fulfilling our requirements. I've looked at, and rejected, many other products, and ended up with IDI.

[freudenthaler]

I would say, as a native English speaker, that the stacking concept is more generic and versioning a more specific one.

I agree with you in terms of wording & general concepts, but what I ment was the specific implemented concept of versions / version sets in PSU. I still believe that I can do everything I would do with stacking with PSU's concept of versions / version sets and gain an extra benefit of being able to add a "specific tag", which is quite useful for searching.

What I'm missing with versions though is an alternative view of a version set.
The tabbed view is a fine representation of grouped pics as long as I don't want to take a closer look at its content. It's unhandy when I want to see the contant at the first glance. So what I'm missing here is a "unstack / stack" commando, which transforms the "stacked view" into a "flat view", but still visually grouping the content (eg. with a border).

[Hert]

Because IDI is the product we are familiar with - and it's the product we chose because it came closest to fulfilling our requirements. I've looked at, and rejected, many other products, and ended up with IDI.

Of course there are good areas in IDI that aren't in PSU. That is either because I consider such a feature unfitted or overkill for PSU or the feature doesn't match/fit PSU its user interface approach, or having the feature isn't for a big enough audience, or the feature impacts overall performance (reducing overall usability), or...

[jstartin]

What I'm missing with versions though is an alternative view of a version set.
The tabbed view is a fine representation of grouped pics as long as I don't want to take a closer look at its content. It's unhandy when I want to see the contant at the first glance. So what I'm missing here is a "unstack / stack" commando, which transforms the "stacked view" into a "flat view", but still visually grouping the content (eg. with a border).

This discussion has drifted away from the topic of whether or not PSU caters for stacks, but...
...using versions as intended by Hert (I think), I find it very convenient to be shown by the tabs on a thumb that alternative versions exist and to simply launch the Light Table to see a "flat" view of the previews. I suspect that additional commands and views would be, in Hert's words, "a feature unfitted or overkill for PSU or the feature doesn't match/fit PSU its user interface approach, or having the feature isn't for a big enough audience, or the feature impacts overall performance (reducing overall usability), or..."

But I do think that separate "stacking" would be a good addition to PSU.

[freudenthaler]

..simply launch the Light Table to see a "flat" view of the previews. I suspect that additional commands and views would be, in Hert's words, "a feature unfitted or overkill for PSU or the feature doesn't match/fit PSU its user interface approach..

True, the preview could be an option for viewing the version sets in "flat mode" - haven't thought of that. Although catalog view is better suited to get an overall impression I can live with the workaround of having to switch to preview-mode.

And yes, I encourage Hert to keep the UI as clean, minimalistic & consistent as possible. So why add a feature which is already here in a similiar way?

[hocker]

I've come a little late to this discussion, but just wanted to say that, in ID5 I use both stacking and versions. The distinction is quite clear and their usage is completely different. While versions only require one image to be displayed (with hidden images being easily available in PSU with a call to the Light Table), stacks often require individual images to be shown. In my case I create composites from images taken from many different shoots. I need these images displayed at all times. I also need them to be 'related' in some way, so that when I look at the composite image, I can easily see those images from which I made it. Stacking is just the thing. I have PSU, but will continue with ID5 until stacking is available.

[Hert]

What you could do is:
Create a Stacking category, which is private
Create a stack label which you assign to images that you want to relate

[HaraldE]

Stacking is not in PSU. If enough people request it then it shall be added.

Hert

There is a ticket in Mantis which I believe is spot on and that is http://bugs.idimager.com/view.php?id=14
In there I can see around 10 people adding a vore. Maybe there are more people since I didn't check on if there are further requests in other tickets.

So if "enought people request it" by voting in there we may have Stacking in PSU. I hope so.

Regards, Harald