I have so many directories of pictures that they're becoming
unmanageable. So I want to setup a database, but know nothing about them.

I'm running OpenSUSE 10.2. Should I use OpenOffice Base, MySQL or other?


droid
--
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nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely
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On 2008-07-15, Jim Showalter <jshowalter@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have so many directories of pictures that they're becoming
> unmanageable. So I want to setup a database, but know nothing about them.
>
> I'm running OpenSUSE 10.2. Should I use OpenOffice Base, MySQL or other?
>

Try Digikam. It uses MySQL lite and you don't need to know anything
about it. The handy thing is that it's included in OpenSUSE.

Unfortunately it does not have (yet at least) support for MySQL
This feature has been requested for quite some time.

Vahis
--
Training new things here:
http://waxborg.servepics.com/gallery/v/helsinki/
"The only thing more expensive than training is the lack of it"
Henry Ford

On Jul 14, 11:17 pm, Vahis <waxb...@gmail.com.invalid> wrote:

> Try Digikam. It uses MySQL lite and you don't need to know anything
> about it. The handy thing is that it's included in OpenSUSE.
>
> Unfortunately it does not have (yet at least) support for MySQL
> This feature has been requested for quite some time.

I do use digiKam - it's good for editing pictures, but I want to be
able to store data fields with the pictures so they can be searched by
subject, date, place, photographer, etc. Don't I need to run a
database program for that? But as I said, I don't know jack about
databases.

On 2008-07-15, droid <jshowalter@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jul 14, 11:17 pm, Vahis <waxb...@gmail.com.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Try Digikam. It uses MySQL lite and you don't need to know anything
>> about it. The handy thing is that it's included in OpenSUSE.
>>
>> Unfortunately it does not have (yet at least) support for MySQL
>> This feature has been requested for quite some time.
>
> I do use digiKam - it's good for editing pictures, but I want to be
> able to store data fields with the pictures so they can be searched by
> subject, date, place, photographer, etc. Don't I need to run a
> database program for that? But as I said, I don't know jack about
> databases.

You could do that in Digikam with _tags_ assigned to images.
Digikam uses SQL Lite, it is a database :)

Make a test directory and experiment with tags, they work real well.

Vahis
--
Training new things here:
http://waxborg.servepics.com/gallery/v/helsinki/
"The only thing more expensive than training is the lack of it"
Henry Ford

On Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:23:14 -0400, Jim Showalter typed this message:

> I have so many directories of pictures that they're becoming
> unmanageable. So I want to setup a database, but know nothing about
> them.
>
> I'm running OpenSUSE 10.2. Should I use OpenOffice Base, MySQL or other?
>
>
> droid

Ok haven't used OpenOffice Base but I expect it limited to small
applications. Why would you need a database to keep track of the names?
A spreadsheet seems easier. If you're archiving then I know MySql could
store the images in the database as binary objects and it's easy to
backup once established.

Doesn't F-Spot or Gwenview, Gqview do that? These all allow you to add
comments, and at least Gqview you can add keyword tags. Personally, I
don't like F-spot or Google's Picasso because those assign photos by date
to folders not by preference.

OTOH, you could simply tag your photos with keywords (family, friends,
events), then move them into the folders and sub-folders named for the
keywords.

Jim Showalter wrote:
> I have so many directories of pictures that they're becoming
> unmanageable. So I want to setup a database, but know nothing about them.

Mmm. That is a problem.

> I'm running OpenSUSE 10.2. Should I use OpenOffice Base, MySQL or other?

First ask wourself how you are going to organise it. I have some 40.000
backgrounds and simply have them sorted by name in directories.
First there are the directories a - z. Then in each one there are
several with the names.

Now perhaps you will do it differently. So first start thinking about
how you want them organised.
next you need an idea on what to search inages, if that is needed. e.g.
you might want to search on one or any of the following words:
blond, bikini, beach, boobs.

However most of the time having an organised hiarchy is enough. That
will make it pretty easy to find what you want. I also turn the images
into a website, which makes it easier to use and to give to other
people.

For this I use http://jalbum.net/

You do not need a webserver, as files can be saved in html and thus can
be opend directly by the browser.

I even have an autoloader for Windows users that will start the 'site'
when they put the CD into the drive.

Also very easy to put online (e.g. sailing.houghi.org)

Starting with a database will be not easy for this purpose, as you must
know what you want to get out of it and the possibilaties will only
become clear when you already have knowledge of databases.

houghi
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