Where's the new browser?

Is something not working like it should? Let us know.
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2022-05-21 22:24:47

I was enthused to see in the release notes that there's a browser now, but I can't find it. The splash screen offers "Browse photos," but it just launches a regular File/Open dialog that won't let you pick a directory.

Anybody have some insight here? Thanks!

On a side note: The image-attachment function in this forum is broken; it just spins forever after you select a file for upload.
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2022-05-24 15:41:25

Hi GHS, you can open the Photos library browser via File > New from Photos... or by selecting Open an image from Photos when you launch Pixelmator Pro.

Thanks for the heads-up on the image attachment issue, I've confirmed this happens on my end as well. We'll look into it!
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2022-05-24 22:28:29

Thanks for the reply, but is this functionality seriously limited to Apple Photos? I don't use Photos; I just want to browse images in local directories on my computer.
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2022-05-25 16:36:25

Yes, the point of the Photos browser is to be able to easily access and import photos from your Photos library. As for locally stored images not in your Photos library, this can already be done just as simply via the macOS File > Open dialog, especially if you use the button at the top of the dialog to view your files as icons. Alternatively, you can do the same through Finder, as well - and once you find a photo you'd like to edit, you can simply Control click it and choose Open With... > Pixelmator Pro.
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2022-05-25 17:01:35

Thanks for the reply, but unfortunately that doesn't work. Finder's "icon" mode is totally incompetent: Rows overflow the window so pictures are out of view, and there's no way to fix that. There's no discernible logic in how many images Apple puts in a row, and that's not the only problem. Have you even looked at this? It's not at all usable as a photo browser.

It's very disappointing to find that you implemented such a strangely limited browser. Why bother? Doesn't Photos already have a browser? And doesn't it stand to reason that if someone's using Pixelmator, he's NOT a Photos user?

Baffling decision.
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2022-05-30 18:28:20

by GHS 2022-05-25 02:28:29 Thanks for the reply, but is this functionality seriously limited to Apple Photos? I don't use Photos; I just want to browse images in local directories on my computer.
If you need a DAM take a look at the free, open-source, digiKam. You can open any photo from within digiKam in Pixelmator Pro ( or any other app).
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2022-05-31 03:51:31

Thanks for the reference. I have tried digiKam in the past, but unfortunately it's misguided. It insists on building three databases, and forces you to specify every location in which you store photos (and presumably you have to remember to add new ones). You also have to find a reliable place to put said databases.

That's asinine when all you want to do is browse images in arbitrary directories.
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2022-06-02 13:19:44

by GHS 2022-05-31 07:51:31 Thanks for the reference. I have tried digiKam in the past, but unfortunately it's misguided. It insists on building three databases, and forces you to specify every location in which you store photos (and presumably you have to remember to add new ones). You also have to find a reliable place to put said databases.

That's asinine when all you want to do is browse images in arbitrary directories.
Uh, no.

Is this what you are referring to?
The digiKam actually manages more than one databases. For convenience, it is broadly categorized in three:
Core database for all collection properties, i.e. it hosts all albums, images and searches data.

Thumbnails database for compressed thumbnails i.e. to host image thumbs using wavelets compression images (PGF format).

Face database for storing face recognition metadata i.e. to host face histograms for faces recognition.
The Albums database merely reflects my pre-existing folder structure. It is transparent when using digiKam.

I have it pointing to the Top folder where I have always stored my photos. Nothing else is required.
I create sub-folders for the method I have always used in storing photos and when in digiKam I just use my pre-established folder structure.

There is no additional work needed. It is really very simple.
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2022-06-02 17:05:06

So if you have, for example, a thumbdrive with a bunch of images on it, you can launch Digikam and browse the thumbdrive directly?
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2022-06-02 17:18:05

Easy:

From the Import Menu click Add Images to open a Finder Window. Navigate to your flash drive.
Here is the manual https://docs.kde.org/trunk5/en/digikam- ... mera-intro

https://docs.kde.org/trunk5/en/digikam- ... erface.png

Image

For some reason screen shots are not showing up here.
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2022-06-02 19:12:13

Thanks for taking the time to post that. I'll take a look.