Photo Gallery Forums

Hi there,

I tried Imagevue this week end, and really liked it.
It has almost everything we can hope for a flash Galery.


I'm still hesitating to buy it, cause t'here still some features missing :

- a "post a comment" by photo.

- abbility to add tags.

- a search engine by keyword (title, filename, tags)


So, could you tell me if those features are on the roadmap ?


Thanks for your help.

- a "post a comment" by photo.
We are considering this, and it may be added in a future release. The reason we are a bit hesitant, is because A) Imagevue is a folder-based real-time gallery, and it would require a database to have proper comments functionality. B) We consider Imagevue a portfolio-style gallery, and there are not really many elegant ways to squeeze a User Interface for comments into Imagevue. Also, we have our doubts as to how actively comments would be used by visitors.

Just for the record, we have two other related forthcoming features:
1. Guestbook (we think this is more appropriate than comments)
2. Ratings. Easier to use, and more elegant to implement.

- abbility to add tags.
- a search engine by keyword (title, filename, tags)
The two above features go into the same category, because basically you are asking for a search engine in Imagevue. At the current state of Imagevue, I am sorry to say I doubt this will happen. As mentioned, Imagevue is a folder-based gallery, and it would require a database to integrate search functionality (and without search functionality, what is the point of tags?) ... Also, we still consider Imagevue a "portfolio", and at it's current state, we think there are better solutions if you want to use it as a "library" to search images.

Thanks for your answers

I understand your point, and look forward the guestoook and rating features.

As mentioned, Imagevue is a folder-based gallery, and it would require a database to integrate search functionality

Do you think this can be made by a third party ?

we think there are better solutions if you want to use it as a "library" to search images.

Maybe, but not as beautiful as imagevue

I like the idea of comments but I dont see it happening in Imagevuex.
Or well okay let me rephrase that:

I dont see the use of it for someone who uses a usersystem which is based on for instance VBulletin or a CMS.
Because quite simply you dont want your users to have to login again for commenting on imagevuex.
Putting it simply: there are no bridges (as far as I know) which do this for Imagevue.

And well it is not the job of Imagevuex to do that in my opinion.
If you however find a brdige or party which can make the desirable happen ... I wouldnt mind you sharing it

I am looking forward to a rate system for Imagevuex ... that surely has potential.

mjau-mjau wrote:(...)Imagevue is a folder-based real-time gallery, and it would require a database to have proper comments functionality(...)
(...)As mentioned, Imagevue is a folder-based gallery, and it would require a database to integrate search functionality(...)

Just wonder why you (I mean imagevuex developers) can't make extra modules (plugins) payable in addition? If somebody want buy some extra module (ratings, commenting, guestbook, etc...) and have possibility (and some knowledge) to setup an database, then why not? I would be realy happy if I could buy module ready for integrate with imagevue app, and setup only database table.

It's pleasure for me, work with imagevue. Before I bought licence I have tested lot of galeries / templates, and imagevue was best option I found, realy... But the total abandonment of the SQL? , we loose lot of functionality...

Artur wrote:Just wonder why you (I mean imagevuex developers) can't make extra modules (plugins) payable in addition? If somebody want buy some extra module (ratings, commenting, guestbook, etc...) and have possibility (and some knowledge) to setup an database, then why not? I would be realy happy if I could buy module ready for integrate with imagevue app, and setup only database table.

It is all a balance. We can't possibly make a product that covers all areas for everyone. Even Picasa and Flickr can't do that although they have 1000s of developers and unlimited funds. Why? Because we need to find a balance between what we think is suitable, and what looks and works well in Imagevue. I am sorry to say, that there are so many website owners out there who just want "everything" for their website, without considering what the visitors might be bothered using. Website owners like to think that visitors spend long time in their galleries viewing all photos, while in most cases they simply go quickly through a few pictures. I seriously think that very very few users would have any benefit of a tedious popup comments system in Imagevue. It wouldn't be used by visitor ...

At best, a comments system in Imagevue would be tedious and inferior to more traditional vertical-scroll comments systems. Ultimately, we are responsible for keeping imagevue clean, and for every little thing we add, it needs to be covered to work on all servers, to comply with all themes, preferably work in flash, html and now new upcoming mobile versions, it needs to follow the high visual standards of Imagevue (which has been Imagevues trademark), and it needs to be documented properly.

We are not against adding additional functionality, but it is all about priorities, time, and what can appropriately be integrated into Imagevue. We have many plans, but unfortunately we are working at capacity.

Artur wrote:It's pleasure for me, work with imagevue. Before I bought licence I have tested lot of galeries / templates, and imagevue was best option I found, realy... But the total abandonment of the SQL? , we loose lot of functionality...

We didn't abandon it, we just don't use it. If we use database, then we would not have our gallery based on a pure folder structure. Although this could be possible, I know many users appreciate the visual synchronization of simply having the gallery reflect the content of folders. Why would we add DB support just to support some small feature on the side? Having said that, we are not against DB, until we find it is really required.

Search for Imagevue? To be perfectly blunt, I am very opposed to this. Are visitors supposed to enter your site and be searching keywords? This means you are using Imagevue as a library, and not a portfolio. There are simply too many existing solutions which a "flash" gallery with search functionality could never compete with ...

Hey Artur, I noticed on your site you have found a way to setup "ratings" & "comments"; would you mind sharing with the rest of us on how you did it? Thanks Jason