Sorting Thumbnail view as per [=exif.DateOriginal]

[navporky]

Hi,

Working with images - need to have thumbnail view sorted as per the [=exif.DateOriginal] but unable to do so. Is it possible? Pls guide.

PS: Am aware of the 'Custom Columns' functionality and able to sort it there but it only shows the list view and not the thumbnail view.

Thanks.

[ghisler(Author)]

No, it's unfortunately not possible, sorry.

[navporky]

I feel it's quite useful. If its feasible then may I post it in "suggestions" as a generic ask considering other exif fields?

[ghisler(Author)]

How would you make this accessible to the user?

[Hacker]

Christian,
The easiest quick and dirty way would be to retain the column headers from the last active custom columns view when switching to thumbnail view.
Alternatively, there could be a flag in custom columns view configuration which would activate the column headers only for sorting (but not switch thumbnail view off).

Roman

[Hacker]

Or add a new cm_SrcThumbsKeepColumnHeaders command.

Roman

[navporky]

Christian,
The easiest quick and dirty way would be to retain the column headers from the last active custom columns view when switching to thumbnail view.
Alternatively, there could be a flag in custom columns view configuration which would activate the column headers only for sorting (but not switch thumbnail view off).

Roman

I like this mechanism for user to access this feature. Would very much appreciate this. Thanks.

[ghisler(Author)]

Currently TC uses custom columns in thumbnails view for the text below the thumbnails.

[Hacker]

Christian,

Currently TC uses custom columns in thumbnails view for the text below the thumbnails.

It uses one specific custom fields definition.
There should not be a conceptual problem to let the user switch to the column headers from another custom column view (by right-clicking on them, or by using a new internal command). Or keep the current column headers when switching to Thumbnail view (by using a new internal command).

Roman

[Old Faithful]

I humbly agree with Hacker - Since trying v. 10, I'm able to see picture thumbnails (a major improvement that makes Total Commander much more useful to me), but, unlike Windows Explorer, where pictures can be shown as Thumbnails AND be sorted by Date Taken (or any of a multitude of other criteria), Total commander only offers name, ext, size and date modified, which is especially frustrating when dealing with files transferred from an android device, which automatically redates them to the time the transfer was made, or if you do any kind of picture processing.

So my question is, why would it be difficult to, say, have custom indication under the thumbnail such as Date Taken([=exif.DateOriginal] but NOT have that same column possible for sorting purposes?

[ghisler(Author)]

The problem is how to let the user choose the columns he want to sort by, and how to use them for sorting.
For example, the fields under the thumbnails aren't fixed, they can be configured separately be the user, e.g. different fields for images, videos, word documents etc. Therefore there isn't a guarantee that the fields are available for sorting. Even then, if I replaced the headers Size, Date/Time with these custom fields, it would no longer be possible to sort by size and date/time.

[Hacker]

Christian,
Could one of these be implemented?

• keep current custom column headers when switching to Thumbnail view
• as above, but only when switching to Thumbnail view using some new internal command, e.g. cm_SrcThumbsKeepColumnHeaders
• add a configuration field similar to "Show custom fields below thumbnails" for configuring sorting headers for Thumbnail view
• switch to already existing custom column headers without leaving Thumbnail view (this would be my preferred solution because it allows to change sorting headers on the fly, e.g. switch between sorting headers suitable for images vs. movies, but would need more internal commands)

Roman

[ghisler(Author)]

Yes and no.
1. Yes, it could be done with some changes to the program
2. The problem is that when you have a lot of columns, you need to scroll sideways to see the column headers. You can't do that while in thumbnail view because the side scrolling is done in the file list, not in the header.

[Hacker]

Christian,

The problem is that when you have a lot of columns, you need to scroll sideways to see the column headers.

I guess that's something the user can adjust if he finds the headers are too wide for the panel width. In other words I don't see that as something that should prevent implementation.

Roman

[zorg]

Just chiming in to vote for this feature.. being able to sort by the date the photo was taken but also see the thumbnail would be quite useful. I encountered this issue today (just found the exif plugin, which is great!).

One solution that crossed my mind initially was to replace the filetype icon in custom column view with the thumbnail. That would introduce its own issues though, mainly to do with the size of the thumbnail-icon.