What is the Image Browser

The Micrografx Image Browser is a handy application that lets you view the graphic files stored anywhere on your network or individual PC. The Image Browser operates in three separate modes, or views, designed to let you view and access large collections of graphics. You can change from one view to another to view and/or access specific graphics and/or thumbnails that you have created and organized into personalized albums. In any view, you can easily move, copy, delete, or rename any graphic or thumbnail you desire.


The Image Browser Window


Thumbnail/File Button
Thumbnail/File View Button

The Thumbnail/File View Button allows you to switch between File and Thumbnail Views. While working in Thumbnail View, you can view graphics that are stored anywhere on your network or PC. The Thumbnail View is most useful for viewing graphics that may reside on your own machine or in a common network directory.


Thumbnail/Album Button
Thumbnail/Album View Button

The Thumbnail/Album View Button allows you to switch between Thumbnail and Album Views. While working in Album View, you can create personalized directories, or “Albums”, in which you can store selected thumbnails. By storing personal collections in an album, locating a favorite thumbnail is easy.


File View Button

The File View displays the directory structure of your machine and/or network in much the same way as Windows Explorer.


Details View Button

The Details View displays your machine’s directory structure as well as a few extra fields that give detailed information about a specific directory and/or file, such as size, type, and the date the file was last modified.


The Image Browser Window

The Image Browser’s main window contains four buttons in the top right corner. The two buttons on the left control which view to display. You can view a list of graphics by location or by type depending on which button you select. The two buttons on the right display the mode, or view, of operation that is currently in effect. The first button is a toggle switch between Thumbnail View and File View while the second one toggles between Thumbnail View and Album View.


Viewing Thumbnails

Working in Album View

File View

Thumbnail View

Album View


Thumbnail View

In the Image Browser’s Thumbnail View, you can view thumbnails of the graphics stored on your network or individual PC. While in Thumbnail View, you can copy and/or move thumbnails to a new or existing album. A right click menu provides you with additional functions such as Delete, Copy, Move, and Rename just as if you were working in File View or Windows Explorer.


To View Thumbnails

To Copy and/or Move Thumbnails


To view thumbnails

1.	Select Open from the File menu.

2.	Navigate to the directory that holds the graphics you would like to view.

3.	Double-click on the appropriate folder.

4.	Click on the Show/Hide Thumbnails button on the top right corner of the dialog box.


Copying and Moving Graphics


To copy and/or move graphics

1.	Select Open from the File menu.

2.	Navigate to the graphic you want to move or copy.

3.	Position the cursor over the desired graphic and right-click.

4.	Scroll down to Copy or Move on the drop-down menu.

5.	Select the new Directory/Folder and click Okay.

Note:

•	You must be in File View to do this. If you are in Album View, click on the Album View button to toggle back into Thumbnail View. From there, click on the Show/Hide Thumbnails button to toggle back to File View.


To Copy and/or Move Thumbnails


Working with Albums

Creating albums, or personal storage areas, is the first step in making the Image Browser work specifically for you. Once you create a series of albums, you can copy selected thumbnails to a designated album.

For each thumbnail added to an album, the Image Browser allows you to add an associated keyword. Keywords can be used to describe or categorize a thumbnail, such as Orange Bowl 1998, or Football, or New Year’s Day. When you are in Album View, you can search for files by using these keywords.

You can also move thumbnails between albums. The link to the file and any keywords you have added will automatically move, making it easy to personalize any Image Browser album.

Note

•	Album View will not function in Windows 98. Individual thumbnails, however, can still be cataloged and viewed by clicking the Thumbnail/File View button.


Creating/Deleting Albums

Adding Thumbnails to an Album

Adding Keywords to a Thumbnail


Album View

In Album View, you can see graphics that you have grouped into albums. When you move, copy, rename, and delete a thumbnail from an album, you are affecting only the thumbnail and not the actual file. The Album View allows you to arrange thumbnails into albums independent of the files’ actual location. Thumbnails in an album have a link that connects them to the original file. While working in Album View, you can move and manipulate thumbnails without affecting your actual graphic.

For example, if you have multiple files relating to sports located in several different directories, you can create an album to hold thumbnails of all sports-related graphics. This allows you to see all sports graphics without changing the structure of your directory. If you choose to delete a particular thumbnail from the album, you will delete only the thumbnail and its link, and not the actual file. The “albums” you create can become your own, independent and personalized storage medium for any graphic you desire.

Note

•	Album View will not function in Windows 98. Individual thumbnails, however, can still be cataloged and viewed by clicking the Thumbnail/File View button.


Working with Albums

File View

Thumbnail View


To add thumbnails to an album

1.	From within either Thumbnail View or Album View, click on the Show/Hide Thumbnails button to view the thumbnails.

2.	Navigate to the graphic you want to move or copy.

3.	Position the cursor over the desired graphic and right-click.

4.	Scroll down to Copy to Album on the drop-down menu.

5.	Select an existing album or New Album and enter an album name. The Image Browser will automatically add the graphic’s thumbnail to its appropriate album.

Note:

•	By adding a thumbnail to an album, you are not moving the graphic file itself. The actual graphic will not change locations; only a thumbnail of the particular graphic is added to the designated album. When you copy a thumbnail to an existing album, the Image Browser displays your first nine albums. If you have more than nine albums, click More Albums to see a complete list.


To create and delete albums

1.	Select Open from the File menu.

2.	Click on the Album View button in the top right corner of the dialog box.

3.	Click on the Folder icon to create an Album.

4.	Enter the name of the new album as it appears in the Open window. When you are done, click anywhere on the screen.

5.	To delete an album, highlight the selected album and press the delete key.

Note:

•	When you delete an album, you delete only the thumbnails stored in that album. The actual files within a deleted album are unaffected.


Converting Picture Publisher 6.0 Albums


Converting Picture Publisher 6.0 Albums

You can convert any album you created in Picture Publisher 6.0 using a built-in conversion utility. You can access this utility from in Album View.

You can access Picture Publisher albums in the Micrografx Media Manager. All albums are loaded into a collection called Picture Publisher Albums. The Media Manager allows you to drag and drop pictures from your albums into most Windows compatible applications.


To Convert Picture Publisher 6.0 Albums


To convert Picture Publisher 6.0 albums

1.	On the Picture Publisher menu, select File and click Open.

2.	In the File Selection dialog, click Show/Hide Albums.

3.	Right click on any thumbnail in any album.

4.	On the right-click menu, select Copy to Album/Import Albums. The Micrografx Clip Art Conversion Utility will open and display a dialog box.

5.	Click the Picture Publisher tab.

6.	Select the albums and click Convert.

Any selected Picture Publisher 6.0 album is now converted and can be accessed in Album View.

Note:

•	If the Media Manager cannot find all your albums, make sure they are in the Thumbs folder which is under the Picture Publisher 6.0 folder.


File View

The Image Browser’s File View works much the same way as Windows Explorer. While in File View, navigate just as you would in Windows Explorer. When you copy, move, rename, or delete a graphic, the file itself will reflect the new properties of the completed task. If you choose to delete a file, for example, the actual file will be deleted at which point you will be prompted to Confirm File Delete.


A graphic
In this instance, a graphic is a vector or raster file existing somewhere on your network or individual PC. The graphic is the source file for its associated thumbnail.


A thumbnail
Unlike a graphic, a thumbnail is a graphical representation of a specific graphic. While working in Album View, a thumbnail can be renamed, moved, copied, and even deleted without affecting the actual graphic file. In Thumbnail View, however, actions applied to the thumbnail will directly affect the actual graphic; only a thumbnail stored in your personal albums can be manipulated independent of its associated graphic file.


To copy and/or move thumbnails

1.	Select Open from the File menu.

2.	Navigate to the thumbnail you want to move or copy.

3.	Position the cursor over the desired thumbnail and right-click.

4.	Scroll down to Copy or Move on the drop-down menu.

5.	Select the new Directory/Folder and click Okay.

Note:

•	You must be in either Thumbnail View or Album View to do this. If you are in File View, click on either the Album View button or the Thumbnail View button to toggle into the correct view.


File View

Album View


Album View

Thumbnail View


To add keywords to a thumbnail

1.	Select an individual file thumbnail.

2.	Right click and select Properties.

3.	Click on the Keyword tab.

4.	Click in the window below Keywords.

5.	Type in the appropriate keywords or description. Place a comma between keywords.