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Adding descriptions:
Data editor

Layout

Data tree

Picture data

Shortcuts

Groups

Computers can easily search for words in a text file but they cannot search for things shown in a graphic file because they do not recognise people, places and objects.

To be able to search for pictures, you must first describe what they show.

This used to be a difficult and time-consuming job. ViewMinder has the tools to make it quick and easy.

You can enter the Data editor from Check, Browse or Search modes. Click  the thumbnails of the pictures you want to describe and then the "Edit data" button on the toolbar.

You will save time if you select a number of similar pictures before calling the Data editor.

Instead of writing descriptions one by one, you will be able to write shared parts of their description at the same time, as explained below.

Layout

The data editor is divided into several panes. On the left, in the picture tray, are all the pictures that were selected when you called the data editor.

You can sort these pictures in a number of ways by clicking the Tray Tools button at the bottom of the tray and then selecting one of the Sort by...choices.

To see more details of any picture, click its picture in the tray. A large version will appear in the preview pane. The frame around the picture will change colour to show that it is selected.

If you now click a second picture, the preview pane will now show this second image.

You'll see that two pictures are now selected. Clicking a picture selects it. It is not deselected until you click it again. Or, you can choose Select none from the Tray Tools to deselect all pictures.

Selecting several pictures in the Data editor lets you write the same data to each description.

Even if the pictures scroll off the bottom of the screen, you can easily see how many are selected from the text at the bottom of the tray.

Data tree

The pane at the bottom left of the window is the Data tree. This gives you fast access to any part of the description.

This may be unnecessary if you have disabled many of ViewMinder's features but It is useful when you are using a lot of fields and elements.

Picture data

The description itself is to the right of the tree, divided into its logical sections, first technical data about how the picture was created, then content explaining what it shows, and finally information about rights.

Each section of the description can be collapsed, or re-enlarged, by clicking the triangle in its top line.

If the description pane asks for a lot of information that is unnecessary to you, you can disable the unwanted parts by changing the fields in Settings.

For an explanation of the function of each field, see Chapter 8, Fields and Settings.

Changing the Fields in Settings will not delete any parts of picture descriptions already written. They will simply not be shown on screen.

Faster data writing

You could select each picture in turn, and write information about each separately. But if several pictures in the Tray were taken at the same time, they probably have much in common.

Select all the pictures that have something in common, write the information, and click the save button. You have now recorded it for every picture.

To select a large number of pictures, you needn't click each. Just drag the mouse over them - that is, hold the mouse button down as you move it.

There are even faster ways of selecting all the pictures. You can select all pictures in the tray using the Tray Tools button, or just typing Ctrl+A.

If the information in any field is not the same for all pictures selected, it will read "multiple values". If you do not type anything in this field, ViewMinder will not change this field for any picture when you save the data.

Other shortcuts

Choosing Creation country was a matter of selecting one item from a list, but in some parts of the picture description you will have to type in words.

To save you time, ViewMinder remembers the last five entries for each part of the description. Just click the arrow at the right of the box and make a selection.

Grouping pictures

Pictures can be grouped in the data editor, as well as in Browse mode. You can create new groups using the Add button.

You can also place pictures in existing groups by clicking the pictures in question and then checking the box next to the group's name

A pictures can be in many groups at the same time,  or in no groups at all.

Editing groups

Existing groups can be deleted or edited in Settings. To change ViewMinder's settings, choose Edit from the menu and then Settings. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl-G

Deleting a group does not delete the pictures in that group. It just changes the database to show that the group no longer exists.

Group deletion cannot be undone. Even if you create a new group with the same name, the new group will initially be empty; it will not contain the pictures that were in the deleted group.

Finished yet?

There is no need to write all the picture data in the same session. You can quickly find the pictures with incomplete descriptions by clicking the button at the top-left in Browse mode.

When you have completed the description, click the picture or pictures that are ready, then the Tray Tools button at the bottom of the tray, and choose Data checked and complete.

But before you mark an picture as ready, have a look at the next chapter, Elements, which explains how you can list individual things shown in a picture.

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