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poyan
Germany
78 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 07 2010 : 22:08:11
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Proposals for enhancing SPM
working with libraries
1. make available a command line parameter to start up SPM in a definable folder and/or
make available the definition of a start-up folder for every library
2. make available a favorite folders list specific for a library
3. make available a two-window-folder mode
4. make available a "jump to folder" from the library/
make available the path to the file by a shortcut
5. make available a shortcut for displaying/hiding pictures with specially assigned keywords/star ratings
(or make available a second library mode which displays a sample of the search result (one or few pictures as examples for a series))
and make available an automatic assignment of keywords/star ratings according to the position of the file within the folder or according to the filename or
a command line option to assign keywords/star ratings.
6. make available "stored searches"
1. It is possible to define a global start-up folder, or spm opens the folder that was active when closing SPM
However, both options do not meet the typical work-flow.
If I want to work with a library "private" and have to switch to folders mode then I want to have displayed the folders that relate to my library, i.e. folder "private" in my directory tree. It makes simply no sense at all that SPM opens a folder from the directory "work" because this directory was the one I used last.
This requires unnecessary clicks with the mouse to bring up the desired folder.
continued;
the whole text seems to be too much...
SPM11
MLK9 |
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poyan
Germany
78 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2010 : 22:12:21
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2. Favorite folders are very helpful. But every library needs its own favorite folders, so the list "naturally" grows and grows with every library (we are using quite a lot), despite we try to limit the favorite folders per library.
However, If I work within a specific library, all the favorite folders of all other libraries are of no interest at all, they are there for nothing else than disturbing the user who has to find the correct entry out of dozens of entries, on some monitors even with the need to scroll the favorite folders list.
3. [Not so important] This would help in organizing the pictures. Of course, with definable start-up-folders and definable favorite folders list specific per library
4. It is not unusual that some work has to be done within the original folder after/during a search in library mode. SPM offers no "jump to" the specific folder.
This can be achieved by an external script which sends keystrokes to SPM. But sending a series of keystrokes to another program (not only "alt-enter", but then also some "tab" to reach the button "copy to clipboard") is not very fast and not secure since occasionally other windows may pop up who would then receive the keystrokes, which will always produce surprising but definitely unwanted results... At least getting the path by a single hotkey would help a lot, a button within SPM would be much better...
5. Szenario:
We have hierarchically organized pictures of persons (patients) according to a main issue (global disease) and beyond that to the person (patient). With every person several different modalities (specific disease, treatments, treatment steps, outcome) are possible, and keywords are assigned to differentiate the different diseases, treatment steps and outcome (at different time intervals).
That means:
issue01/person01/pict01.jpg .... picXY.jpg.
issue01/person02/pict01.jpg .... picXY.jpg.
...
issue02/person01/pict01.jpg .... picXY.jpg.
issue02/person02/pict01.jpg .... picXY.jpg.
...
For each person there are occasionally added new pictures.
The folders may contain hundreds of photos.
Of these, single pictures are usable to demonstrate a specific treatment step, to these specific keywords are assigned, and it is easy to compare these by searching for the keyword.
To compare series (diseases, treatments; in order to select the best for a publication), to a sample of all the pictures within a folder some "global" keywords are assigned. That may still be some dozens of pictures per case, which is still unconvenient. For a first survey it would be better to display a sample of the sample, that means 1 to 4 or 5 pictures which are typical for that person.
This could be done by assigning special keywords or star ratings, and then including these for a library search. However, it is unconvenient and time consuming (needs too many clicks and perhaps scrolling) to include an additional keyword or a filter (star rating). That means it would be great to have some buttons which hide all pictures with less than xx stars (or a specific keyword) to get a one-click seletion.
(btw: including keywords in the filter would be quite interesting, at least when in the search "find any keyword" is selected...)
continued
SPM11
MLK9 |
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poyan
Germany
78 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2010 : 22:25:22
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In our case additionally the first picture and the last one of every folder would be of interest for the "sample of the sample". The first one is a txt-file which is automatically written by a database, containing specific informations like age, observation period and so on, thus, during a search for pictures there is no need to open the database for these informations are displayed by SPM; the last file shows the last radiograph). Since the last file is changing if new pictures are assigned, and the first picture is losing the pertinent informations (keywords, ratings) when it is updated (= overwritten), it would be very helpful to have a command line access to assign or remove keywords/star ratings.
continued;
have some problems to upload the text. Comes in parts.
Do you use stop words? But I can+t imagine which one could hinder my text from being uploaded.
SPM11
MLK9 |
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poyan
Germany
78 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2010 : 22:32:44
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What would be top: to select from the "sample of the sample" which cases or of further interest and shall be displayed as series according to the filter 1 (special keyword/star rating). That would technically mean another filter which would, in this case, use the folder name. Not only one (as is already implemented), but several. And not via the long way through the dialog and browsing the folder, SPM would just need to extract the folders from the marked pictures.
6. It is so often that specific searches are run not once, but again and again...
A custom toolbar with customizable buttons (text and/or icons) which run a specified search... this would really enhance the workflow. Of course specific for every library.
Again, a command line parameter for running a specified search would also be possible... (or at least a mode selection (folders mode, library mode) and search dialog (including every keyword) which can be easily reached by keystrokes would be helpful) .
That are some proposals which would, in my eyes, clearly enhance the usability of SPM in daily work. Some of them specific for our needs, some should be valuable for all users. The specific needs could all be met by adding some command line options and an easy way to get the path of the files...
Kind regards
Yango
SPM11
MLK9 |
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xequte
5831 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2010 : 22:36:45
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Hi Yango
1. This is possible by passing a folder to it on launch, i.e.
"C:\Program Files\Smart Pix Manager\smartpix.exe" C:\Some_Folder
2-4. We'll consider these for a future version
5-6. Saved and common searches would be nice. We'll look into this
-----------------------------------------
1. Yes, it might be good if there was a way the start-up folder could be tied to the active library. But for less advanced users it might be confusing to have it change unexpectedly
2. As with 1., it could be good for the recent favorites list for the active list. If we do 5 we'll do this one too
4. I'll try to get it in the next release that in library and favourites mode you can right click a file and choose "Open File Location" to go to that folder in the folder mode
5. You can hide files with less than x stars, for example, by clicking the filter button. But if there was a saved search option then that would make it much quicker to access
6. We've been asked about a command line interface before, but not enough customers have shown interest for us to pursue it
7. Agreed, that would add much functionality. But it would need to be done in a way that would not make the interface any more cluttered or confusing,
Nigel
Xequte Software
www.xequte.com
nigel@xequte.com
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poyan
Germany
78 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2010 : 22:22:24
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Hi, Nigel,
thank you for your answer.
ad 1. Is there a possibility to pass two parameters to SPM? I tried to use the folder parameter and the library parameter but SPM only uses the first one... A workaround is to run SPM with the library parameter and then with the folder parameter
Your comments:
1. Unexperienced users wonīt use the multi-library feature, I guess...
If they really do: If a new library is set on, an automatic popup window could ask for the folder to be displayed. Thus it would be clear from the very beginning that every library has itīs own startup folder.
2.-6. I hope that you implement these features, and I look forward to the new version.
You have a quite interesting software with a good database functionality and a network use. Excellent, I like SPM for these professional features. But, as with every other softeware: it has some limitations and does not fulfill all the needs of everyone. However, some simple scripts could help to overcome many shortcomings thus allowing a good workflow, mostly automated.
Automation is a weak point in SPM: There are only few command line parameters, and several important features cannot be reached by keystrokes (which could be used by a sendkey function as a work around).
However, automation has some big advantages: It spares time - and time is money, not only in a professional environment - and it prevents mistakes.
Therefore I started some years ago using some scripts to do all that boring work that has to be done repeatedly, and I learned to look for programs which allow the extended use of command line parameters: I have special needs, I am willing to do something to fulfill these needs, but I need programs that do not hinder me...
You say that too less of your customers have shown interest for command line interface? Perhaps it is a question to wake desire? Maybe, if SPM would offer command line support actively, more customers would use the features - and ask for more options? Or, maybe, the customers who search for a software and for whom this feature is essential just cancel SPM as an option at he first glance and look for another software? And thus are lost as customers...
Well, maybe, you donīt have customers who need that "professional" feature. But you have so nice professional features built in. That does not fit together...
Edit: Just wrote a script to run SPM with the /DB (=library) parameter, then with the Folder parameter. It works this way.
However it seems to be not possible to change the library (with the command line parameter) if SPM is open?
Kind regards
Yango
SPM11
MLK9 |
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xequte
5831 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 01:24:15
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Hi Yango
I'll look into why SPM is not letting you use the /DB and folder parameter at the same time.
I hear what you are saying about command line interfaces. For power users like you and me they are great and improve productivity greatly, but unfortunately less than 1% of customers would use it (Very few users have the desire or technical skill to take advantage of it).
Our hardest job is deciding what features to implement in each release, but given the choice between a feature that would make 1% of customers extremely happy vs. one that would make 50% of users very happy then the math is simple.
Nigel
Xequte Software
www.xequte.com
nigel@xequte.com
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Feature proposals - working with libraries
