Release Notes

Release Notes

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FilFolio™ 1.0.0 Release Notes 31 July 2001
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This is the first full, public release of FilFolio™ - the indispensible add-on to Extensis Portfolio that enables you to take full advantage of the information stored within the image files produced by digital cameras.

For further information and downloads, visit http://www.letocha.com

Enhancements in this release
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Skip Files During Processing Feature
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An option has been added to provide more control over which files FilFolio™ extracts metadata from. In previous releases, FilFolio™ would scan ALL files presented to it and decide from the contents of the file whether or not there was any metadata present. Although this is a nice feature, it means that previously FilFolio™ wasted time looking inside .txt, .bmp, .png and other such files - files we know to contain no metadata.

Now, in the Options Processing pane, it is possible to specify which files FilFolio™ must NEVER SKIP during processing and also which files FilFolio™ is allowed to skip during processing. This is achieved by specifying the extensions of the files in question.

As defaults, FilFolio™ will never skip files with these extensions: jpg; jpeg; tif; tiff; thm. On the other hand, by default, FilFolio™ will always skip files with these extensions: txt; bmp; gif; png.

There are some niceties to this option which are more fully explained in the Help File.

Bug Fixes in this release
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Several minor bug fixes and cosmetic improvements have been implemented.

Extras in this release
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None this time.

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PREVIOUS RELEASES
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FilFolio™ Beta 3 Release Notes 29 June 2001
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This is expected to be the last beta release before the final release as all of the functionality is now present.

Please note that this beta expires on 4 August 2001, by which time Version 1 Release 1 will have been made available.

Also note that the installation of FilFolio™ is slightly different this time: you now get the option of where to install FilFolio™ and you also get the option to register FilFolio™. Please read these Release Notes for further information.

Thank you again beta-testers for all the feedback!

Enhancements in the current release
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Makernote Support Added
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The image files produced by digital cameras contain not only "standard" EXIF metadata but also special metadata as defined by the manufacturer of each camera. Such metadata is called "Makernote" data and this release adds support for the Makernote data from the following manufacturers:
   - Canon
   - Casio
   - Fuji
   - Nikon
   - Olympus

Because the manufacturers do not publish the specifications of their Makernote data, the support that FilFolio™ provides is based on the work of a few individuals who have taken the trouble to "decode" the Makernote data as best they can. This explains why only the above 5 manufacturers are supported. (For more information look at the following reference: Description of EXIF file format. TsuruZoh Tachibanaya. rev. 1.4 Feb.03, 2001.)

What this means is that, at best, the Makernote support provided by FilFolio™ is incomplete and, at worst, it is not entirely accurate. However, you can use the Makernote data as it stands in exactly the same way that any of the other metadata can be used. The best way to decide how to use it is probably by using the Explorer pane to get a feel for exactly what the metadata is in your catalogs.

One further change to complete Makernote support is the automatic "enlargement" of mappings files. If you look at your Mappings with this release, you will see a much larger set of metadata items that can be mapped, compared to the previous release. Any mappings settings you have already created are not changed in any way but if you want to add any of the Makernote items to your mappings you can do so in the usual ways.

Obviously, as and when new information regarding Makernote data comes to light, it will be incorporated into FilFolio.

Mapping Mode Append/Replace Option
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The Options pane now contains a Mapping Mode that can be set to "Append" or "Replace". Now, if you map several metadata items to the same custom field in a Portfolio catalog, the items will be appended to each other in the field if the "Append" option is set, whereas they will overwrite each other if the "Replace" option is set. "Append" is the default setting. See Help File for more details.

File Navigator Buttons
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These buttons in the Explorer pane now are disabled whenever appropriate. For example, if you're at the first record in a gallery neither of the first and previous buttons will be enabled. See Help File for more details.

Help File
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The Help File has undergone another revision, but not quite so major as at the previous release. Perhaps it's come a step closer to perfection?

Revised Installation Strategy
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In previous releases FilFolio™ installed itself into the Portfolio Scripts folder. Because of the way Portfolio works, you could then see a number of largely useless items in the Portfolio Scripts menu - apart from FilFolio.exe you could also see Mappings, Help, Samples and Uninstall.

With this release, you can now specify which folder on your PC FilFolio™ will install into. The default setting is C:\Program Files\FilFolio and that will suffice for most users; but you can change it if you want.

Now the only things that are installed into the Portfolio Scripts folder are: the FilFolio™ program file and the Help file. This means that now when you run FilFolio™ from the Scripts menu, you do not see any other distracting items.

The FilFolio™ installation folder now contains Mappings, Samples and Uninstall folders which, on a first-time installation, each contain the following:

Mappings - empty
Samples - the FilFolio™ sample catalog
Uninstall - the FilFolio™ uninstaller.

To ensure this all works correctly, if you have been using previous releases of FilFolio™ and YOU HAVE NOT CHANGED the default location for mappings files (as set in the Options Pane) then the installation of this release will automatically move your mappings files from the previous location to the new one and set the location correctly for you.

If you HAVE CHANGED the location of your mappings files, then the installation leaves everything as it is, unchanged.

Bug Fixes
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Several minor bug fixes and cosmetic improvements have been implemented.

Extras
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Versions and Licenses
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FilFolio™ is now capable of working in 4 different versions which are controlled by 4 different license types as follows:

Demonstration version - in this version the functionality of FilFolio™ is limited in the following 2 ways: firstly it is no longer possible to process a whole gallery/catalog in one go; secondly, no matter how many records you have selected in a gallery/catalog FilFolio™ will process only the first item. Thus, to process all records in a gallery, you would have to work your way through them one by one. This version of FilFolio™ is NOT time limited in any way and if you run FilFolio™ without a license, this is the version you will get.

Registered version - this version of FilFolio™ is not limited in any way. (And this is the version beta testers will get when Version 1 Release 1 is available.)

Evaluation version - this is like the Registered version but it turns into the Demonstration version after a preset number of days.

Beta version - this is like the Registered version but it stops working completely on 4 August 2001, by which time the next version will be available.

I am NOT issuing anything other than beta licenses at present.

If you want to experience what the Demonstration version is like, then simply do not use your beta license when installing FilFolio™. You can always enter your beta license details later by accessing Start|Programs|FilFolio|Register FilFolio from the Windows Taskbar.

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FilFolio™ Beta 2 Release Notes 4 June 2001
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This is expected to be the last beta release before the final release.

Thank you beta-testers for all the feedback!

Enhancements in the current release
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EXIF Explorer
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A new pane has been added - the 'EXIF Explorer' pane. This enables you to look at the actual metadata present in any of your image files prior to cataloging and prior to setting up any mappings. The EXIF Explorer pane also works in a similar way to the Mappings Pane, allowing you to set up mappings based on the actual metadata in your image files. See Help for more information.

Mappings Copy to clipboard
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Now when you copy your mappings to the clipboard (via the 'Action' button), only the custom field names are copied, so you no longer have to wade through text looking for a '2' and a 'True'. See Help for more information.

Can switch active catalog/gallery by clicking in Info Pane
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You can make any of the catalogs/galleries shown in the Info Pane the active one in Portfolio simply by clicking on it in the Info Pane, thereby reducing the need to switch back and forth between Portfolio and FilFolio. See Help for more information.

Help file mostly complete
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The Help file has undergone a major overhaul and is now considered to be mostly complete (can a help file ever be regarded as being 'complete'?)

FilFolio™ is now a single instance application
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You can no longer run many copies of FilFolio™ simultaneously. No matter how many times you try and run it again once it is already running, only one copy will actually run.

Bug Fixes
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Many minor bug fixes have been implemented.

Extras
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To save the hassle of having to go through the process of creating mappings a blank Portfolio catalog is now installed which has the EXIF custom fields already created. This 'FilFolio™ Sample Catalog' can be used as a template for your own catalogs. See Help for more information.