fotocx(1)

NAME
Fotocx - photo/image editor and collection manager

SHORT DESCRIPTION
Organize and manage a large image collection. Edit and optimize photos and
other images, add special effects, edit metadata, search images, create a
photomontage, perform batch operations. Fotocx is a GTK GUI application.
The included user manual explains Fotocx operation in great detail.

LONG DESCRIPTION
Image folders can be viewed as a scrolling gallery of thumbnail images. Navigation
through folders and subfolders is simple and fast. Click on a thumbnail for a full
window view of the image. The image can be zoomed, panned and scrolled using the
mouse. Gallery thumbnails can be zoomed small to huge. Popup windows can be used to
view or compare multiple images at any scale. Thumbnail galleries are also used to
display image search results and albums. Albums are selected images arranged in a
desired order. Fotocx has many editing tools that go beyond the basics. Images with
severe problems (underexposed, false colors, blurred, uneven lighting, fog/haze) can
be brought back to life. Details lost in shadows or haze can be brought out. Images
with distorted perspective (esp. wide-angle photos) can be corrected.

Fotocx is standards compliant. Nothing done by Fotocx makes your images less usable
with other applications. Fotocx uses your image files wherever they are: they are
not moved or duplicated. Fotocx does create an index for fast image searching, and
thumbnail images for fast gallery displays. These typically add 2% to overall
storage requirements. Fotocx does not use SQL or other database tools.

Fotocx can import RAW images and perform all processing in deep color (24 bits per
color is used internally). Edited images can be saved as JPEG (8 bits/color), TIFF
(8/16), PNG (8/16), or JXL (16). Convert single RAW files or selected batches
(select thumbnails from gallery pages).

Image edit functions are interactive with rapid visual feedback, using the full
image or a chosen zoom-in area. Undo and Redo can be applied serially to all the
edits of an image. Intermediate and final results can be saved as new files or as
versions of the input file (e.g. filename.v02.jpg).

Objects or areas within an image can be selected and edited separately from the
background. Areas can be selected using several methods: drag the mouse to select
and flood into matching tones, follow feature edges, or outline an area freehand.
Complex feature edges, such as hair or foliage, can be accurately selected. Selected
areas can be copied and pasted into the same or other images, resized, rotated, or
otherwise edited.

Layers are not used. Each edit stage can be saved separately as a file version.
These can be re-used to make new versions. You can create a new version using
selected parts from different prior versions.

An image location can be "mouse painted" onto the same or other image being edited
- paint from any source location to any destination location, with simultaneous
rescale if wanted.

Batch functions are available to copy, move, rename, resize, upright, convert
format, convert RAW files, and add or revise metadata.

Several tools are available to change size and shape: crop, resize (rescale),
rotate, fix perspective, curve/warp the whole image or selected areas within the
image. There is a special tool to 'flatten' photos of curved surfaces, e.g. a page
from a thick book or a poster on a round column.

Text can be added to an image. Any font and size can be used, any color, any angle.
The text can have variable transparency, an outline, a shadow, or an embossed effect
- good for a signature or copyright. Other basic markups are available: lines,
arrows, box, oval/circle.

Advanced editing functions: Dust spots from old slides or photos can be removed,
roadside trash or power lines can be erased. Panoramas can be made by stitching
photos together seamlessly, automatically matching brightness and color. Photos
with a range of exposure values can be combined into an HDR image with adjustable
contributions. Photos with varying focus depths can be combined into an image that
is sharp over the combined range. Photos of one scene taken at different moments
can be combined to remove passing autos or tourists. Multiple photos made under
low light conditions can be combined to reduce noise. Photos made with a hand-held
camera can be combined and aligned together with high accuracy, as long as the
camera is not moved too much. Images and text can be combined in a mashup (montage),
using the mouse to position and resize the components and adjust overlaps and
transparencies.

Fotocx has a batch scripting tool to speed the processing of multiple images
requiring the same edits: record the edits made to a base image and then apply
these edits automatically to any number of selected images.

Many special effects ('filters') are available to convert a photo into a line
drawing, sketch, painting, embossing, cartoon, dithered image, mosaic, or abstract
distortions (shphere, tiny planet, others). Background patterns and textures can be
added.

Images can be rapidly searched using folder/file names or partial names, dates,
assigned keywords, ratings, locations, and any other metadata stored in the image.
Some data is automatic from the camera (date, location, exposure data), and other
data can be manually entered (keywords, descriptions ...). Search criteria can be
used in combination; e.g. find Chicago photos for years 2008-2020 containing
keywords 'barbara' or 'barbie' or 'barb*'.

Locations (from a camera GPS sensor or entered manually) can also be searched. List
image counts by country and/or location and/or date range. Click on a report line
for a gallery of images.

List metadata tag values and corresponding image counts for any tag name. Click on
a report line for a gallery of images.

You can view a map of any region in the world, at any scale, using an internet map
service. Images having location data show as markers on these maps. Click a marker
to get a gallery of corresponding images. You can jump from a given photo to its
location on a world map, where you can find other photos from the same or nearby
locations.

Albums can be made using selected images from your collection. The files are not
duplicated. Select images by clicking gallery thumbnails. Arrange the images with
drag and drop. Albums can be made into slide shows. Choose animated transitions
between images, pan and zoom effects, and places to pause for narration.

Fotocx includes a comprehensive user guide that also serves as interactive help:
press F1 while using any function in Fotocx. You should take the time to read the
overview pages. Function details can be viewed as needed. Fotocx is easy to use
but unconventional, so RTFM to avoid frustration.

CAPABILITIES LIST
• Organize and manage a large photo/image collection
(up to 1 million images on a strong PC).
• Comprehensive user guide (many languages) and context help via F1 key.
• Thumbnail browser/navigator with variable thumb size and metadata view.
• Click thumbnail for full-size view, image zoom in/out and pan/scroll.
• RAW file conversion, single or batch, output 8 or 16 bits per color.
• Large set of functions to edit, repair, refine, and transform images.
• Internal processing in 24 bits per color (float), output 8 or 16 bits.
• Edit common image types: JPG, PNG, TIF, JXL, WEBP, HEIC, JP2, others.
• Most video formats can be played within the app. Select thumbnail from
any frame in the video (default first frame).
• Edited files have a version number, originals are retained by default.
• Fast edit visual feedback using the full image or selected zoom-in area.
• Undo/Redo button - compare original/edited versions (instant replace).
• Compare original/edited images with split-screen and movable boundary.
• Conventional edit functions: rotate, upright, crop, rescale, add margins,
retouch: brightness/color/contrast/saturation/temperature/white balance,
markup: text (decorative features)/lines/arrows/boxes/circles/ellipses,
edit RGB colors, convert B&W/color/negative/positive/sepia.
• Repair functions: sharpen, blur selected areas, denoise, defog, red eyes,
smart erase (remove spoilers), remove halos, suppress JPEG artifacts,
anti-alias (suppress jaggies), remove dust spots, fix color fringes.
• Refine functions: flatten the brightness histogram (enhance detail),
increase local contrast (enhance detail), match colors to master image,
add soft focus, suppress fine details, amplify existing contrast, global
and local retinex, brightness ramp, add/remove vignette (curve edit).
• Special effect conversions: sketch, outlines, cartoon, emboss, painting,
fusion, tiles, texture, pattern, dither, engrave, mosaic, shift colors,
add noise (hide color bands), set no. colors per RGB, alien colors.
• Warp image: unbend (wide-angle photos, panoramas), warp selected area,
fix perspective (photo from an angle), warp image (linear/curved/affine),
unwarp closeup (fix balloon face), add waves, twist image, make sphere,
turn inside-out, tiny planet, escher spiral, flatten curved horizon,
flatten photo of curved surface (thick book page, poster on a column).
• Edit functions can be 'painted' locally and gradually, using the mouse.
• Copy areas within and across images by mouse painting and blending.
• Create or maintain transparent image areas while editing.
• Combine images: HDR (combine bright/dark images, adjust contributions),
HDF (combine different focus depths), stack/layer combinations by area,
panorama (2-6 images), make an array or matrix of many images.
• Mashup: arrange images and text in an arbitrary layout using the mouse.
(objects can be resized, rotated, overlapped with transparent areas ...)
• Custom user menu: collect frequently used functions into one menu.
• Plugins: use Gimp, Imagemagick ... as embedded Fotocx edit functions.
• Scripts: record image edits, package as an edit function to re-use.
• Select image objects or areas to edit separately from the background:
outline by hand, follow feature edges, 'flood' into matching colors ...
• Complex feature edges can be accurately selected (e.g. hair, foliage).
• Batch tools: rename, resize, convert, export, add/revise/report metadata,
convert RAW files, add overlay text, apply custom edit script.
• Metadata edit and report keywords, titles, dates, geotags ... any metadata.
• Search images using any metadata and folder/file names or partial names:
dates, keywords, locations, ratings, titles, descriptions ... any metadata.
• Search can include original or edited versions of targeted search images.
• List image counts by location and date range, click line for image gallery.
• List metadata tag values and corresponding image counts for a given tag
name, click line item for image gallery.
• Show an image calendar, click on year or month for a gallery of images.
• Scaleable internet map, click on marker for gallery of images at location.
• Add location names and geocoordinates to an image by clicking on the map.
• View 360 degree panorama image (Google Street View format).
• Show video files as thumbnails (selected video frame), play video.
• Show animated GIF files as thumbnails (first frame), play animation.
• Bookmarks: assign names to folder/file locations, go to name (gallery).
• Create albums with chosen images arranged by drag & drop. No duplication.
• Slide show: show album images with animated transitions and pan/zoom.
• Print an image at any scale. Printer color calibration tool is available.
• Custom keyboard shortcuts can be assigned to chosen functions.
• Cycle wallpaper images from a Fotocx album or any folder of image files.
• Source and binary packages are installable on most recent Linux flavors.
• GUI and user guide translations for 15 languages (AI generated).

SEE ALSO
The user guide is available from the menu Help > user guide
The home page for Fotocx is at https://kornelix.net

AUTHORS
Written by Mike Cornelison <mkornelix@gmail.com>