Feature plan for Gwenview 2.1 (KDE4.1)

Hello,

Since Gwenview is now part of KDE4.1, we must follow KDE schedule. Right 
now we need to get a list of features for KDE4.1.

Feature freeze is scheduled for 31 march, so we have two short monthes 
to implement them. After the freeze, no new feature should be started, 
but started features do not need to be finished.

I would like to discuss this with you before creating Gwenview entry the 
"4.1 Feature Plan" wiki page [1].

So far here is what I would like to see in 4.1:

# Big changes

## Nepomuk integration
This would involve adding support for tagging and commenting files. A 
search UI could be useful but is not mandatory: A Nepomuk IOSlave is 
under development, we can use it to allow searching for images, we just 
need to add a way for the user to easily reach this ioslave.

## Undo system
Now that we have some "destructive" image operations like resize or 
crop, we need an undo system. In the future I would like to add a few 
more operations (red-eye correction for example), and it's less work to 
add an undo system now than when we have more operations.

## Imload
You probably don't know it because there haven't been a lot of buzz 
around it, but KHTML comes with a very efficient image loading library 
named Imload. Using this library in Gwenview would give us:
- incremental loading
- faster panning
- support for animated images
I am currently discussing with Imload author to see how we can work 
together.

## Customize info displayed below thumbnails
Just like in Gwenview 1.4: when looking at digital pictures, the 
filename is often useless. It's more interesting to be able to show the 
shooting date for example.

## Fullscreen thumbnails
I would like to add a thumbnail row in the fullscreen bar, on the right 
of current information.

## Refactoring: getting rid of the KPart system
Right now the document view loads a KPart to display the current 
document: either a GVPart or an SvgPart. This architecture, similar to 
Gwenview 1.4, was useful to be able to show video KPart without 
implementing video decoding ourself.
This is no longer relevant: thanks to Phonon, it's easy to implement 
video decoding. Not going through KParts gives us more control on the 
various document view. For example it would be easy to get notified when 
a video has finished. This information is necessary to implement an 
slideshow which handles video correctly.

## Fullscreen transitions
All is in the title. Getting rid of the KPart system would make this 
easier to implement, in particular with regard to integration with the 
fullscreen bar.


# Smaller changes

## Different sort order
Make it possible for the user to sort images using the sort order he wants.

## Crop aspect ratio
Make it possible to define an aspect ratio when cropping, so that you 
can be sure your cropped photo prints correctly.

## Fullscreen rotations
Add back the two rotate buttons in the fullscreen bar.


This is quite an ambitious feature list. I don't think we will get all 
of them done in time, but it's worth giving it a try.

This list is not mean to be exhaustive. I left out other features like 
adding back KIPI and external tool support, adding a simple 
import-from-camera window, adding DBus methods... If anyone feels like 
working on it, you are welcomed!

What do you think about all this?

Aurélien

[1]: http://techbase.kde.org/Schedules/KDE4/4.1_Feature_Plan

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