FastPictureViewer Professional

FastPictureViewer Professional offers several ways to export or convert your image files. Typically, you need to export files to create copies of smaller size, for example for sharing or to create customer-proof copies, or you may want JPEG copies of your raw files. The term "convert" typically means create a duplicate copy of the image in the same dimension but in another format, as in for example convert RAW to JPEG, while "export" usually implies some additional processing, such as resizing, metadata stripping and so on. FastPictureViewer can do both.

1. One-by-one file conversion

Let's begin with the most straightforward option: one-by-one file conversion. The program ships with a "Save As..." plugin - invoked by pressing Ctrl+S - which handles simple file conversion to JPEG format, as well as to TIFF, PNG, GIF, BMP and HD-Photo formats. JPEG deserves a special mention as it comes in two slightly different flavors from us: plain-vanilla JPEG, which produces best-quality files of reasonable size, and our optimized compression parameters which produces lighter files with a good balance between image quality and file size, that we call "Small JPEG". Both are strictly standard-conformant so there is no compatibility worries and for most uses, like sharing, web upload and customer proof copies, the Small JPEG option is just perfect.

2. Batch conversion and export using the File Utilities batch processor

Going from single-image conversion to batch conversion is a big step. In batch mode the program must be first told how the tasks must be performed (where you want to save the copies, how to make them etc), and configuring the batch processor requires a little work from you the first time. No worries though: FastPictureViewer makes it as simple as possible and once configured the batch processor will reliably run your tasks over and over, like a robot, at maximum speed, just by invoking the task again so the payback is huge.

FastPictureViewer Professional includes a sophisticated batch processor that we call the File Utilities batch processor, invoked by pressing Ctrl+F. This batch processor can perform numerous tasks, but - after a short introduction - we'll concentrate on export / convert functions in this tutorial.

The batch processor is rule-based, which means you create rules - or recipes - to process your files and the batch processor later executes the rules you created at the press of a button.

A rule is composed of three distinct parts:

• Conditions, where you decide which files must be processed by setting selection conditions. There are many pre-defined conditions (30!) and you can even write your own. Pre-defined conditions include conditions on date, time, file type, size, GPS position and about 25 more: this is where you choose which files to process. No conditions means to process all files.
• Actions includes copy, rename, move, delete, export, transfer and about a half dozen more.
• Exceptions are, well, exceptions to the rule. For example you may want to process all files except those in portrait orientation. Or process all files whose size is more than 1024 pixels except those taken in the morning. You have the same 30 conditions at your disposal to create exceptions. Of course, no exception means... OK you got it!

Note that we used the plural form: conditions, actions, exceptions. A rule can be composed of zero or more condition(s), at least one action, and zero or more exceptions. By at least one action we imply that there can be more than one, for example you can copy a file to another location (with optional renaming) by using a Copy action, then convert the file to JPEG using a Convert action, and finally create a 256 pixels thumbnail by using a Downscale action, all in the same rule.

The batch processor will apply your rule to all images and those matching the conditions you have set will have all the selected actions applied to them, except those falling under the exceptions you may also have set. Once you get around the Conditions-Actions-Exceptions trilogy, you are set to create rules to perform almost any imaginable operations on your image files, knowing that adventurous users can write their own custom conditions and actions in JavaScript or VBA / VBScript languages.

Geek note: the FastPictureViewer File Utilities batch processor runs rules in parallel on multiple files on multi-core computers. For example on a six cores hyper threaded i7 or E5 CPU, the batch processor will process up to 12 files simultaneously, thoroughly trumping all batch processors that don't, and all script-based solutions.

See the "How To" section below for a step-by-step walkthrough of the export / convert process using the File Utilities batch processor, or just hit Ctrl+F and figure out for yourself: it's all point-and-click and logical so you should have no problems finding your way now that you know what's possible.

3. Batch export using the Publishing Subsystem

FastPictureViewer Professional features a publishing subsystem which uses its own plug-ins to communicate with web sites such as SmugMug, Zenfolio, PhotoShelter, Flickr, 500px and Facebook, and upload photos to those places. Also included is a plug-in that writes the output files to a local device or folder instead of uploading them somewhere. One particularity of this subsystem is its ability to publish to multiple destinations simultaneously, for example it can send original files to Zenfolio, send downscaled copies to Facebook and create local copies resized or not, all at the same time. Every publishing plug-in has options letting you choose how to upload / export files, for example you may want to upload untouched originals to SmugMug - including raw files to your SmugVault - and resized copies to Flickr in 2048 pixels without EXIF data (or with it but stripped from GPS information), so there are several options that can be set for each destination. Publishing to a local device or folder offers the same possibilities for image conversion, rescaling and metadata control.

Files are marked for publishing by pressing the P key (pressing P again removes the mark). You can mark all files for publishing by pressing Shift+P. If you use the View Filter feature (F key) then pressing Shift+Ctrl+P marks all the files matching the current View Filter (and unmarks all others) so you can for example filter on 5-stars image using the View Filter, then press Shift+Ctrl+P to mark only those files, then Ctrl+P to publish them and, presto, all your 5-starred are out there.

In summary you can batch-export files using the publishing subsystem by marking all the files you want to export, and publishing using the "Local Device or Folder" destination. See the "How To" section below for a step-by-step walkthrough.

Which one is best, the File Utilities batch processor or the Publishing Subsystem?

The answer depends on what you are more comfortable with. The result is more or less the same but the File Utilities offer more performance for large batches and a vast array of conditions that let you create complex automatic selection rules. You can also create and run multiple rules at once, each of which being able to perform multiple actions, so it's for example possible to create 256 pixels thumbnails, 480 pixels "blog size" images, 1024 pixels "mid-size", 2048 pixels for Facebook and 1:1 JPEG copies all in one shot using multiple rules, so the power is almost infinite.

On the other hand the Publishing Subsystem is much simpler to setup and use, but offers less performance as its parallel abilities are aimed at uploading files one-by-one to multiple locations at once. The Publishing Subsystem offers finer-grained control on the metadata that gets included in the exported files and also offers arbitrary size downsizing, with suggested values for common screen and print sizes.

There is no clear-cut answer: for relatively small hand-picked batches or batches based on simple conditions such as rating or labels set with the View Filter, or when you require fine control over the exported metadata, the Publishing Subsystem is probably better for most users. For large or complex automated batches, or batches that you are likely to run often, the File Utilities batch processor is probably better suited.

1. One-by-one file conversion

To convert the image before your eyes to JPEG or another format, press Ctrl+S to invoke the Save As... plug-in, which open a standard save window. Type a new name for your converted file and click OK to save the converted version. You can optionally chose the destination folder and the output format, both of which are remembered by the program and will become the default choices the next time you use the Save As... function.

Note: converting JPEG to JPEG incurs a small quality loss with each generation of copies. The effect is similar to making photocopies with a good Xerox machine: the first generation copies are nearly perfect, then a copy of a copy is slightly less perfect and so on until a point where there is a visible quality loss compared to the original, but this only occurs after several generations of copies (copies of copies of copies). This loss is due to the nature of the JPEG compression scheme and cannot be avoided, however the loss from a first generation copy is negligible and in most cases invisible to the naked eye. If you convert an out-of-camera JPEGs to another JPEG or Small JPEG with FastPictureViewer, you will get smaller files with virtually no perceptible quality loss.

2. Batch conversion and export using the File Utilities batch processor

While images are displayed, press Ctrl+F to start the File Utilities plug-in.

• First use: press New... at the right to open the Rule Editor and create a new rule. The Rule Editor's window can be enlarged both vertically and horizontally. If you enlarge it vertically you will see more of the available conditions and actions at once. Skip the top section. In the second section, scroll, locate and tick the "Downscale and export it to JPEG format", or the "Convert it to the specified image file format" action, depending on what you want to do (1:1 copies, or resized copies). You can tick both if you want to create both 1:1 copies and resized copies at the same time. The plain English rule in the 4th section should read "Accept any file then downscale and export it to the specified folder in JPEG format.", or "Accept any file then convert it to Small JPEG format and save the result to the specified folder.", or "Accept any file then downscale and export it to the specified folder in JPEG format then convert it to Small JPEG format and save the result to the specified folder.", depending on which box(es) you ticked. Click the word(s) "specified" in the 4th section to configure the actions: for the Downscale and Export action set the image dimension that you want using the slider and the output folder's name, then click OK. TIP: You can click left or right of the slider's handle to increase/decrease the size by 32 pixels, or click the slider's handle once and use the left/right keyboard arrows to change the size by 8 pixels, which is the smallest adjustment increment for this feature. For the Convert action, just set the output folder's name and click OK. Type a meaningful name for your newly created rule in the next-to-last box, write a clear and concise name for the rule, such as "Export all files to 1024px", or whatever makes sense for the rule you created, and optionally type a longer description of what the rule does in the last box, for your own reference. Read the plain-English rule again, carefully, to make sure it will do what you want, then check the name you gave to the rule to make sure it makes sense, and click OK to close the Rule Editor. Your rule will be saved and selected in the main File Utilities Batch Processor window. You have now created your export or convert rule, for the next step, proceed to the next bullet point.
• Subsequent uses: make sure the rule you want to execute is selected (i.e. that its box is ticked). If you have multiple rules, all ticked rules will run so be careful to select only the one(s) you want to run now. Multiple rules are executed in top-to-bottom order. Optionally, you can change the conditions and actions parameters by clicking the blue underlined words in the second section of the window. Select how the ticked rules should be applied, either select Apply to the current image only, Apply to all N image(s) in the current image list, or Apply to the current image and the remaining N image(s). If you run a rule for the first time, it may be a good idea to run it only on a single image, and check the result. Then, if you are happy with what happened, tick the "all images" options to process the full batch. The Apply Now button does what it says, and the Close button turns to Cancel when the batch processor is running, giving you the opportunity to abort the batch job. After the job completes, you can click on the "N warnings, N errors" text to display a log of the operations that were performed, and their status. You can save the execution log to a text file if you want. The next time you start the batch processor with Ctrl+F you will find it exactly where you left it, same window positions and sizes, same options selected, same parameters, same everything, until you change them, which means you just need to click Apply Now to run the same set of rules again in a snap.

3. Batch export using the Publishing Subsystem

Press P to mark at least one file for publishing then press Ctrl+P to start the publisher. The first time you do so the windows will be empty. Click the Add/remove destinations link. In the list that opens, click the "Export to Local Storage or Device" then click OK. The Publisher's window will expand to include the plug-in you just selected. Click the "Settings..." link in the window, this opens the plug-in's configuration page. Type or select the destination folder on the first tab. Click the JPEG settings tab and just set an output dimension in the last box of the page, above the OK/Cancel buttons. Click the RAW/TIFF Settings tab and set the same output dimension in the corresponding box. Leave all other options as-is and click OK to close the plug-in's configuration page. You are now ready to publish! Press the Publish now button to start the operation. After the task completes, you can click the "N warnings, N errors" text to display a log of the operations that were performed, and their status. You can save the execution log to a text file if you want. The next time you start the publisher with Ctrl+P you will find it exactly where you left it, same window position and same options selected, which becomes the default until you change them.

• Ctrl+S invokes the Save As... plug-in to convert the current image to another format.
• Ctrl+F invokes the File Utilities batch processor.
• P key marks or unmarks a file for publishing.
• Shift+P marks all files for publishing.
• Ctrl+Shift+P marks all files matching the current View Filter (F key) for publishing.
• Ctrl+Alt+P removes all publishing marks at once.
• Ctrl+P invokes the publishing system to export/publish the currently marked files.
• K key toggles the View Filter gadget.

Look for a full keyboard shortcut summary in the included "Cheat Sheet."