Stacks

[lerone]

as I am just in the process of 'switching over' to PM+ from other prime contestants – one being Photo Supreme –, I am scanning advantages and misses of this switch. this is also to know what to raise and contribute in this forum.

I am aware the 'stack' feature has been requested (back in 2014) and that there are / were patent concerns.
I am still wondering about this, as doing stacks (beyond the RAW + JPEG pairing) is one thing I will really miss when moving to PM+.

so I am just trying to find out whether there really is a juridical block on this still?

Being able to change what image is the representative image in a stack on a stack-by-stack basis begins to run afoul of one of Apple's patents:

http://www.google.com/patents/US8456488

This patent is the primary reason we haven't implemented the feature.  The patent was granted on 2005/01/03.  We may have implemented RAW+JPEG prior to that date, but while it combines two images as a single item, it doesn't allow one to pick which image is the representative image.  Extending it to include more images with the same base name will likely not raise the ire of Apple Inc.'s patent attorneys.  Patents filed after 1995 expire in twenty (20) years!

-Kirk

as said: Photo Supreme has implemented a stack. I am not aware from when this feature originates... but to me it´s continued existence in other software hopefully points to the fact such a thing could be omplemented in principle.
I am also thinking of Hayo Bahns argument from back in 2014 giving the rationale that stacking images with the same base name (beyond paring RAW+JPEG) would probably not be in conflict with the Apple patent...?!

I have not studied the precise span of the patent, but to me it seems that as long as you treat the files with the same base name as "one" image (in effect hiding/filtering the others), you do not have a conflict with the patent. This means that most of my request should be implementable, don't you think? Just as long as you do not built in a solution to be able to choose the representative image on an individual basis.

so, in general, I was just wondering whether there is any hope left that PM+ at some point brings stacks to its DAM? :-)

thx already for any new thoughts / reasonings on that!

[Kirk Baker]

so, in general, I was just wondering whether there is any hope left that PM+ at some point brings stacks to its DAM? :-)

For a time when Photo Mechanic Plus was in beta, we had the option to combine more than RAW and JPEG (it would also combine a TIFF, PSD, etc.) into one image (still just using the JPEG as the representative image) but it caused so many issues for people that we dropped it.  If I remember correctly, the primary problem was with opening an image with an outside editor (for instance: Photoshop) and would require a rework of how that interface would work.  Given time constraints, we had to abandon the effort.

We may revisit it in the future.

-Kirk

[lerone]

Thanks, Kirk.
it helps understand the reasoning. I understand there needs to be a weighing of resources etc.

also good to know there is no principal block by patent law. and of course I (and maybe some others) would be happy to see some extended stack feature become reality.

so, thx for a quick and transparent feedback + keep up the good work.

best! oliver