We're excited to unveil our latest release, Version 0.6.0, packed with exciting updates and enhancements to elevate your user experience! Let's dive into the key highlights of this release:

Backend Enhancements:​

• Upgrade to .NET 8: Our backend system has been upgraded to .NET 8 - SDK 8.0.202 and Runtime 8.0.3, bringing improved performance and stability. (PR #1464)

Bug Fixes:​

• Improved Version Check: Addressed an issue where the version check wasn't functioning correctly post the 0.5.10+ upgrade, ensuring smooth operation. (PR #1477)
• Enhanced Error Handling: Various fixes have been implemented to enhance system stability, including fixes for regex timeouts and log errors. (PR #1457, #1444, #1445)

Exciting Features:​

• Apple Silicon Mac OS Support: We're thrilled to introduce support for Apple Silicon Mac OS in our desktop app, ensuring compatibility with the latest hardware. (PR #1454)
• SonarScanner for Desktop App: Our desktop app now includes SonarScanner, allowing for more effective monitoring of code quality. (PR #1454)
• Native File Opening: Experience seamless file opening on both Windows and Mac OS with native file open support. (PR #1381)

Feedback​

• Based on user feedback the documentation on "Getting Started" and Tagging is improved. Thanks for the feedback. The verbose setting is removed out of the UI since users don't understand it and didn't had any value for a normal end user.

This release represents a significant leap forward for our platform, made possible by the dedication of the development team.

For a detailed breakdown of all changes in this release, please refer to our changelog. Thank you for your continued support - we can't wait to see how these enhancements enrich your experience!

#SoftwareUpdate #Version0.6.0 #ReleaseNotes 🌟

As we bid farewell to the year 2023, it's essential to reflect on the strides made in the ever-evolving landscape of technology. This year has been marked by continuous improvement, innovation, and a relentless commitment to enhancing the user experience. In this blog post, we'll delve into the notable updates and advancements encapsulated in the various releases of version 0.5.x of our software.

Version 0.5.13 - Front-end Accessibility and Code Refinement​

The December release, version 0.5.13, showcased a concentrated effort on enhancing front-end accessibility. Notable changes included focusing on the previous and next functions in detailView, transitioning from div to button elements for improved accessibility, and updating the front-end to newer versions. Additionally, code style issues were addressed to ensure a smoother developer experience.

Version 0.5.12 - Keep up with the Latest Framework Version​

November witnessed a major backend upgrade as the system transitioned to .NET 6, specifically SDK 6.0.416 and later to 6.0.417. This upgrade aimed to leverage the latest features and improvements in the .NET framework. Simultaneously, front-end accessibility and code quality were refined, and documentation was updated to align with the latest framework version.

Version 0.5.11 - A Blend of Upgrades and Front-end Overhaul​

October brought about a series of updates, including the migration from Create React App to Vite in the front-end, an upgrade of npm packages, and the transition to the latest version of Electron for desktop applications. The backend continued its journey with the adoption of .NET 6, focusing on stability and performance.

Version 0.5.10 - Keeping Pace with Technological Advancements​

July witnessed yet another backend upgrade to .NET 6, emphasizing compatibility with the latest SDK and runtime versions. This release also included frontend and backend improvements, such as upgraded npm packages, Sonarqube settings refinement, and addressing various code smells.

Version 0.5.9 - Tackling Bugs and Enhancing Documentation​

May saw a concentrated effort on bug fixes and documentation updates. The backend resolved issues related to duplicate entries, updated dependencies, and refined documentation for better clarity.

Version 0.5.8 - Streamlining Performance and User Experience​

April brought a slew of backend fixes addressing issues ranging from file update times to code bugs. The frontend also witnessed upgrades, and the entire system was migrated to the latest version of .NET 6, focusing on performance and stability.

Version 0.5.7 - Striving for Perfection and Stability​

March marked a significant step towards stability with numerous bug fixes, code smell improvements, and upgrades across the board. The backend also introduced a stable release to the GitHub container registry, enhancing deployment processes.

Version 0.5.6 - Unveiling System Trash and User Interface Refinements​

In March, the introduction of an internal service for system trash and a myriad of frontend and backend changes showcased a commitment to refining the user experience. Known issues were transparently communicated, and the focus was on feature toggles and system trash functionality.

Version 0.5.5 - Prioritizing Security and System Upgrades​

February prioritized security with the addition of regex timeouts to prevent Denial of Service attacks. The backend underwent significant upgrades, transitioning to .NET 6 SDK 6.0.406, while documentation and client dependencies were also updated.

Version 0.5.4 - Metrics, Security, and Code Refinement​

January marked a milestone with the introduction of application insights metrics (logs already exists), security enhancements, and code refinements. The backend introduced features such as thumbnail query deletion for nonexistent items and a systematic approach to handling errors.

Version 0.5.3 - A Holistic System Upgrade​

The initial release of the year focused on security, system upgrades, and improving telemetry. Noteworthy changes included enhanced thumbnail list updates and a dedicated service for periodic thumbnail creation.

Upcoming Features​

Thumbnail creation for all images should work better​

The future holds a commitment to even more captivating visual experiences. Our roadmap includes advancements in rendering technologies, ensuring that thumbnails and images are not just displayed but tell a story.

Spatial Intelligence Unleashed​

Building on the integration of KML for geo functionalities, the future unfolds with a broader vision of spatial intelligence. We envision seamless integrations with diverse geographical data formats.

Holistic Observability with OpenTelemetry​

In the pursuit of a more flexible and comprehensive approach to application monitoring, we have initiated the phased transition from App Insights to OpenTelemetry. OpenTelemetry offers a vendor-agnostic, open-source framework for observability, enabling better insights into application performance. This transition not only aligns with industry best practices but also empowers users with a broader range of telemetry options and integrations.

Conclusion​

In conclusion, 2023 has been a year of relentless pursuit of excellence, with each software iteration building upon the last. As we step into the future, we remain committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions, prioritizing user experience, and embracing technological advancements. Here's to a year of progress, and we eagerly anticipate what lies ahead in the dynamic landscape of software development.

So it was high time to optimise the time-consuming process of photo management. I really enjoy going out and taking pictures. But when I get home, it’s time to properly organise all those photos. That task is typically something we postpone, but it is nice to share the photos and experiences. I have developed a piece of software for this process and in this blog I will tell you what I have improved in this in 2022. This year it really started for the project. The first blog post about the project is a fact. In addition, a demo can also be viewed at demo.qdraw.nl

12 releases done in 2022​

What have I worked on in the past year? For example, I’ve been working on real-time updates from the file system so you’re always up-to-date! Added a new type of sort in the list, write a temporary file first before writing a file, to avoid corrupted files. Upgraded to Microsoft’s .NET 6 framework. Added configuration to exclude directories from keeping index up to date. We now keep notifications in a uniform way, even if you have lost the connection for a while, you can retrieve the recent updates. Upgraded the front-end library: React 17 to 18 and the desktop app library: Electron upgraded to the latest version several times. The dependency on Exiftool to write the metadata has been reduced as it is already added during the build. Server side version added for M1/M2 Macs, the desktop version will follow at a later time, I’m running into Gatekeeper (security of Mac OS) issues there. The Diskwatcher functionality has been completely rewritten so that it takes a maximum of 20 seconds to check for duplicate events and filter them out, resulting in a huge performance gain. Furthermore, comparing the database and the file system has changed so that it is a lot faster than before. All this ensured that this works well and released version 0.5.0. Then worked on better documentation, there is still a lot to be gained here and adding locations manually. On to a good 2023!

What’s next?​

The next functionality that will be added is to ensure that small versions of the images are always available, so that you can easily see the images in the overview. There are also several milestones where there are ideas to improve the project. If you want to help, contribute or make a contribution, it is appreciated.

I really enjoy going out and taking pictures. But when I get home, it's time to properly organize all those photos. That task is typically something we put off, but it is nice to share the photos and experiences – for example on this blog and various social media channels where I regularly post something. So it was high time to optimize the time-consuming process of photo management. In this article, based on my own experiences, I will discuss the solutions I found for the 7 most common problems in effectively managing a photo collection.

1. Quick search, quick find​

Finding that one photo you're looking for can be quite difficult. That's why finding what you've been looking for quickly and easily is a great way to get a lot more done in a shorter amount of time. For example, Spotlight (search) works great on Mac OS, although it is not integrated in the mobile version. When you place a number of keywords in the meta data field in an image, you can search for them later. But also by date, description and information that is stored in the camera. So quick search, quick find

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