[Digikam-devel] [Bug 209000] New: Allow full access to the ufraw options when converting raws

[Me]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=209000

           Summary: Allow full access to the ufraw options when converting
                    raws
           Product: digikam
           Version: unspecified
          Platform: Fedora RPMs
        OS/Version: Linux
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
          Severity: wishlist
          Priority: NOR
         Component: general
        AssignedTo: digikam-devel at kde.org
        ReportedBy: linuxguy123 at gmail.com


Version:            (using KDE 4.3.1)
OS:                Linux
Installed from:    Fedora RPMs

Unless I am shooting action situations, I shoot everything in raw.  I am
presently shooting with a 40D, but I'll be getting a 7D in the near future. 

Prior to digiKam, I converted all my images with ufraw batch from the command
line.  I really like how digikam allows one to preview the raw files prior to
converting them and then convert them in a batch using ufraw.  Nicely done. 
However, it would be really, really nice if the raw conversion process allowed
a lot more of the ufraw options to be utilized.  

For me, it would be really nice if the following ufraw options were accessible
from digikam: 

1) Either --shrink or --size.  Maybe both ?  (Leave it up to users to always
want both when there is an option between two things !) 

Although digiKam allows me to view my raw files without converting them, I
almost always convert all my raws to jpgs.  However, with the number of images
I capture a year and the size of the files, I often want to create small jpgs,
not full sized ones, for general use (emailing, posting to the web, use in
documents, etc.) and viewing.  I only generate large jpgs (and tiffs) for
images that I want to either print or manipulate.  Thus I would like the raw
conversion process in digikam to allow me to use --shrink or --size.

2) --base-curve

It would be nice to be able to tell digikam what type of curve to use.

3) --curve-file

It would be really nice to be able to go into a folder of raws, open up the
first one with ufraw, make a curve and save it and then convert the rest via
digikam using that curve.  Without this option, I am back to running
ufraw-batch manually from the command line OR manually applying curves to jpgs
after the fact. 

Another thing: it would be really nice if digikam had a single place for
storing curves or if it went through the hierarchy and found all the curves so
that one could use a curve from one directory in another directory. 

4) --exposure, -- restore and --clip

5) --wb

6) --create-id

This is probably an advanced feature, but I've found it to be really useful. 
Lets say we go into a directory and convert some raws to jpgs and do a great
job.   A month later we look at those jpgs and want to convert some other files
from the directory OR we want to make them a different size.  Without the
ufraw-id file, we have no idea how we created the jpg.  With the ufraw-id file,
all we have to do it open it up and look.  And then copy it and use it for the
new images.  Ideally, eventually the raw conversion process would allow the
user to specify a ufraw-id file to use as a default template for another
conversion.

I think these options would handle almost everything that I would need to
control the raw conversion process.

I understand that this list might be a little daunting to implement all at
once.  A fairly simple way to allow advanced users access to this functionality
without too much development work would be to allow the user to pass ufraw
options directly to the command line.  Maybe have a text box that the user
could put --shrink=2 and   such in.  

I see a few problems to this approach:  

1) users could put in options that contradict what digikam already uses. 
Solution: put the digikam options in the box and let the user edit them too. 

2) users could put in options that generate errors.  Like
--base-curve-file=<file that doesn't exist>.  Solution: show the user the error
that occurs if one does.

3) users could mess up the options to the point where they can't get ufraw to
work at all.  Solution: have a "Restore defaults" that puts things back to just
what digikam uses.

If I had to pick any of the command line options that I would like to see put
into a gui, it would be the use of the curve file, ie give the user a file
select dialog to select the curve file.  I say this because I might generate 3
or more curves for raw files in a directory depending upon the lighting
situation when the images were shot and thus I am always specifying a different
curve for various files.  Doing it on the command line with
--base-curve-file="somefilename" requires me to "see" the filenames that I used
(ie have konsole or Dolphin open) and I frequently mess them up. 

Thanks for listening.  I hope this has been helpful and I look forward to
hearing your comments on it.

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