[Zope] image database /kv

[Lalo Castro]

Hi,
	We're beginning to do the same thing, more or less.  I'll describe how 
we're going to go about it, and maybe it will answer some of your 
questions.  At the least, I hope it'll help.
	The database itself is in PostgreSQL.  The interfaces are all in Zope.
	The database for the images consists of tables of metadata about 
different collections.  The actual images are stored on a separate 
server, and the images databases contain the location of images on that 
other server.
	There's also a database of a series of default values for the images 
metadata, so that the people who have to enter in this information don't 
have to enter in all the information every time.  This contains the 
default information for each collection, and for each series of items in 
a collection (e.g., all 4x9 photos in the Ansel Adams collection will 
have the default size of 4x9).
	The Zope interface consists of 3 main pages.  The "make the series of 
default values" page, the "get a series of default values you already 
made" page, and the "enter that information into the database" page. 
Each page goes to a SQL method that performs search, add, modify, or 
delete operations on the database, depending.
	The users/groups are administered in the Zope acl, with managers able to 
add users who can perform data entry.
	Our images are organized on the images server according to collection 
(and resolution, but that's within the collection hierarchy).  Where 
they are doesn't really matter, because the database holds the image 
location and so you can search it by collection, media type, size, etc. 
  The Zope interface searches the database and just pops up the relevant 
hits.
	There are 3 copies of the same image on the image server.  A thumbnail 
image, an easily viewable image, and an archival quality scan.  The 
thumbnail is a 2"x2" preview.  The easily viewable is a 700 DPI scan. 
And the archival quality is something really high (I'm not sure what, 
but there's no archival image below 150 Megs).
	Where the images actually are doesn't really matter.  You can search for 
the images in Zope, and just bring them up regardless of actual image 
hierarchy.  We're setting up 3 different ways to get to the images. 
Using the image server as a webserver and displaying the hierarchy to 
just winnow through the different collections to whichever image you 
want (using the thumbnails as a image preview, and not displaying the 
archival image over the internet).  Using Zope to search the SQL 
database for a particular image in a collection.  And another way that I 
forgot because I'm not involved in that part of the project.
	I don't know about the layout concepts because I'm just concentrating on 
getting the images from the database onto the page, and I figure 
everything from there is window dressing.
			Lalo

Kai Vermehr wrote:

> Hi! We are trying to find out how to use Zope for an image database. Are
> there any case studies, howto's, products, etc. that anyone can recommend?
> 
> How should images be organized? Where should they be placed? How best view,
> sort, organize, catalog the content. How define access rights? What layout
> concepts have been developed to display images of different sizes?
> 
> I guess there are different approaches to solve these questions. Just wanted
> to browse through some of them before beginning with to build ours ...
> 
> so any advice would very welcome!!! thanks! -- 'K:)
> 
> 
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-- 
Lalo Castro
Programmer/Analyst
McHenry Library
(831) 459-5208