Fotocx Change Log
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fotocx-25.0   2025.01.01
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 • The Fotocx binary package is now based on Ubuntu 24.04 (was 22.04).
 • JPEG-XL files (.jxl) are now supported (new lossless JPEG format).
   This requires libjxl, which is not yet available in some Linux flavors.
 • Image hot corner: mouse in NW corner --> popup title and description.
 • Select > Area Blend: made easier to use, plus functional improvement.
 • Tools > Settings: SMP count (parallel thread count) is user-specified.
   (use P-cores + E-cores, omitting hyperthreads - see the user guide).
 • Repair > Defog: User interface was made easier to use. 
 • Slide Show: 3 complex animated transitions run smoother on a big monitor.
 • RAW loaders: 'darktable' was added to the default list of options. 
   The options file was renamed 'raw_commands_I' (in /home/<user>/.fotocx). 
   Any custom changes must be re-added. Search "RAW Loader" in user guide.
 • Bugfix: save to PNG file (very slow): prevent GTK "not responding" message.
 • Bugfix: User Guide: recent topics picklist was not complete and correct.
 • Bugfix: possible crash if gallery view is used during active edit function.
 • Bugfix: possible crash if the title bar [x] button is used to cancel an 
   active edit, after another dialog has overlaid the image window.

fotocx-24.70   2024.11.05
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 • Metadata Edit: minor improvement in edit of title and description.
 • Metadata View and Search functions: minor improvements in report format.
 • Image Index: report extra indexed metadata items, blacklisted files.
 • Bugfix: New release overwrites user-defined keyboard shortcuts.
 • Bugfix: File view: add current file folder to list of recent folders.
 • Bugfix: Denoise median method: omit pixels with contrast > threshold.
 • Bugfix: file save: copy metadata always, even if no edits were made.

fotocx-24.60   2024.10.01
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 • Refine > Voodoo: function was removed - custom scripts provide greater
   flexibility for this idea. A default 'voodoo' script is included.
 • The Script and Plugin functions were moved into the Custom menu.
 • Refine > Flatten Dist: now Flatten Histogram, with an improved algorithm.
 • Refine > Gradients: now Amplify Contrast - a more appropriate name.
 • Repair > Denoise: simplified - two best methods instead of six.
 • Gallery > Screen: additional select options: rating range, tag list. 
 • Gallery > Recent Folders: new - set gallery from list of recent folders.
 • Select > Area Blend: new capability to soften the edges of area edits or
   pasted images, using edge blur instead of mixing the background image.
 • Effects > Alien Colors: easier to make many iterations (hunt for optimum).
 • Warp > Warp Linear: new 'curl' factor: warp = exp(mouse distance).
 • Metadata > view/edit: replace bad utf8 characters in metadata with '?' 
   (instead of deleting the metadata or failing to display it).
 • Combine > Mashup: better handling of overlapping warp and paint transparent.
 • Numerous minor user interface, help, and documentation improvements.
 • Bugfix: Flatten Dist: crash if zone radius is huge.
 • Bugfix: Sharpen 'median diff' method: crash - exceed process thread limit.
 • Bugfix: Mashup: crash if project background image is a non-existent file.
 • Bugfix: Fix Motion Blur: pixel blue values were not being processed.

fotocx-24.50   2024.07.01
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 • Effects > Custom Kernel: can now be used with Paint Edits. 
 • New: Edit > Area Fill: fill selected or transparent areas with a 
        color overlay having adjustable transparency.
 • Print Image: new option to print selected areas only. 
 • Dither > Blobs: now condenses into blobs by itself until user stops it.
 • Gallery > Screen: user interface was rationalized and simplified.
 • Bugfix: Select > Freehand Draw: erase drag was incomplete if zoom > 1x.

fotocx-24.40   2024.06.05
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 • Effects > Outlines: improved algorithm, better user control of output.
 • Edit Metadata: improved UI, increased limits for text metadata.
 • Improved logic to prevent conflicts if functions are used in parallel.
 • Refine > Local Contrast: new edit curve and algorithm, improved result. 
 • Batch Photo Date: accept photo date-time with missing time, use 00:00:00. 
 • Bugfix: Select > Find Gap: better algorithm, less need for try-again. 
 • Bugfix: crash if image cropped to zero width or height (now disallowed).
 • Bugfix: long delay when adding geocoordinates by clicking on the map.
 • Bugfix: crash if a new image is opened while Rotate is left active.
 • Bugfix: Refine > Vignette: was not working correctly for large images.
 • Bugfix: Batch Tags: specific tag delete was deleting all tags. 

fotocx-24.30   2024.05.04
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 • Effects > Outlines: improved algorithm.
 • Warp > Flatten Photo: fixing a curved horizon (from a wide-angle lens or 
   panorama image) is easier: draw 4+ points along the curve to flatten it.
 • New: Combine > Stack/Layers: combine image versions in any desired ratios. 
   Paint different combinations/ratios in selected areas using the mouse.
 • New: Denoise > Mean: new method is good for suppressing noise in uniform
   image areas where noise is most visible, preserving detail in other areas.
 • New: Effects > Set Colors: Replaces the Color Depth function. The number of 
   levels for each RGB color can be set separately and is not based on 
   "bit depth". You can set any value 1-256 for each RGB color.
 • Edit Metadata: new popup editor for long descriptions - more practical.
   This avoids oversize dialog window when an image description is huge.
 • Text file edits (e.g. custom menu): these are now done with a simple edit 
   dialog instead of launching the default text editor on the user system.
 • New release processing: user is notified if revised settings files have
   possibly omitted past user additions. Compare old/new files to check.
 • Plugins file format was changed and editing this file was made easier.
 • Help > Uninstall: risky auto delete was replaced with an example command 
   based on the actual install location (/usr, /usr/local, $HOME/.local ...).
 • New: Detect and repair .png file with false .jpg extension (shit happens).
 • Anti-Alias function can now be used in scripts. 
 • Bugfix: possible crash if 'capskeys' file includes a blank or null keyname.
 • Bugfix: checking the available outboard programs was being omitted after 
   a Fotocx re-install following a system release upgrade or re-install.

fotocx-24.21   2024.04.04
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 • Bugfix: Makefile, correct location of fotocx.desktop.

fotocx-24.20   2024.04.01
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 • Makefile - source package installs at /usr/local instead of /usr/share
   (conform with the GNU FHS standard for locally installed packages).
   Binary package installs at $HOME/.local/bin and /share (no change). 
 • Maps > Map Location: input a partial location name, use a picklist to see
   matching full names, zoom-in to the chosen location on the internet map.
 • Maps > Map Regions: add custom named regions (location and scale) for the
   internet map, use a picklist to choose and display a map region. 
 • Local map files capability was removed - the internet map works better,
   and custom map files can be adequately replaced using the internet map.
 • Edit Metadata: clicking on a map location now adds the location name and
   geocoordinates to the image metadata, if the clicked location is an existing
   marker or within 10 km of a known map location. English names with normal 
   syntax are used (not the chaos you get from camera GPS location names).
 • Remove Halo: now handles dark halos (not common) as well as bright ones.
 • Select > Paste image: add flip horz/vert (in addition to rescale/rotate).
 • Images can be selected for batch functions from file view, gallery view,
   or back and forth - easier/faster when images must be screened more closely.
 • More pattern files and palette files are available (files are from Gimp). 
 • Paint Image: the color chooser image was replaced with a CIE color chart.
 • Tools > Dark/Bright Pixels: pixels now stand out via periodic blinking. 
 • Tools > Resources: added capability to clear the internet maps cache, 
   which can grow to hundreds of megabytes after extensive usage.
 • Custom Menu is better looking. Menu entries can now have popup tool tips. 
   Specific image files and album names can also be custom menu entries.
 • Effects > Outlines: replaces previous drawing transform with something 
   simpler and faster. Also works with Select Area and Paint Edits.
 • Bugfix: world locations data: duplicate location names were getting lost 
   (e.g. Reading USA, Reading UK).
 • Bugfix: command: $ fotocx file.name.ext: file with embedded '.' failed.
 • Bugfix: top panel "dialog busy" indicator was sometimes false.

fotocx-24.11   2024.02.07
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 • BUGFIX: correct file permissions to allow access by all users
   (problem if fotocx installed in debian fashion with root file ownership).

fotocx-24.10   2024.02.01 
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 • NAME CHANGE: from 'fotoxx' to 'fotocx'. A google search for 'fotoxx' 
   includes pornography in the search results (google thinks "foto xx"). 
   I finally fixed this after years of living with it. 
 • The fotocx home folder is renamed from '.fotoxx' to '.fotocx'.
 • Suppress useless output from 'which' command in startup code.
 • Warp > Stretch: renamed to Warp Radial (fix barrel/pincushion distortion).
 • Warp > Linear: improved algorithm for better control and flexibility. 
 • Meta > Edit: improved interface for editing long descriptions.
 • Edit > Crop: more reliable capture of crop rectangle side or corner.
 • Slide Show: 
   • Correct random transition preference calculation.
   • Add file preference values for random file sequence.
   • New transition: "implode" = explode running backwards.
   
   
