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wiPhoto or Web-iPhoto

Web iPhoto (or wiPhoto) is a client side web album application. Main use for it is thought to browse iPhoto picture collections in web browser without need of iPhoto application.

Why would somebody need tool like this? There could be several reasons:

  • I want to present my iPhoto collection on the web for me or other to see it. (Attention: wiPhoto does not offer any means of security, it is not in the scope of this program);

  • I want to make backup of my iPhoto library, burn it on CD or DVD and be able to browse it without need to re-import everything back into iPhoto;

  • I want to have access to my photo collections from other OS's, in my case Linux server or desktops.

When wiPhoto creates albums image files are not copied to other location on the hard disk. wiPhoto parses several iPhoto data files (SQLite database files and/or XML files) and generates JSON file with links to location on the hard disk. There is very low overhead in the terms of disk storage for the albums.

Additionally wiPhoto produces all necessary Java-script code, CSS for browsing, slide-shows etc. All this is stored in sub-directory inside the iPhoto Library folder.

Once HTML files created there's no need for server-side application. All is happening in the web browser only.

See also

See Github Web-iPhoto page: http://dmytro.github.com/Web-iPhoto

Other uses

Any collection of photo images on the disk can be used together with wiPhoto, not just iPhoto libraries. As long as you have photo files (JPEG's or other common formats) on a disk -- better if images are accompanied by smaller thumbnail file -- wiPhoto can be used to browse photos. You can generate JSON files with links to photos and thumbnails, unzip wiPhoto distribution at the top level.

Please see details of data formats of albums.js and photos.js files.

Data formats

albums.js contains JSON formatted hash:

albums =
   {
    "ALBUM_INDEX":{"name":"Album_Name",
         "photos":[ ALBUM_PHOTOS_KEYS ]
       },
    };

Where

  • ALBUM_INDEX: Integer
  • Album_Name: string
  • ALBUM_PHOTOS_KEYS: array of Integers

photos.js contains JSON formatted data structure, which is description of photo image files.

photos= 
  {
      "982": <--- photo key
      {"thumb": {
                  "path":"Data/2009/Sep 22, 2009/IMG_2626.jpg",
                  "dim":[360.0,240.0] -- width,height
                 },
       "image":{
                 "path":"Originals/2009/Sep 22, 2009/IMG_2626.JPG", 
                 "dim":[3072.0,2048.0]
                }
       }, ...
  };

Each photo key corresponds to key in ALBUM_PHOTOS_KEYS array in albums.js ALBUM_INDEX and photo key can have any integer value. Indexes should be unique, specific value does not matter.

Path should be relative to index.html file

Design

Following goals were pursued in development of wiPhoto :

  • Very minimal static index.html file, does not change.

  • All data are stored in script-generated JSON files - albums.js and photos.js;

  • Look and feel heavily relies on CSS instead on HTML markup;

  • Java-script to provide normal application type interaction (keybord use for navigation, do not rely heavily on mouse). Application should look like application, not like web page.

Author

Dmytro Kovalov, [email protected] 2009