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Fotocx(1)			 Fotocx man page		       Fotocx(1)

NAME
   Fotocx - photo/image editor and collection manager

SHORT DESCRIPTION
   Organize and manage a large image collection. Edit and optimize photos and
   other images, add special effects, edit metadata, search images, create a
   photomontage, perform batch operations. Fotocx is a GTK GUI application.
   The included user manual explains Fotocx operation in great detail.

LONG DESCRIPTION
   Image folders can be viewed as a scrolling gallery of thumbnail images. Navi-
gation
   through folders and subfolders is simple and fast. Click on a thumbnail for a
full
   window  view of the image. The image can be zoomed, panned and scrolled using
the
   mouse. Gallery thumbnails can be zoomed small to huge. Popup windows  can  be
used to
   view  or  compare  multiple images at any scale. Thumbnail galleries are also
used to
   display image search results and albums. Albums are selected images	arranged
in a
   desired  order.  Fotocx has many editing tools that go beyond the basics. Im-
ages with
   severe  problems  (underexposed,  false  colors,  blurred,  uneven  lighting,
fog/haze) can
   be  brought back to life. Details lost in shadows or haze can be brought out.
Images
   with distorted perspective (esp. wide-angle photos) can be corrected.

   Fotocx is standards compliant. Nothing done by Fotocx makes your images  less
usable
   with other applications. Fotocx uses your image files wherever they are: they
are
   not	moved  or duplicated. Fotocx does create an index for fast image search-
ing, and
   thumbnail images for fast gallery displays. These typically add 2% to overall
   storage requirements. Fotocx does not use SQL or other database tools.

   Fotocx can import RAW images and perform all processing  in	deep  color  (24
bits per
   color is used internally). Edited images can be saved as JPEG (8 bits/color),
TIFF
   (8/16), PNG (8/16), or JXL (16). Convert single RAW files or selected batches
   (select thumbnails from gallery pages).

   Image  edit	functions  are interactive with rapid visual feedback, using the
full
   image or a chosen zoom-in area. Undo and Redo can be applied serially to  all
the
   edits  of  an image. Intermediate and final results can be saved as new files
or as
   versions of the input file (e.g. filename.v02.jpg).

   Objects or areas within an image can be selected and edited	separately  from
the
   background.	Areas  can  be selected using several methods: drag the mouse to
select
   and flood into matching tones, follow feature edges, or outline an area free-
hand.
   Complex feature edges, such as hair or foliage, can be  accurately  selected.
Selected
   areas  can  be  copied and pasted into the same or other images, resized, ro-
tated, or
   otherwise edited.

   Layers are not used. Each edit stage can be saved separately as a  file  ver-
sion.
   These can be re-used to make new versions. You can create a new version using
   selected parts from different prior versions.

   An  image  location can be "mouse painted" onto the same or other image being
edited
    - paint from any source location to any destination location, with	simulta-
neous
    rescale if wanted.

   Batch functions are available to copy, move, rename, resize, upright, convert
   format, convert RAW files, and add or revise metadata.

   Several tools are available to change size and shape: crop, resize (rescale),
   rotate,  fix perspective, curve/warp the whole image or selected areas within
the
   image. There is a special tool to 'flatten' photos of curved surfaces, e.g. a
page
   from a thick book or a poster on a round column.

   Text can be added to an image. Any font and size can be used, any color,  any
angle.
   The text can have variable transparency, an outline, a shadow, or an embossed
effect
    -  good  for  a  signature	or copyright. Other basic markups are available:
lines,
    arrows, box, oval/circle.

   Advanced editing functions: Dust spots from old slides or photos can  be  re-
moved,
   roadside trash or power lines can be erased. Panoramas can be made by stitch-
ing
   photos together seamlessly, automatically matching brightness and color. Pho-
tos
   with  a  range  of exposure values can be combined into an HDR image with ad-
justable
   contributions. Photos with varying focus depths can be combined into an image
that
   is sharp over the combined range. Photos of one scene taken at different  mo-
ments
   can be combined to remove passing autos or tourists. Multiple photos made un-
der
   low	light  conditions  can	be  combined to reduce noise. Photos made with a
hand-held
   camera can be combined and aligned together with high accuracy,  as	long  as
the
   camera  is  not  moved  too much. Images and text can be combined in a mashup
(montage),
   using the mouse to position and resize the components and adjust overlaps and
   transparencies.

   Fotocx has a batch scripting tool to speed the processing of multiple images
   requiring the same edits: record the edits made to a base image and then  ap-
ply
   these edits automatically to any number of selected images.

   Many special effects ('filters') are available to convert a photo into a line
   drawing, sketch, painting, embossing, cartoon, dithered image, mosaic, or ab-
stract
   distortions	(shphere, tiny planet, others). Background patterns and textures
can be
   added.

   Images can be rapidly searched using  folder/file  names  or  partial  names,
dates,
   assigned  keywords,	ratings, locations, and any other metadata stored in the
image.
   Some data is automatic from the camera (date, location, exposure  data),  and
other
   data  can  be  manually entered (keywords, descriptions ...). Search criteria
can be
   used in combination; e.g. find Chicago photos for years 2008-2020 containing
   keywords 'barbara' or 'barbie' or 'barb*'.

   Locations (from a  camera  GPS  sensor  or  entered	manually)  can	also  be
searched. List
   image  counts by country and/or location and/or date range. Click on a report
line
   for a gallery of images.

   List metadata tag values and corresponding image counts  for  any  tag  name.
Click on
   a report line for a gallery of images.

   You	can view a map of any region in the world, at any scale, using an inter-
net map
   service. Images having location data show as markers on these maps.	Click  a
marker
   to  get a gallery of corresponding images. You can jump from a given photo to
its
   location on a world map, where you can find other photos  from  the	same  or
nearby
   locations.

   Albums  can be made using selected images from your collection. The files are
not
   duplicated. Select images by clicking gallery thumbnails. Arrange the  images
with
   drag  and  drop. Albums can be made into slide shows. Choose animated transi-
tions
   between images, pan and zoom effects, and places to pause for narration.

   Fotocx includes a comprehensive user guide that also  serves  as  interactive
help:
   press F1 while using any function in Fotocx. You should take the time to read
the
   overview  pages.  Function details can be viewed as needed. Fotocx is easy to
use
   but unconventional, so RTFM to avoid frustration.

CAPABILITIES LIST
 ac Organize and manage a large photo/image collection
   (up to 1 million images on a strong PC).
 ac Comprehensive user guide (many languages) and context help via F1 key.
 ac Thumbnail browser/navigator with variable thumb size and metadata view.
 ac Click thumbnail for full-size view, image zoom in/out and pan/scroll.
 ac RAW file conversion, single or batch, output 8 or 16 bits per color.
 ac Large set of functions to edit, repair, refine, and transform images.
 ac Internal processing in 24 bits per color (float), output 8 or 16 bits.
 ac Edit common image types: JPG, PNG, TIF, JXL, WEBP, HEIC, JP2, others.
 ac Most video formats can be played within the app. Select thumbnail from
   any frame in the video (default first frame).
 ac Edited files have a version number, originals are retained by default.
 ac Fast edit visual feedback using the full image or selected zoom-in area.
 ac Undo/Redo button - compare original/edited versions (instant replace).
 ac Compare original/edited images with split-screen and movable boundary.
 ac Conventional edit functions: rotate, upright, crop, rescale, add margins,
   retouch: brightness/color/contrast/saturation/temperature/white balance,
   markup: text (decorative features)/lines/arrows/boxes/circles/ellipses,
   edit RGB colors, convert B&W/color/negative/positive/sepia.
 ac Repair functions: sharpen, blur selected areas, denoise, defog, red eyes,
   smart erase (remove spoilers), remove halos, suppress JPEG artifacts,
   anti-alias (suppress jaggies), remove dust spots, fix color fringes.
 ac Refine functions: flatten the brightness histogram (enhance detail),
   increase local contrast (enhance detail), match colors to master image,
   add soft focus, suppress fine details, amplify existing contrast, global
   and local retinex, brightness ramp, add/remove vignette (curve edit).
 ac Special effect conversions: sketch, outlines, cartoon, emboss, painting,
   fusion, tiles, texture, pattern, dither, engrave, mosaic, shift colors,
   add noise (hide color bands), set no. colors per RGB, alien colors.
 ac Warp image: unbend (wide-angle photos, panoramas), warp selected area,
   fix perspective (photo from an angle), warp image (linear/curved/affine),
   unwarp closeup (fix balloon face), add waves, twist image, make sphere,
   turn inside-out, tiny planet, escher spiral, flatten curved horizon,
   flatten photo of curved surface (thick book page, poster on a column).
 ac Edit functions can be 'painted' locally and gradually, using the mouse.
 ac Copy areas within and across images by mouse painting and blending.
 ac Create or maintain transparent image areas while editing.
 ac Combine images: HDR (combine bright/dark images, adjust contributions),
   HDF (combine different focus depths), stack/layer combinations by area,
   panorama (2-6 images), make an array or matrix of many images.
 ac Mashup: arrange images and text in an arbitrary layout using the mouse.
   (objects can be resized, rotated, overlapped with transparent areas ...)
 ac Custom user menu: collect frequently used functions into one menu.
 ac Plugins: use Gimp, Imagemagick ... as embedded Fotocx edit functions.
 ac Scripts: record image edits, package as an edit function to re-use.
 ac Select image objects or areas to edit separately from the background:
   outline by hand, follow feature edges, 'flood' into matching colors ...
 ac Complex feature edges can be accurately selected (e.g. hair, foliage).
 ac Batch tools: rename, resize, convert, export, add/revise/report metadata,
   convert RAW files, add overlay text, apply custom edit script.
 ac Metadata edit and report keywords, titles, dates, geotags ... any metadata.
 ac Search images using any metadata and folder/file names or partial names:
   dates, keywords, locations, ratings, titles, descriptions ... any metadata.
 ac Search can include original or edited versions of targeted search images.
 ac List image counts by location and date range, click line for image gallery.
 ac List metadata tag values and corresponding image counts for a given tag
   name, click line item for image gallery.
 ac Show an image calendar, click on year or month for a gallery of images.
 ac Scaleable internet map, click on marker for gallery of images at location.
 ac Add location names and geocoordinates to an image by clicking on the map.
 ac View 360 degree panorama image (Google Street View format).
 ac Show video files as thumbnails (selected video frame), play video.
 ac Show animated GIF files as thumbnails (first frame), play animation.
 ac Bookmarks: assign names to folder/file locations, go to name (gallery).
 ac Create albums with chosen images arranged by drag & drop. No duplication.
 ac Slide show: show album images with animated transitions and pan/zoom.
 ac Print an image at any scale. Printer color calibration tool is available.
 ac Custom keyboard shortcuts can be assigned to chosen functions.
 ac Cycle wallpaper images from a Fotocx album or any folder of image files.
 ac Source and binary packages are installable on most recent Linux flavors.
 ac GUI and user guide translations for 15 languages (AI generated).

SEE ALSO
   The user guide is available from the menu Help > user guide
   The home page for Fotocx is at https://kornelix.net

AUTHORS
   Written by Mike Cornelison <mkornelix@gmail.com>

Linux				   2026-01-01			       Fotocx(1)

Want to link to this manual page? Use this URL:
<https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=fotocx&sektion=1&manpath=FreeBSD+Ports+15.1.quarterly>

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