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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.
Navigation
   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  us-
ing 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 over-
all
   storage requirements. Fotocx	does not need 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
freehand.
   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 us-
ing
   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	simul-
taneous
    rescale if wanted.

   Batch functions are available to copy, move,	rename,	resize,	upright,  con-
vert
   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  em-
bossed 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
stitching
   photos  together  seamlessly,  automatically	matching brightness and	color.
Photos
   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 im-
age that
   is  sharp  over  the	combined range.	Photos of one scene taken at different
moments
   can be combined to remove passing autos or tourists.	Multiple  photos  made
under
   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 im-
ages
   requiring the same edits: record the	edits made to a	base  image  and  then
apply
   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
abstract
   distortions	(shphere,  tiny	 planet, others). Background patterns and tex-
tures 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  contain-
ing
   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  re-
port 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  in-
ternet 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  im-
ages 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	manual 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
  Organize and manage a	large photo/image collection
   (up to 1 million images on a	strong PC).
  Comprehensive	user guide and popup context help via F1 key.
  Thumbnail browser/navigator with variable thumb size and metadata view.
  Click	thumbnail for full-size	view, image zoom in/out	and pan/scroll.
  RAW file conversion, single or batch,	output 8 or 16 bits per	color.
  Large	set of functions to edit, repair, refine, and transform	images.
  Internal processing in 24 bits per color (float), output 8 or	16 bits.
  Edit common image types: JPG,	PNG, TIF, JXL, WEBP, HEIC, JP2,	others.
  Most video formats can be played within the app. Select thumbnail from
   any frame in	the video (default first frame).
  Edited files have a version number, originals	are retained by	default.
  Fast edit visual feedback using the full image or selected zoom-in area.
  Undo/Redo button - compare original/edited versions (instant replace).
  Compare original/edited images with split-screen and movable boundary.
  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.
  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.
  Refine functions: edit or flatten 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, add brightness ramp, add/remove vignette (curve edit).
  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.
  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).
  Edit functions can be	'painted' locally and gradually, using the mouse.
  Copy areas within and	across images by mouse painting	and blending.
  Create or maintain transparent image areas while editing.
  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.
  Mashup: arrange images and text in an	arbitrary layout using the mouse.
   (objects can	be resized, rotated, overlapped	with transparent areas ...)
  Custom user menu: collect frequently used functions into one menu.
  Plugins: use Gimp, Imagemagick ... as	embedded Fotocx	edit functions.
  Scripts: record image	edits, package as an edit function to re-use.
  Select image objects or areas	to edit	separately from	the background:
   outline by hand, follow feature edges, 'flood' into matching	colors ...
  Complex feature edges	can be accurately selected (e.g. hair, foliage).
  Batch	tools: rename, resize, convert,	export,	add/revise/report metadata,
   convert RAW files, add overlay text,	apply custom edit script.
  Metadata edit	and report keywords, titles, dates, geotags ...	any metadata.
  Search images	using any metadata and folder/file names or partial names:
   dates, keywords, locations, ratings,	titles,	descriptions ... any metadata.
  Search can include original or edited	versions of targeted search images.
  List image counts by location	and date range,	click line for image gallery.
  List metadata	tag values and corresponding image counts for a	given tag
   name, click line item for image gallery.
  Show an image	calendar, click	on year	or month for a gallery of images.
  Scaleable internet map, click	on marker for gallery of images	at location.
  Add location names and geocoordinates	to an image by clicking	on the map.
  View 360 degree panorama image (Google Street	View format).
  Show video files as thumbnails (selected video frame), play video.
  Show animated	GIF files as thumbnails	(first frame), play animation.
  Bookmarks: assign names to folder/file locations, go to name (gallery).
  Create albums	with chosen images arranged by drag & drop. No duplication.
  Slide	show: show album images	with animated transitions and pan/zoom.
  Print	an image at any	scale. Printer color calibration tool is available.
  Custom keyboard shortcuts can	be assigned to chosen functions.
  Cycle	wallpaper images from a	Fotocx album or	any folder of image files.
  Source and binary packages are installable on	most recent Linux flavors.
  Gnu GPL3 license (everything is free to use as you please).

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:
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