PhotoFS is a ReiserFS-inspired photo album software that functions on a web- and shell-based environment.
It performs most of the same functions as other web galleries. The standout feature, however, is its use of the filesystem instead of a database. You can access your photo collection using regular unix tools. It can handle very large collections and encourages multiple categories per file, deep category hierarchies, and batch processing.
PhotoFS's key features include hierarchic categories, multiple categories per photo, and an "also in..." feature. All data is stored in the filesystem and is browsable on the web and from the command line. It uses standard filesystem tools to access records, and it is easy to back up and replicate with tar, rsync, etc. It uses no special file formats; data is stored in many small files instead of a database or several large files.
PhotoFS works best with reiserfs v4, but it is compatible with any filesystem. You can insert many photos at once from the command line. It uses clean URLs, has a simple directory structure, and no huge ?argument=foo lists. The software also has a secure web interface and access control for web use, which includes per user, per file, and per category. Additionally, non-public files cannot be viewed by the wrong users, even if they know where to look. Restricted files are completely invisible to anyone not authorized to view them.
PhotoFS also supports metadata, including a description with HTML, an extended description, and Date. Nonetheless, Title, Keywords, People, and Event are irrelevant, and users may use the category system instead. It holds any type of file, not just images, and it integrates easily into PHP template systems using header/footer hooks.
To use PhotoFS, you will require Python (may need V2.x or newer, but may work with 1.5), Apache (any current version should do), mod_rewrite, PHP4 4.2 or newer, ImageMagick (provides "convert" for thumbnails), and other optional requirements.
In the latest release, there have been a few improvements. Logout works, and Login mostly works again. PhotoFS is fast and can handle many, many thousands of files easily. It also includes auto thumbnail creation and caching (manual creation supported too) and Auto-creates medium-sized previews when appropriate (manual creation supported too). Overall, PhotoFS is a great option for those who want to use their file system instead of a database to manage their photos.
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