Picture location

[Michael Merino]

I would like to see a feature that when you choose the section for the image, you can then have a drop down menu and pick the room in the house it is located. Example, a plumbing drain image would be placed in plumbing section under drains, but then it could be labeled kitchen or bathroom. It would be nice to have the rooms saved so u can just pick them instead of typing it every time.

I have a question about another feature I think is already being worked on. Is there going to be a feature where you can view your image at the same time as the sections?

[Bob Elliott]

Dominic says he is working on something like that in future updates.
Last year had so many improvements over a short time that I think he is resting on the sixth day 

Drop downs would be cool but remember also that at present time there is no way to group single words together with comments as they have a comma ,bullet,line separation,etc but no option to just string them together without at least a comma.

[Dominic Maricic]

Both the ability to see photos while working on the report after placing them in the photo section, and drop down boxes are being worked on. They are both big features and making sure they are backwards compatible with all templates is a big challenge but getting closer to being done.

[Dominic Maricic]

Also Mike, I'm assuming you have a comment that includes where the issues is. Did you know you can click on the drop down box in the caption area and select from all the comments you've chosen?

[Bob Elliott]

He could also create a tab for all of those with every room.

Drains are in Bathrooms and Kitchens so you have those two sections with drains.
Also you can have more tabs than you need as you can always deselect them to not show if unused.

Heck I use one template for homes and Condos by just using a few extra tabs for common areas and simply not using them if it is say a house.

[Dominic Maricic]

Yeah under Report Settings->Options->Item Options you can set unused panels not to print. I definitely don't see a reason to have a separate home and condo template.

[Michael Merino]

Also Mike, I'm assuming you have a comment that includes where the issues is. Did you know you can click on the drop down box in the caption area and select from all the comments you've chosen?

I did not know that. But, I place my photos before I write the report. So I would have to go back and redo the photos correct? I would rather it was a location in the caption box. I like to be able to have an image of a door for example and be able to pick the locations. I would like to keep my comments location neutral so I do not have to keep typing in different locations on every report, that way the client can read the comment, "there are doors that do not operate properly" then look at the photo and see the locations. It seems to me that many reports I see from me and others have an image, but the client has to guess as to what room the defect is in. If there is a drop down that always has the locations there, you can pic one or multiple locations.

Does that make sense?

[Michael Merino]

Yeah under Report Settings->Options->Item Options you can set unused panels not to print. I definitely don't see a reason to have a separate home and condo template.

I use this feature and have it set not to print if no comments are in a section, but sometimes the sections print anyway. I have to go in and uncheck them so they do not print.

[Bob Elliott]

Also Mike, I'm assuming you have a comment that includes where the issues is. Did you know you can click on the drop down box in the caption area and select from all the comments you've chosen?

I did not know that. But, I place my photos before I write the report. So I would have to go back and redo the photos correct? I would rather it was a location in the caption box. I like to be able to have an image of a door for example and be able to pick the locations. I would like to keep my comments location neutral so I do not have to keep typing in different locations on every report, that way the client can read the comment, "there are doors that do not operate properly" then look at the photo and see the locations. It seems to me that many reports I see from me and others have an image, but the client has to guess as to what room the defect is in. If there is a drop down that always has the locations there, you can pic one or multiple locations.

Does that make sense?

Hi Mike
i solved that issue long ago by always adding location as a caption
Thats why I never ever go back and caption from comment dropdowns.

This is why I have begged Dom to reverse it so that captions can be added into a comment area drop down into the future.

My opinion is the process is reversed as only 1/3 actually use tablets on site, but that is how the software is setup.

I am sure Dom will work on it in future upgrades, but still it is the best anyway.

[Dominic Maricic]

Mike, the not printing items checkbox only affects items within a page. You do have to uncheck a page if you want the entire thing not to print.

Once the dropdowns within narratives are done you'd easily be able to choose the location with the narrative and then just batch add first, do your report, then go and set the sections and captions. I'm also trying to squeeze the photos back into the program sections itself so you can batch add, set the comments, then go to the report and see the photos in each section. I'm having a problem finding a good place for them to fit though.

[Michael Merino]

Mike, the not printing items checkbox only affects items within a page. You do have to uncheck a page if you want the entire thing not to print.

Once the dropdowns within narratives are done you'd easily be able to choose the location with the narrative and then just batch add first, do your report, then go and set the sections and captions. I'm also trying to squeeze the photos back into the program sections itself so you can batch add, set the comments, then go to the report and see the photos in each section. I'm having a problem finding a good place for them to fit though.

OK, I will uncheck those pages, I am glad to know I was doing it properly and my program wasn't messing up.

Dom, I have not used HomeGauge, but I did watch the tutorial they have on their site back when I was trying to decide on what program to use. The image is on the page as you work within the report. I think you said you were trying to add that feature.

You are saying that I would add the images, do the report, then go back into the images an add the location? If I am correct, I think I would forget to do some of that. If you are able to have the image in the narrative part of the report, It can all be done at one time.

I think I may not be explaining it correctly.

[Bob Elliott]

If I am following ,he is also working on a thumbs section for that.

IMO it would be easier to have the comments come to the image and much easier to comment on a bigger picture in front of you from the photo add section.

It is all semantics in that something like a split screen effect would be needed where one picture is seen instead of four, which would leave room for comments to be scrolled through on the other half.

Imagine if when you picked section drop downs in a photo that all the comments for that section appeared on the other half of your screen.
That would kick butt.
You could just click the comment to attach to the photo.

Reverse from present I know , but I bet it would be great.

[Dominic Maricic]

Here's what will happen.

Open program, batch add photos. Set the locations for all the photos. This way you can still place 100 photos in 5 minutes which is by far the fastest method of any program (I'm not counting arrows and stuff).

Now when you go to each item (i.e. Kitchen->Dishwasher) within the program you'll see the photos you choose for that item. Eventually you'll be able to caption here as well as rearrange the photos via drag/drop.

Or, you can continue to caption and edit the photos in the Add/Review photos which gives the best of both worlds.

From what I'm told from people who've switch in part because our photo features, with HG you're going to each section, looking through all your photos then adding them to that section. That means you could could through your 100 photos, in 200-500 different sections.

[Bob Elliott]

Follow what you are saying but it depends:

How big are the thumbs ?

For instance at present time the pop out one gets by resting on the picture is the same size  as before,and not needed.


If done the way you mentioned will we still be stuck with duplication of the entire comment ,which is redundant, or can it show as a caption/ text comment under the picture only ,which would be better if the caption still shows as a colored summary item.

My thought is for guys like me who go home and work comments directly off pictures and want a cool finished product with out having to switch back and forth from picture editor to comment section.(just a thought)

The biggest reason this is needed of course ,is because several pictures under one tab that are comment worthy do not generate the comments close to the pictue and there is no magic bullet that lines those comments up under the picture being commented on.

4 or 5 pictures in a row followed by 4 or five comments may be a little confusing in the way dumping them all at bottom of the report would be , but to a more minor degree.

[Serge Delhoyo]

This is going be such a terrific feature Dominic.  I can’t wait!

NOW:  I do batch-add and set all the photo locations. However—as I’m writing the report, and I need to edit/add arrow, etc/caption/ and/or rearrange—I do waste a bit of time hunting for the correct tab where the photo is located (especially if I have an average of 50 or more).

I'm not proficient enough yet, to do all the photo editing that's required for the final cut of the report—at the beginning, as I batch-add photos and set their locations.

[Serge Delhoyo]

My thought is for guys like me who go home and work comments directly off pictures and want a cool finished product with out having to switch back and forth from picture editor to comment section.(just a thought)

Totally agree!

[Bob Elliott]

Sergio
Have you ever timed your average speed on edit after batch add.

My average is 15 seconds per shot.

200 shots is usual for me as I use pictures as notes ,rather than lugging around a computer during the Inspection.

[Serge Delhoyo]

Have you ever timed your average speed on edit after batch add.

No, I haven't.

I normally "print" the report as I go along.  One thing I look at is where the photo or photos print out on the page. For example, if the photo prints out right under the defect narrative—I seldom add a caption, because the best caption is right above the photo in red text. If the photo prints out on the page after the narrative, then I will insert a very brief caption for clarity.

[Dominic Maricic]

Bob, you could not add a comment within the report, just add a caption. We've discussed before adding an option that makes the caption go to the summary but not the report. I have a feeling that once we do this people will want the ability to make it go into the report as black or red as well so I have to figure out how to fit all this.

Clicking on a photo DOES make the image larger when you're working on a smaller tablet. Sometimes it's several hundred percent larger. Do you want an option to turn it off if you're working on a larger monitor?

[Bob Elliott]

Hi Dom
Yes ,You are right that in the future people would want the 3 color option ,meaning I can for see an auto red option along with a 3rd drop down that switches it to black or even non-summary material color.
One update at a time I guess:).

I have never noticed a size change,but will pay attention next time I open my net book.
Have not tried opening the Hip software on it in a long time,but did not know it only changes size on tablet screens.

Sounds crazy, but could there be two versions of HIP?
One for lap and desk,and one for tablets?
Sorta like how others do that unpopular PDA version, but for more popular tablets.

Trying to drum up support to see if others would like the photo edit option.