Announcing: Komodo Drop

figbug · June 12, 2007

Announcing: Komodo Drop

Komodo Drop is a light weight uploader for SmugMug. It lives in the system tray, and then when you need it, it pops up a floating target in the bottom right of the screen which you can drop images or folders of images on and then they will upload. It has two modes, silent mode, that creates a new album, or adds to an album, based on the folder name containing the images being uploaded. Or interactive mode, which pops up a dialog allowing the user to either create a new album or select an existing album. As well, images that fail to upload (due to network time outs, etc) will get queued up, and then you can re-try the upload.

Komodo Drop is programmed using C++ and the JUCE framework and the REST SmugMug API. It will be released under the GPL. I will be releasing versions for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It is still in a very early beta state. I started working on it on Saturday.

The website is here:
http://komodo.rabien.com/

You can download it here:
http://rabien.com/software/KomodoDrop.exe (Windows)
http://rabien.com/software/KomodoDrop.dmg (OS X)
http://rabien.com/software/KomodoDrop.tar.gz (Linux)

Please let me know what you think of it. What features you would want in it. Or any other comments.

Thank You

devbobo · June 12, 2007

figbug,

This sounds great....i will give it a go once i get XP running on parallels properly again

Cheers,

David

Dfects · June 13, 2007

Sounds pretty good

will give it a go later... always looking for new ways to upload.

Does it use multiple threads to upload more than one file at a time? I have a beefy connection here, but each upload seems to be limited. I pretty sure they'd upload faster with multiple uploads.

figbug · June 13, 2007

Ok, I have a mac build (universal binary) ready: http://www.rabien.com/software/KomodoDrop.dmg

Multi thread is a good idea, I'll look into it, it shouldn't be too hard. That should avoid the downtime between images. Other than that, I'm not sure how much difference it'll make to me, since my cable modem upload is capped.

This is still early beta, so things like the rest of the album creation options are coming.

Dfects · June 13, 2007

figbug wrote:

Ok, I have a mac build (universal binary) ready: http://www.rabien.com/KomodoDrop.dmg

Multi thread is a good idea, I'll look into it, it shouldn't be too hard. That should avoid the downtime between images. Other than that, I'm not sure how much difference it'll make to me, since my cable modem upload is capped.

This is still early beta, so things like the rest of the album creation options are coming.

Just given it a little try, am impressed

I've not come across the juce framework before but it looks pretty cool. Have you tried any unix builds?

At home i have a capped cable connection, at work we have a 10 megabit upstream which is hardly used... normally get upload speeds of around 1 meg to our servers, but smugmug uploads seem to hang around 100kbs.

I was going to spend a little time on the weekend building a small multi-threaded uploader that also worked as a lightroom exporter to see how it fares, but i might just wait to see how this progresses.

Looks good mate, look forward to seeing more

Andy · June 14, 2007

figbug wrote:

Ok, I have a mac build (universal binary) ready: http://www.rabien.com/KomodoDrop.dmg

Multi thread is a good idea, I'll look into it, it shouldn't be too hard. That should avoid the downtime between images. Other than that, I'm not sure how much difference it'll make to me, since my cable modem upload is capped.

This is still early beta, so things like the rest of the album creation options are coming.

Works good

I upload 100megs really fast. Looking forward to all the "extra" (options on gallery create, can I move the drop target to dock, etc)?

figbug · June 14, 2007

Andy wrote:

Works good
I upload 100megs really fast. Looking forward to all the "extra" (options on gallery create, can I move the drop target to dock, etc)?

I just uploaded new builds. New features include:
Multiple upload threads - between 1 and 16
Deleting albums
Duplicate checking, based on filename.

I haven't tried a linux build yet. I do have a linux machine, so I'll hopefully get one ready this weekend.

For the mac, I'd like to support files getting dropped on the dock, I'll see if I can figure out how to do it.

Dfects · June 14, 2007

figbug wrote:

I just uploaded new builds. New features include:
Multiple upload threads - between 1 and 16
Deleting albums
Duplicate checking, based on filename.

I haven't tried a linux build yet. I do have a linux machine, so I'll hopefully get one ready this weekend.

For the mac, I'd like to support files getting dropped on the dock, I'll see if I can figure out how to do it.

Awesome

i can't wait to try it out at work tomorrow. Just out of interest, how do you find working with juce framwork? I was looking at doing some cross platform development in the near future. I was looking at mono+gtk#, as its been a while since i used c++ and java sucks... Is their any easy GUI tools for juce? I hate programatically making GUI's, it can be so time consuming.

Thanks for the new builds!

figbug · June 14, 2007

Dfects wrote:

Awesome i can't wait to try it out at work tomorrow. Just out of interest, how do you find working with juce framwork? I was looking at doing some cross platform development in the near future. I was looking at mono+gtk#, as its been a while since i used c++ and java sucks... Is their any easy GUI tools for juce? I hate programatically making GUI's, it can be so time consuming.

Thanks for the new builds!

I love juce. It has a very clean, modern api. It's simple, you can get up running fast. Everything is just so much easier than MFC or Win32 (What I have experience with) Sometimes it feels almost too easy. Very full featured as well: gui components, thread pools, xml parser, jpeg/png/gif/ogg/flac support, and much more. The painting is also so much easier than using a DC in Windows.

There is the jucer, for laying out your gui. It works ok, but it's still a work in progress. It spits out .cpp/.h files, which you then have to add your code in special markers so it doesn't get overwritten if you use the jucer to update it later. You can download the jucer here: http://www.rawmaterialsoftware.com/juce/download.php

I use juce at work as well, and I've written a pretty large app with it. KomodoDrop is my spare time project. My only complaints are the look and feel of the gui. I wish it was more similar the the native look of the host OS. And the anti-aliasing of the text that can't be disabled, the text gets hard to read all small sizes. And no mp3 support.

figbug · June 18, 2007

I posted a new version. New features include:

- create category / sub category
- delete album / category / sub category
- upload using file open/folder dialog
- log file
- moveable target
- description / keywords / sort added to create album dialog
- album setstings (public, show file names, allow comments, etc) added to create album dialog
- create category and sub category added to create album dialog

The download links in the original post have been updated.

I think it is now at the point where it is usable as your every day uploader. Please give it a try. I'd like to get some feedback. Please tell me what features it requires before you would use it as your primary uploader. Or any other opinions you have about it.

caroline · June 18, 2007

figbug wrote:

Announcing: Komodo Drop

Komodo Drop is a light weight uploader for SmugMug. It lives in the system tray, and then when you need it, it pops up a floating target in the bottom right of the screen which you can drop images or folders of images on and then they will upload. It has two modes, silent mode, that creates a new album, or adds to an album, based on the folder name containing the images being uploaded. Or interactive mode, which pops up a dialog allowing the user to either create a new album or select an existing album. As well, images that fail to upload (due to network time outs, etc) will get queued up, and then you can re-try the upload.

Komodo Drop is programmed using C++ and the JUCE framework and the REST SmugMug API. It will be released under the GPL. I will be releasing versions for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It is still in a very early beta state. I started working on it on Saturday.

You can download it here:
http://www.rabien.com/KomodoDrop.zip (Windows)
http://www.rabien.com/KomodoDrop.dmg (OS X)
Linux coming soon

Please let me know what you think of it. What features you would want in it. Or any other comments.

Thank You

Until I get me website setup, just send me a message if you want to see the code.

Hi I just tried it out with a few files in the interactive mode (I think

)
I'm no techie but I like how it works
Caroline

Dfects · June 18, 2007

awesome! been waiting for the new features. Thanks for that info on JUCE. My ISP bit the bullet over the weekend thanks to all the rain here so i've not been able to check it out.

Can't wait to see future versions. Not sure if theres an API call for this but setting passwords for albums would be awesome.

figbug · June 19, 2007

I made a website for Komodo Drop. Nothing too exciting, but watch it for future versions. http://komodo.rabien.com/

caroline · June 21, 2007

figbug wrote:

I posted a new version. New features include:

- create category / sub category
- delete album / category / sub category
- upload using file open/folder dialog
- log file
- moveable target
- description / keywords / sort added to create album dialog
- album setstings (public, show file names, allow comments, etc) added to create album dialog
- create category and sub category added to create album dialog

The download links in the original post have been updated.

I think it is now at the point where it is usable as your every day uploader. Please give it a try. I'd like to get some feedback. Please tell me what features it requires before you would use it as your primary uploader. Or any other opinions you have about it.

Hi
I have already replied after I tried it once, used it again yesterday too

)
However, as a non-technical person

I don't know where to put the target, if you get what I mean ? and when I want to use it, what do I need to do to activate it. Currently it sits on the desktop, if i quit, it disappears and I have to click the disk image again. Maybe there are others like me who would appreciate a bit of help here.

Caroline

figbug · June 21, 2007

caroline wrote:

Hi
I have already replied after I tried it once, used it again yesterday too )
However, as a non-technical person I don't know where to put the target, if you get what I mean ? and when I want to use it, what do I need to do to activate it. Currently it sits on the desktop, if i quit, it disappears and I have to click the disk image again. Maybe there are others like me who would appreciate a bit of help here.

Caroline

You are on the mac, right? On the PC it hides to the system tray. The mac doesn't have a system tray, so I'm not sure where to hide it. I want it so the target just shows up on the dock, and then you can drop files onto the dock, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet. Hopefully I'll get a better system figured out soon.

caroline · June 21, 2007

figbug wrote:

You are on the mac, right? On the PC it hides to the system tray. The mac doesn't have a system tray, so I'm not sure where to hide it. I want it so the target just shows up on the dock, and then you can drop files onto the dock, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet. Hopefully I'll get a better system figured out soon.

Thanks for the reply, maybe some other mac user will pick up on this.
Caroline

figbug · June 29, 2007

Linux version is online now.

http://rabien.com/software/KomodoDrop.tar.gz

scoodog · July 6, 2007

VERY NICE WORK!!! This uploadr has real potential for me. I was wondering -- any integration with iPhoto in the cards? The smugmug iPhoto loader has too many bugs -- I've stopped using it, but would love to have something in its place.

misnoma · July 24, 2007

I just gave this a go too (on the mac) and I'm suitably impressed

I would also like to add a vote for iPhoto support if possible, I tried dragging an album from iphoto onto the drop target for a laugh, but nothing happened - don't know how hard that would be to implement?

devbobo · July 25, 2007

scoodog wrote:

VERY NICE WORK!!! This uploadr has real potential for me. I was wondering -- any integration with iPhoto in the cards? The smugmug iPhoto loader has too many bugs -- I've stopped using it, but would love to have something in its place.

not to steal figbug's thunder here, but I am currently rewriting the MacUploader, so that it works properly and has a few features the previous version didn't. It should be available very soon.

Cheers,

David

scoodog · July 25, 2007

devbobo wrote:

not to steal figbug's thunder here, but I am currently rewriting the MacUploader, so that it works properly and has a few features the previous version didn't. It should be available very soon.

Cheers,

David

David, awesome!! Many thanks in advance for doing this. Give me a hollar if you want someone to beta-test it for ya. I'd be happy to.

rich56k · July 25, 2007

devbobo wrote:

not to steal figbug's thunder here, but I am currently rewriting the MacUploader, so that it works properly and has a few features the previous version didn't. It should be available very soon.

Cheers,

David

David,

Add me to the beta test list also

rich56k

claudermilk · July 26, 2007

I need to poke my head in here more often. This looks like a great uploader, I'll grab it & give it a try (XP version). Looks like just what I've been looking for, a simple, always-available uploader that doesn't tie up another app.

David Tomic · July 28, 2007

figbug wrote:

. Please tell me what features it requires before you would use it as your primary uploader.

An option to automatically open your browser at the gallery/photo you've just uploaded when it's completed.

The old Send To Smugmug program does that, and I think it's the only feature that I'm missing from it at the moment.

The ability to apply passwords to new galleries would be a plus too, but I wouldn't consider that a make or break feature!

Other than that, a top notch little app!

figbug · July 31, 2007

David Tomic wrote:

An option to automatically open your browser at the gallery/photo you've just uploaded when it's completed.

The ability to apply passwords to new galleries would be a plus too, but I wouldn't consider that a make or break feature!

I'll try and add both those features.

As for iPhoto support, while you can't drag an album, you should be able to go into the album, select all the thumbnails and drag them over. I'm not sure how to do better iPhoto support.

claudermilk · August 2, 2007

Got a chance to use it last night. Overall a nice utility. I did run into a couple of glitches. First, I threw three batches at it & only the first really went smoothly, the others I got a message that most failed upload; so I checked the log & saw all kinds of errors in there. Anyway, I went ahead and re-sent the images with the "check for duplicates" option one. Still got a handful of duplicates sent.

There's definitely promise, but still a ways to go to smooth things out.

Edit: oh, almost forgot. The last batch I sent the counter went to 200% before completing. Not sure what was up there. It would be nice to get a list of files submitted & the current status.

corbosman · August 21, 2007

I really like this uploader. Very easy to use. I have one feature request. If possible look into making it compatible with Lightroom's export feature. Basically what it does is allow you to export an image from LR, and immediately start an external program with that image (or images) as its input. SendToSMugmug does work that way, but it would be really cool if KomodoDrop did that too. Right now if you use this LR feature it starts up another instance of KomodoDrop (even if one is running already) and doesnt see any images as input.

This would make it very easy to export images from Lightroom directly into SmugMug.

Regards,

Cor

cm.smugmug · September 23, 2007

puzzled

figbug wrote:

Linux version is online now.

http://komodo.rabien.com/KomodoDrop.tar.gz

I'm a bit vexed by the Linux version. I untar'd the download on my xubuntu machine, but I can't seem to get it to run. I don't profess to be a Linux pro, so maybe I missed something.

Does it need to be untar'd to a specific location?

Thanks!

figbug · September 26, 2007

cm.smugmug wrote:

I'm a bit vexed by the Linux version. I untar'd the download on my xubuntu machine, but I can't seem to get it to run. I don't profess to be a Linux pro, so maybe I missed something.

Does it need to be untar'd to a specific location?

Are you getting any error messages? It should work fine on a 32-bit Linux with Intel/AMD processor.

Nope, untar it any where and double click on it. Or run it from the commandline ./KomodoDrop. If you want to be able to just type KomodoDrop to run it, but it somewhere in you path like /usr/bin

figbug · September 29, 2007

New versions online - Windows, Linux & Mac

New features:
- An icon, so it looks more professional
- An installer on the pc
- On the mac, you can now drop files on the dock icon
- Accepts filenames to upload on the command line, shouldwork with lightrooms export
- Option to open web browser when upload completes
- Password and Password hint on new albums
- Upload queue to see status of files being uploaded
- Uses standard menu bar on the mac
- Better duplicate checking

enjoy

Snakeroot · November 17, 2007

Great program!

figbug wrote:

New versions online - Windows, Linux & Mac

New features:
- An icon, so it looks more professional
- An installer on the pc
- On the mac, you can now drop files on the dock icon
- Accepts filenames to upload on the command line, shouldwork with lightrooms export
- Option to open web browser when upload completes
- Password and Password hint on new albums
- Upload queue to see status of files being uploaded
- Uses standard menu bar on the mac
- Better duplicate checking

enjoy

I just tried Komodo Drop this morning.... what a great program! I did have a couple of issues though that I wanted to let you know about. The first one is, when "&" is used in the album name or description, the album name gets cut off at the "&". For example: I named a new album Ray & Dana's Wedding, but in SmugMug it came up as just Ray. Same thing for the description of the album.

The other thing is, queued 3 new albums to be uploaded and the percentage was showing on the target, then I was trying to get the menu to come up, so I right clicked on the target in the system tray (not realizing I needed to right click on the big target to get to the menu). This made the big target hide. I right clicked the little target again in the system tray and it pulled up the big target again, but now it said 0%. I looked at the queue status though and my files were still being uploaded. I just let it run and everything was uploaded successfully.

Not huge issues, just wanted to make you aware. Again, great program! Good job!

Announcing: Komodo Drop

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