One of the biggest changes in this new version is updated code that scan folders and keeps the files list. The new code is faster, keeps a cache of exif/xmp/iptc tags and uses much less memory.
With this version when background synchronization is enabled gPhotoShow starts displaying images as soon as possible even if the list is not complete, in this way it only takes few seconds to start even if you have a really huge images collection and configured gPhotoShow to use exif tags !
Another new feature requested by lots of users is the weighted randomization. With this feature it is possible, for example, to display more often new photos and from time to time display some of the older ones.
Here is a list of major new features:
- Photo Wall mode
- DirectX 3D transition effects
- Animated GIF files support
- Weighted Randomization. Now it is possible to display some files more often than others. Weights can be assigned to folders or to images with a specific rating or containing specified keywords.
- Metadata cache. Exif/XMP/Iptc info are now cached, after the first directory scan gPhotoShow reads metadata info only for new files.
- Incremental directory scanning. When background files list synchronization is enabled gPhotoShow starts displaying a limited set of files while directory scan is performed as a background task. This feature greatly improves startup time in particular when gPhotoShow needs to read exif tags.
- Preview button to start the screen saver without leaving the settings window
- Added a window to easily set the limit for stretch/crop
- Added an option to start video playback from a random point also for windows media player
- Photo rating can be displayed graphically as stars
- Scrapbook background effect can be choosen randomly
- Added new scrapbook options
- Improved panoramic image detection, now gPhotoShow can detect vertically oriented panos
- With sequential display when pressing the restart hotkey gPhotoShow asks for starting image number
- Added optional date to time display
- It is now possible to specify on which monitor to display the slideshow
- Slideshow control window to perform basic operations during the slideshow
- Configurable actions for mouse move and mouse button click during the slideshow
- Hotkey to toggle video from beginning or from random position
- Hotkey to mute/resume audio
- gPhotoShow can now create a text file with the list of all images displayed
- On multiple monitors systems gPhotoShow can display panoramic photos (or photo larger than a specified size) spanned on all monitors even if it is configured to display a different image on each monitor