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Enhancing Digital Image Management: The NCPN Photo Database Solution

The NCPN Photo Database is a custom-developed application designed to efficiently organize, store, name, and retrieve digital images, particularly for resource analysis tied to specific locations. Initially developed in 2003 to address integration issues with commercial solutions, it leverages Microsoft Access 2002 and Visual Basic for powerful functionalities, including batch import capabilities, structured folder organization, and a user-friendly interface for diverse photo collections. This application supports inventory and monitoring projects, offering an effective solution for both scientific and aesthetic documentation.

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Enhancing Digital Image Management: The NCPN Photo Database Solution

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  1. A Custom Image Management Application The NCPN Photo Database: 2008 GIS and Data Management Conference Russ DenBleyker IT Specialist, NCPN russ_denbleyker@nps.gov Helen Thomas Data Manager, NCPN helen_thomas@nps.gov

  2. About the NCPN Photo Database • Custom-developed application for organizing, storing, naming, and retrieving digital images • Usage/scope: • Data Photos, Geospatial - Used for resource analysis and tied to a specific location: • Inventory and monitoring project photos (e.g., vegetation mapping plot photos) • Voucher photos • Pretty Pix - Used in NCPN reports, briefs, and other publications (e.g., scenery, wildlife, people)

  3. Why a Custom Solution? • Initially developed in 2003 to replace a commercial photo management solution • Key requirement was tight integration with project databases, e.g., easily import photo data from project databases • Such integration was lacking in commercial solutions • A custom solution allowed us to achieve such integration, and provided other advantages: • Ability to leverage familiar Access tools (e.g., queries, find/filter) • Ubiquity of Access allows for easier distribution of photos • Greater flexibility

  4. tblPhotoMain tblKeywords ∞ 1 Technical Details • Microsoft Access 2002/Visual Basic (VB) • Frontend-backend structure • Separate backend files for different photo collections, e.g.: • General NCPN photos • Vegetation mapping photos • Upland monitoring photos • Common frontend (interface) • Simple data model • Photo attribute table (tblPhotoMain) • Keyword table (tblKeywords) • Several lookup tables (e.g., projects, species, contacts)

  5. Technical Details: Selected Photo Attributes

  6. Technical Details: Folder Structure/File Naming • Photo files stored in file system, not in the database • Image Category assigned to each photo determines its folder location, e.g.: • Climate, habitat, invasive plants, inventory, monitoring, scenic, upland, veg mapping, voucher • Photo file name generated by concatenating Image Category, Park Code, and Record ID (unique, system-generated ID), e.g.: • Voucher photo taken in Arches NP might be named “vou_ARCH_25783.jpg” and stored in “Voucher” folder • Tools for generating photo file names and renaming files • Individual (interactive) and batch file renaming • Usually run during data entry/import

  7. Technical Details: Data Entry/Import • Data entry form for adding new photo records individually • Tools for importing in batch mode • Used for entering most new photo records • Based on Access tools (e.g., linked tables, append/update queries) • Customized tools to help automate photo import process for long-term projects that routinely collect photos (e.g., vegetation mapping, monitoring)

  8. Technical Details: Search and Retrieval • Two broad search and retrieval usage scenarios: • Pretty pix queries: Image contents usually more important than image info; thumbnail list often suffices • Data photo queries: Image contents and info usually important; display of detailed image info often necessary • Two types of search and retrieval tools: • Custom-built query tool: Query limited set of fields; browse thumbnails; especially effective for pretty pix queries • Access built-in tools (e.g., Find, Filter): Query any field; browse detailed photo records; especially effective for data photo queries • These usage scenarios and tools will be demonstrated…

  9. Challenges • Managing growth in number of photos and storage • Serving photos to distributed staff • Expanding user base • Providing effective photo search and retrieval • Ensuring quality of photos/photo data • Archiving digital photos

  10. Demonstration

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