Well, Snaps! Gallery is getting updated, as you all know. But what you problably didn’t know is that it’s basically getting a complete overhaul.

Since initially writing it, I’ve learned a lot more about good coding practice and code libraries. For instance, I didn’t know how really terrible the DB class from PEAR was until I saw the benchmarks comparing it to straight SQL statements and other code libraries. So, with that in mind, I’ve switched over to the ADOdb library for database access. What this gains is: a much faster library, which results in a faster Snaps!, and better portability between database servers, which was one of my main goals in the original versions of Snaps!, but which DB doesn’t enforce very well. ADOdb’s design, by default, forces you to re-examine your queries and write them in a manner to fit ADOdb, rather than the database server you are using. ADOdb takes care of making it work with the various servers.

Along with that switch, I’m also re-examining all my code to try and remove as much extraneous and repetitive stuff as I can, in an effort to slim down and speed up Snaps! (not that it was ever slow, but…). And of course, I’m adding several features, two of which are complete and ready to unveil!

Woo! New Features!
So, the first thing that’s completed and working was a user-requested feature way back when: album thumbnails. So, the implementation I’ve created allows 3 “modes:”

  1. default (folder image as in previous versions of Snaps!)
  2. random (Snaps! selects a random image from the album)
  3. selected (You select an image to use for the thumbnail of each album - if an album doesn’t have a selected thumbnail, it defaults to the folder image)

The second new completed feature is a Recently Added section on the front page of the gallery. This section shows the 5 most recently added images (go figure). You will have the ability to enable or disable this feature, as well as change the number of images shown.

Along with these new features, the screenshot (at end of this post - click for big version) shows an early version of the new default theme for Snaps!. I’ve taken a lot of time to develop the themes as well during this rewrite. Snaps! has always been templated, to allow for easy customization, but this rewrite will allow you the option of not only customizing, but also installing themes. You’ll be able to download themes, upload them to the templates directory and then select them from your administration area to change the theme on-the-fly. For those not graphically-oriented, or who aren’t coders, this is a great leap forward in being able to customize your gallery.

Along with the new color scheme, the new default theme will sport a new logo (rough early version in the screenshot), and a new set of icons from the fabulous Silk icon set by Mark James.

And of course you can expect the same XHTML and CSS valid official themes, as well as the super-easy web-based installer and web-based administration that you’ve all come to know and love.

You can probably expect an early-early beta sometime in the next few weeks, along with the new Labs website rollout soon.

Snaps! Gallery 2.0 Preview