TSG Dev Blog

Well, I’ve just yesterday committed the initial check-in of the Snaps! Gallery 2.0 development code to our new CVS repository at SourceForge.net. There are instructions for getting and installing the development code posted at the new Labs Forums.

Also, the Snaps! Gallery project page is now up and running to coincide (roughly) with the initial commit of the development code. You can visit the Snaps! project page here. The project page also sports a couple new screenshots of the current development code.

Currently, I’m working out the technical details and schema for the new user permissions setup that Snaps! 2.0 will use, as well as trying to figure out an elegant way to template the admin section without having to re-write it. The way it was written initially did not take into account the possibility that it would ever be templated, so it’s really gonna be a task to convert it to a template friendly form. Which is exactly why I think I’m gonna have to rewrite it.

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!

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The Labs site (and along with it, the Snaps! Gallery project pages) are offline for now. I’m transferring everything this new server, and moving from the good old .us domain to this new .net domain. Along with the move, the Labs will get a facelift.

When Snaps! 2.0 is ready for public release, the new project pages will also go online, with an updated look to match the new Snaps! Gallery default theme (which, I must say, is looking rather nice ). Stay tuned here for more details, and maybe a few teasers…

Snaps! Gallery has lain dormant at version 1.4.4 since early in 2005 due to my lack of time to devote to the project. However, rest assured Snaps! is not forgotten, nor abandoned.

Beginning in January, development on Snaps! will resume an active status and many of the features our users have been looking forward to will be implemented. Along with those features, and items on the todo list, Snaps! will be receiving many functionality updates to its user interface.

I don’t want to give away too much, but I’ll say that the whole thing is going to be much faster, and it will use a generous amount of AJAX for its user interface. Hopefully, if I can do everything I’ve got planned, the gallery will be a much more interactive piece of software, and it will be more fun to use and administer than a traditional piece of web software.

Along with the new features I can’t discuss, the planned feature upgrades will be implemented, such as unlimited sub-albums, album preview images, a more extensive user permissions system, along with some better comment spam protection (Captcha). So, stay tuned to the Devlog here for more updates into the new year.