A document was recently written to answer that question: What is DBGallery?

Yes. PhotoMetaData.org has an excellent guide: http://www.photometadata.org/META-Resources-Field-Guide-to-Metadata. DBGallery supports the standard IPTC/XMP metadata fields, hence their field descriptions match DBGallery's.

Yes. Using DropBox, or similiar such tools such as SugarSync, you can store all your images in the cloud (i.e. in your DropBox). This is a great way to share images with others using DBGallery, where everyone who shares a DropBox sees shared photos in their instance of DBGallery. Each time any person adds images or updates data on their system, it gets sync'd with the DBGallery on all other computers!

Using DropBox is a great way to use the internet as the location of DBGallery's shared photo collection.

UPDATE: There is now a DBGallery YouTube Channel video on sharing images with DBGallery and DropBox:

SugarSync
After posting this video it's been asked if DBGallery works with SugarSync. It does! There is basically no difference in DBGallery itself as to whether it's working with DropBox or SugarSync folders. I.e. Both work equally as well from DBGallery's perspective.

Yes! Version 5.0 now supports permissions, including the setup of users with read-only access. See more here.

The following formats are supported. If a format you require support for isn't here please let us know at Support@GRRSystems.com. Adding new formats is often just a matter of knowing they're required!

• Adobe Digital NeGative (DNG)
  
• Adobe Photoshop
  
• Adobe PICT
  
• AWD
  
• Bitmaps
  
• Canon Raw
  
• Casio Digital Camera
  
• Commodore-Amiga IFF
  
• Computer-aided Acquisition and Logistics Support (CALS)
  
• DCX
  
• Digital Picture Exchange Format (DPX)
  
• Eastman Kodak Photo-CD
  
• Epson ERF
  
• FAX Formats
  
• FlashPix
  
• Foveon X3F
  
• FujiFilm RAF
  
• Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)
  
• Joint Photographics Experts Group (JPEG)
  
• JPEG 2000
  
• Kodak Digital Camera
  
• Kodak Professional Digital Camera
  
• LaserData LaserView
  
• Leica Digilux 2 RAW
  
• Microsoft HD Photo
  
• Minolta MRW
  
• Nikon NEF
  
• Olympus ORF
  
• Paint Shop Pro Image
  
• Panasonic RAW
  
• Pentax PEF
  
• Portable Bitmap
  
• Portable Greymap
  
• Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
  
• Portable Pixelmap
  
• Psion MultiBitMap
  
• Radiance Picture File Format
  
• Raw Format
  
• Seattle FilmWorks
  
• SGI Image File Format
  
• Sony Raw
  
• Sony Digital Camera Format (PMP)
  
• Sun Raster
  
• Tagged Interchange File Format (TIFF)
  
• Truevision TARGA
  
• WAP WBMP
  
• Windows Icon
  
• Windows Metafile
  
• WinFax
  
• X Bitmap
  
• Xcf (Gimp)
  
• X PixMap
  
• X Windows Dump
  
• ZSoft PCX

Yes. The only stipulation is that the tool used to drop the photo directories onto DBGallery, such as Windows Explorer, uses backslashes ( \ ) instead of forward slashes ( / ).

Yes. DBGallery has a multi-user client/server version. This version allows the client (DBGallery), the database(MySql), and the photo files to all reside on seperate computers. This works due to DBGallery's multi-tier architecture. There is a video on this as well as more detail on the Enterprise page HERE http://grrsystems.com/Enterprise.htm when the page is ready..

A huge number of formats are supported. This including complex file formats such as PhotoShop's PSD file, and what I believe are most, if not all, camera RAW formats. By support of a format it means a thumbnail of that format will be seen in DBGallery's window, it can be viewed, searched for, data may be keyed for it, it can be emailed, and used in the various other features of DBGallery.

The full list of format is on DBGallery's site here.

IPTC/XMP
The following are supported for writing of IPTC/XMP data directly to the file. (Note: all formats can have IPTC/XMP data written to the database (for searching and all other DBGallery funcationality), but not necessarily to the image file itself.)

• Most Camera RAW Formats
  
• DNG (Digital Negative)
  
• GIF (Graphic Interchange Format)
  
• JPEG
  
• JPEG 2000
  
• PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
  
• TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

Yes. The RegNow purchase option on the order page facilitates this. Let RegNow know you are wish to place a tax free order and they will create one for you. Your company's tax-free organization papers will be required at time of purchase. Contact GRR Systems via it's contact page if you require additional info or assistance.

1) Right-click on a Handy Collection
2) Choose Properties
3) Type the new name if the Name field
4) Press OK

Any version. Even if 1.0 is installed its ok to upgrade to the latest version.

(Actually its also ok to downgrade. The database evolved by 'adding only', making it non-problematic to move up or down versions.)

Yes!

Using Multiple Databases
Sometimes it can be useful to run multiple databases. A personal and commercial database may be desired, for example. While doing this is currently a little awkward it is possible (it would take approx 5 mins). To use multiple databases follow these three steps...

Step 1: Find the Config File
To setup multiple databases the user.config file has to be edited. This file resides in an always obscure path on Windows. Look under:
XP: C:Documents and SettingsLocal SettingsApplication DataGRR_Systems,Inc.
Vista: C:UsersAppDataLocalGRR_Systems,Inc.
[If you have an Enterprise license, the exact location of the config file is at the bottom of the Advanced Configuration dialog. The location can be copied from there.]

Step 2: Update the Config File
To create a new database, simply set DatabaseName=<a new database name> and AppInitialized=0 (which effectively tells DBGallery to create a database upon startup). Following is a sample after making the changes. (You can copy/paste the items in bold to your user.config if needed.)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<userSettings>
	<PhotoGlobals.Properties.Settings>
		<setting name="AppInitialized" serializeAs="String">
			<value>False</value>
		</setting>
		<setting name="DatabaseName" serializeAs="String">
			<value>newGallery</value>
		</setting>
		<setting name="DBHostName" serializeAs="String">
			<value>localhost</value>
		</setting>
	</PhotoGlobals.Properties.Settings>
</userSettings>
</configuration>

Step 3:
Restart DBGallery.


Switching Databases Later...
Switching back and forth between database is easy!
- If an enterprise license was purchased for DBGallery then the Advanced Configuration dialog is available. In there simply key the name of the database you wish to access, press the Test Connection button to verify access, then press OK, at which point DBGallery will restart and use the new database.
- If not using an enterprise license, no problem, simply ensure DBGallery is closed and edit the user.config file again, change the DatabaseName to the database you wish to use, save the file (leaving AppInitialized to True), and then restart DBGallery.

Most people using DBGallery never have to know there is such a sophisticated database in the background. They can use DBGallery for many useful years without needing to know whats running in the background. And MySql takes up little memory and almost no resources when not being used by DBGallery.

So why such a major database system? Flexibility! When required, companies make good use of that powerful database. Photo data is an organizational asset. So there are two main reasons for the chosen database and DBGallery's architecture:
1) When keyed inside DBGallery and stored in the database, data is accessible by many other systems and applications. For example, data may be extracted by other applications and presented on the web via an organization's systems' development department.
2) Multiple people in an office environment can all access the same database and photos. In this case, the database resides on a central server with DBGallery running on everyone's machine. This is often called a client-server or multi-tiered environment.

About half of the usage of DBGallery is in these types of sophisticated setups. For more on this see the Enterprise/Office page here, or the video on this type of setup here.

But to repeat, for those wanting a simple but powerful system they never have to know this powerful database and architecture is included with DBGallery.

Only some file types (like RAWs) are auto-rotated by default. These are images which can't be rotated and saved to file.

JPG files may be set to rotate automatically. To do this add the extension(.jpg) to the "auto-rotate these file types" at the bottom of the Application Settings dialog. Neither DBGallery nor programs such as FastStone actually auto-rotate the file to disk. It's simply viewed upright. Both programs do of course rotate to file when manual rotation is chosen. So the only difference between DBG and FS is that DBG doesn't have jpgs set to auto-rotate.

Yes. Select all the thumbs to be rotated in one direction (this can be done by pressing the Ctrl key while thumbs are clicked with the left mouse button). Right click on all of the selected thumbs. Then choose one of the rotation options at the bottom of the context menu.

Yes, several.

1) Always start by ensuring the client computer has access to the database computer. Do this by using a program such as Windows Explorer to go to the database machine. E.g. Type \\CorpDBServer into Explorer's address bar and press enter.

2) Using the same machine name or ip address used in the previous step and copy/paste it into the hostname field of the Advanced Configuration dialog in DBGallery. Copy/paste is recommend to avoid typing mistakes during these trouble moments. The \\ isn't required in the hostname, but if it's used DBGallery will strip it. Example of hostnames are CorpDBServer and 192.168.10.13

[Before moving to the next steps you will need the MySql GUI Tools. They are available at http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/gui-tools. Alternatively the MySql command line may be used for those who understand how to use that tool.]

3) Try connecting from the client to the database server using MySql Administrator. If using the default MySql install shipped with DBGallery use the following: Hostname=; Username=root; Password=dbg

4) The next logical thing to do is to ensure there are privileges in MySql for the client machine. This step is often required if using a MySql other than the one shipped with DBGallery (i.e. there was already a MySql installed). To do this use MySql Query Analyzer and do one of the following:

• To grant privileges to all computers with access to the internal network, use:
  GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DBGallery.* TO root@'%' IDENTIFIED BY 'dbg';
  [NOTE: DBGallery install defaults are used here. 'DBGallery' being the database name, 'root' being the username, and 'dbg' being the password. Change these for you environment if not using DBGallery's defaults.]
• To grant privileges to specific computers , use the following for each computer requiring access. This is a high security but fairly high maintenance but option each new client starting to use DBGallery will require this command to be executed:
  GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DBGallery.* TO root@'<machine name or ip>' IDENTIFIED BY 'dbg';

DBGallery has fairly simple table structures. A script could easily be written to copy data from your tables to DBGallery's. For example: Description is a varchar in StdAttrs. Copyright is a varchar in ImagesIPTCMetadata, as are about 30 other IPTC attributes. Any tool you might currently be using, such as MySql Administrator, would show the table structure once DBGallery was installed.

This question comes up in scenarios such as having used DBGallery on only one machine at home or the office and you're decided to add additional users.

There are two steps:
1) Perform configuration changes as detailed below. Don't be daunted by amount to text, it's really not all that difficult.
2) If not already done, purchase one additional copy of the DBGallery client for each machine it will be used on. Note that the database does not get installed on each machine.

Configuration changes required:
====================
Below is the query to run to set things up to move to a shared database. Essentially it's just changing the database to have each image point to a network path instead of a local drive letter. This is required because a local drive such as C: doesn't mean much on other's computers, and the photos were likely initially added by dragging and dropping them from a local drive. Unless of course the photos were added from a network drive in the first place. If that is the case everything below won't be required. But if the photos were added from a local drive read on...

I've bolded the areas in the SQL below requiring change. In what's currently there win2k3-photo is the name of the computer and PhotoDisk is the a 'share' setup to provide access to photos on the network computer.

>>> These commands would be copy/pasted into the MySql Query Browser.
update images set img_loc = concat('\\\\win2k3-photo\\PhotoDisk', (select right(img_loc, (select CHAR_LENGTH(img_loc)-2)))) where (select left(img_loc, 2)) = 'C:';
update folders set folder_fullpath = concat('\\\\win2k3-photo\\PhotoDisk', (select right(folder_fullpath, (select CHAR_LENGTH(folder_fullpath)-2)))) where (select left(folder_fullpath, 2)) = 'C:';

Please backup your database before executing the query. See the Database Backup section of the User Guide here for help with that.

Two other things to note:

1. Write privileges are required for the share so IPTC/XMP data can be written to the files.
2. What might be seen on other's computers is 'Image Not Found' in the main thumbs view of DBGallery. That indicates that they don't have access to the share. There's a few options here: have users log onto the machine manually (not a great option), run DBGallery and a Net Use command from a batch file (e.g. "net use \\192.168.1.101\DriveD MyPassword /user:MyUserID", or use various other means to supply access to the share. Contact us direct via contact form if there are any issues with this.

There's also a short video on adding photos in a multi-user environment which has useful information to ensure photos added later are visible on each users' computer. Watch it here. There's also a good look at a multi-user photo database setup in the video here.

Yes. Older versions of DBGallery can run on the latest version of the database. This is because the database tables are only every appended to. I.e. If there are five versions of DBGallery running around the office (or your home) which all hit the same database any one of them can be upgraded to the latest version. The others will continue to work as usual.

Yes. RegNow, one of the two payment merchants for DBGallery, accepts Purchase Orders. The RegNow link to purchase DBGallery via a P.O. can be seen at purchase.

Yes. In the Advance Configuration options of the Enterprise version append the Database Server entry with “;port=XXXX” (without the quotes). E.g. “photoServer; Port=4306”.