Exhibit by Robert Pufky (github.com/r-pufky):
------------------------------------------------------
Exhibit allows you to export your iPhoto Library meta-data to a SQL database, as
well optionally uploading all of the photos contained within the library VIA 
rsync over SSH.  The meta-data uploaded includes comments, ratings, modification
dates, rolls (events), captions, keywords, filters, and much, much more.

This is a developers tool and not an end-user product.  If you are looking for a
open-box solution, this is not it.  Use .MAC.  This program is for those people
(like me) who love iPhoto, but use Gallery or another media manager on their own
web servers.

This program was constructed with expandability and portability in mind.  This
should be cross platform (i.e. if you want to process your AlbumData.xml files
on the server, etc); and cross-database.  A template of the SQL connector used
in this program is provided for those who want to write a postgres SQL, or other
implementation.  If you do, please contact me (github.com/r-pufky) and I
will add it to the package with full credit to you.

Latest information and version can be found at:

  http://www.crazymonkies.com/projects.php?type=exhibit



Quick Instructions:
-------------------
- Extract files to desired location
- Edit exhibit.config
- ./exhibit -h  (for options to use)
- Check further in this document for more usage information



Installation:
-------------
- Extract to any location you wish
- Edit exhibit.config for your specific options
- Read "Specific Configurations" section (below) for specific information on 
  setting up each type of module, with step-by-step instructions
- If you would like, you can symlink the executable to a directory in your path
  allowing you to run the command from anywhere in the system:
  
  ln -s [Exhibit Install Directory]/Exhibit.py [Directory In Your Path]/exhibit



Specific Configurations:
------------------------
- SQL user account permissions

  The user account that Exhibit uses must have the following permissions on the
  database that the account has access to:

  update, insert, delete, select, create table, drop table, truncate table

- MySQLdb Module

  This module is not included in the base leopard installation, and requires 
  compiling from source to include it in a Leopard python2.5 install.  
  Instructions on how to compile this for Leopard are located here:
  
    ./docs/mysql_setup.txt

- SqlTemplate.py:

  This is a template created specifically for those developers that want to
  write a SQL interface for a different server.  More information can be found
  in the template file, located here:
  
    ./docs/SqlTemplate.py
  
  If you do make a module for a different SQL server, please e-mail me 
  (github.com/r-pufky) and I will include it in the next release of the 
  program, with full credit to you.



Usage:
------
First, although you should be able to run this while iPhoto is open, I would 
recommend that you close iPhoto first; so that any changes that occur in iPhoto
are committed to the AlbumData file.  This will minimize the risk of uploading
already stale data.

The easiest way to figure out how to use this program is by running the
following command in the Exhibit directory:

  ./exhibit --help

The most typical commands are as follows:
  
  ./exhibit -f
    - force re-create remote SQL database, and exports encoded images to local
      directory, copying the data.  This is in the middle for performance, and 
      also requires at least the size of your iPhoto Library in free space to 
      export.
  
  ./exhibit -f -i
    - force re-create remote SQL database, and exports encoded images to local
      directory, using symlinks instead of moving data.  This is by far the 
      fatest option, and allows you to move the encoded data anywhere you wish

In the setup that I run at home, I have created a cronjob that runs every night
running the following commands, which automatically updates my gallery with any
changes in my iPhotoLibrary:

  exhibit -f -i
  rsync --update --size-only --copy-unsafe-links --compress --recursive 
      --rsh='ssh -p 22' /tmp/exhibit/ myuser@myserver.example.com:/home/exhibit/



Thumbnails:
-----------
In case you are wondering, the iPhoto thumbnail sizes are a max of 
  - 360 pixels wide
  - 360 pixels high
  - If the main (Original) Image file is a video, the Thumbnail will be an image



Testing Environment:
--------------------
This code has been completely tested on the following setup:
- OS X Leopard (10.5.2)
- MySql Server 5.0.51a-osx10.5-x86
- Mysql-Python-1.2.2
- Debian etch, running MySql Server 5.0.32-7etch5
- All operations were executed on a remotely mounted filesystem, running gigabit
  ethernet.

Though it has not been tested on older versions, it will most likely work with
them.



Performance:
------------
This has been tested against a 16,000 item iPhoto Library, containing images and
videos, all with associated keywords, special characters, ratings, comments, 
etc.

Each command was tested on the same enviroment multiple times, clearing any data
before each run.  All operations were executed on a remotely mounted filesystem,
running gigabit ethernet as the transport - numbers could be much faster if all
operations were executed locally.

exhibit -f -i:
  2 minutes, 32 seconds

exhibit -f:
  19 minutes, 29 seconds
  
  
  
Help! It's Not Working:
-----------------------
If it is not working, I'd like to know.  I will need the following things to
help you get this working for yourself:

- Exhibit version (printed in help)
- Output from your run of Exhibit, will all error codes
- Versions and flavors of SQL server you are using
- Desktop and Server OS types

Mail to: github.com/r-pufky

If you cannot fit all of the information into one e-mail, just shoot me 
multiples with the information attached.  I will acknowledge your e-mail and
work on figuring out where it went wrong.