Introducing GQView
GQView is a very flexible program for previewing whole directories of photographs very quickly. It does not come pre-installed with Ubuntu but can be installed very easily. Just search for "gqview" in the search dialogue of the Synaptic Package Manager.
Once installed, GQView becomes an alternative to the Nautilus-Eye of Gnome ensemble. Within Nautilus or from the Desktop, right-click on the icon for a directory of photographs and you will see the option:
open with "gqview"
After GQView is launched, you can adjust your view of photos in several ways by using the options under Edit and View or by right-clicking on the image itself.
To save you from having to click on each file name in turn, GQView allows for two other ways to proceed through the images:
- Left-click on the image itself
- Press the spacebar
Deletion is Permanent by Default
Do note, however, that deletion in GQView is permanent. It does not use the Wastebasket; everything is incinerated immediately by default.
If you want your Wastebasket to be used, you need to turn on "Safe
Delete". Click on Edit ⇒ Preferences ⇒
Advanced. Then select the box labelled "Safe Delete" and ensure
that the location given points to the trash folder in your home
directory ('/home/
Slideshow Options
By default, the slideshow delay between images is 15 seconds. To increase or decrease this amount, click Edit ⇒ Preferences ⇒ General and lower or raise the number of seconds listed at the bottom of the windows that appears. If you would like to randomise or repeat the slideshow without stopping, you can here choose those options, too.
Editing Photos from GQView
If you right-click on an image and select a photo editing program (or choose an application from the Edit menu), the program will launch automatically, leaving GQView up and running. If you leave the editing program running and select another image to edit through that program, Ubuntu (through GNOME) will use the same session.
When you are done editing a file, save it and close the editing application. GQView resamples the files routinely and will soon update. If it does not, simply press the "Refresh" button or the "r" key.
Return to "Image Handling in Ubuntu".