Geeqie provides the ability to build lists of images, regardless of the location of the files on disk.
When saving a new collection, select Save paths relative to the collection file to store image paths relative to the folder containing the .gqv file. Paths begin with ./ or ../. You can move the collection and images together while preserving their folder layout. The setting is retained when the collection is reopened or saved to another location. Absolute paths remain the default.
The files pane displays and edits collections in the main window.
To create a new empty collection in a new default window, select .
To open an existing collection, select . A dialog will appear requesting the location of the collection file. The selected collection will appear in the files pane. Recently opened or saved collections can also be opened from the Open recent submenu of the File menu.
To delete or rename a collection, select , right-click on the collection you wish to delete or rename, and then select Delete or Rename .
Viewing a collection in the files pane
When browsing a directory containing collection files, the folder pane displays them as folders with a pictures-folder icon. Click one to display its members in the files pane. This works in both folder-list and folder-tree views; these entries are not actual disk directories.
The files pane supports list and icon views, selection, filtering, sorting, and the usual file operations. The main path bar shows the collection path, or its name until it is saved.
Copy, move, rename, and delete operate on the actual files. Use in the files pane context menu to remove membership while leaving the files on disk. Dropping files into the pane adds them to the collection. When a drop includes folders, choose whether to add their contents, add contents recursively, or skip the folders. The same menu can append another collection, save or save as, and change or randomize the collection order.
Use on a collection member to open its containing folder in the files pane.
Use Ctrl+Alt+S to save the current collection, Ctrl+Shift+S to save it as another file, or Ctrl+Alt+Backspace to remove selected files from the collection.
When the files pane shows a collection, its context menu includes . Select to display each entry's text in the list or icon view. Select to create or change the text for the clicked file or selected files. Enter the text in the dialog and select . When multiple files are selected, the same text is applied to each one.
In list or icon view, drag images within the files pane to change their collection order. Drop before or after a row or icon, or in empty space to append. A marker indicates the insertion side. Selected images move together. Reordering switches the pane to collection order; save the collection to retain the new order.
You can drag images between the files panes of two main windows, whether each pane shows a folder or a collection. Dropping onto a collection adds references to the images without moving the files or removing them from the source collection. The drop position determines where new entries are inserted in both list and icon views. Dropping onto a folder uses the usual file copy or move operation.
Use → → to show the same collection in another main window. Each window can then browse independently.
Select from the sort menu to use the collection's order. Other pane sorts do not change the saved collection order. Select a directory to return to directory browsing. If this is the last window showing a modified collection, Geeqie asks whether to save or discard the changes, or cancel navigation. The same choices are offered when closing or quitting. Collection mode is not restored after restarting Geeqie.