View your Picasa library in your browser
Update: Fixed broken link at bottom to the article where I found this.
I just discovered that Picasa also seems to have a mini Web server embedded in it. This allows you to see all of your photos in a web browser. This browser allows to you see your entire Picasa photo library in your web browser.
Simply use the Key Combination of CTRL+SHIFT+L (L for Library). It may take Picasa a few moments to get it started up, I have around 25,000 images in my library, and I got the (Not Responding) note in my title bar for 20 or 30 seconds before the browser window appeared.
The web-based library does have a search feature, although it does not seem to be quite as robust at the search feature that is in Picasa proper — for example the experimental color search did not return any results using the Web library view.
The Library uses frames, and is similar to, but not identical the two-frame “Export as HTML” feature you can use for an individual folder.
Interestingly, I can only view the library in my browser if the URL is either “localhost” or it’s equivalent IP address of 127.0.0.1. Using the IP Address that is assigned by my router, 192.168.xxx.xxx gives an error message.
Can anybody think of a way to get another computer on the local network to see this library view? That would be cool.
Via Chris Pirillo
[tags]picasa, chris pirillo[/tags]
Woaw Mike, how did you figured that? Are you trying every shortcut possible?
This is a great news, anyway! I am terribly excited about it, fingers crossed that it will work on my linux version as well, as it handles all my backups. It would prevents me to install another php based gallery. I am definitely trying to make it work over an LAN/WAN back home tonite and will let you know. As it works with ‘localhost’ it should work with a complete IP and appropriate permissions. You maybe have to open/route the 1818 port. I hope we will be able to change this port in future versions to include it in a more common range, something like 4180 would be great.
You made my day Mr D.
Thanks vincent. I can’t take credit for finding that one. I got it from the (now fixed) link to Chris Pirillo’s site.
Oddly, each time I start Picasa I seem to be getting a different port. So far each port has been between 1200 and 1800. Now, why would they do that?
I don’t really know. Quite a bunch of softwares do that, changing ports each time they start. Usually you can either fix the port used in the application parameters or find the range used by the app and open the range on the router interface.
I would say : if picasa uses a web server, there is no way we can’t use it across a lan or a internet. I’ll check that with my linux admin and let you know asap!
Curious, I opened picasa.exe in a text viewer — to see if I could see a configuration setting for the port range. I **THINK** I came across what appears to be the source code for the web pages generated by Picasa for the Library. Smack dab in the middle is “text/plain not allowed, this server supports localhost only.”
Here is a screen cap
So, it appears that they might specifically prevent non-localhost requests.
lol, while I was digging into the registry (couldnt’ find any relevant key) you were opening the .exe in an editor… you’re a kind of a stuntman ;)
I am amazed you did actually find someting !
About the “this server supports localhost only”, this is weird: a http server is a http server and such limitations are more likely the work of the router+firewall. So I would say we should be able to bypass that. I have serious hopes! there is always a way to “bind” ports in order to appear as a local visitor, I guess. We will maybe have to trick it a bit.
Y’know, I don’t know why I went to the hex editor first, either. As soon as your comment said “registry” I thought.. Oh, yeah, I shoulda tried that.
I guess it’s an old-timey windows 3.1 habit that just won’t die. I used to be able to figure stuff out if it wasn’t in the ini file.
We must be on the same tricking level, registry and hex-ed, same for the 3.1 habits… back to the early’s 90 I was localizing full softwares patching the executables and dll’s under hex-ed :)
You may want to check registry agin, I didn’t spent that much time on it (press F3 several times to browse all occurences of search term).
Btw, I follow your blog from a while, it’s quite interresting for me. Big Up for sharing all your discoveries. Time to contribute!
Thanks for the comments! I’m glad you’re reading. I don’t get many comments, so I have no idea if anyone is actually out there!
Hey, thanks for this tip. This is great. I really wish it was just an acceptable url that could be viewed from any location. Then my life would be complete.
PS: I wasnt gonna post anything but just wanted to let you know that people are reading.