Understanding Picasa's Library View

Photo Editing Software and Photo Sharing Software

Picasa: The Library View

1. Folder List - The list on the left hand side of Picasa's Library View indicates that every single folder that includes pictures on your computer and all the other photo albums that you have made in Picasa. The folders and albums are grouped into collections that are explained in the next section, Photo Tray and output options. By default, the list is already organized by date that it was made. To change the way the folders are organized, click on "View" then click on "Folder View".

2. Photo Tray and output options - The Photo Tray's job is to collect pictures/movies from 1 or more albums so you can use them as a group. The "Add To" option and all the rest of the output options, "Print", "E-mail", "Collage", "Hello", "Blog This!", "Order", and "Export", do their jobs by using the pictures that are in the "Photo Tray". By settings, the selection now in the lightbox is now in the "Photo Tray". To make these items remain in the "Photo Tray" while you choose more, click the "Hold" option. you can grab, drag, and drop selections into the "Photo Tray" and they will, by default, automatically be held. To delete a held selection, choose it in the "Photo Tray" and click the "Clear" option. Once you are sure and able to go on with the selections you made with the contents of the "Photo Tray" you can choose any output option selections or the "Add To" selection to do the current action on all the selections in the "Photo Tray"at one time.

3. Lightbox - The list on the right side of Picasa's Library View shows visual thumbnails of the pictures (and movies) currently in the folders and albums in the list. To change the size of the thumbnail, use the slider at the bottom right hand corner of the lightbox or use the "View" selection to use a common thumbnail size. Click on any folder or album header two times to change the title, date, place taken, or what it is. For folders, you can select the largest folder picture in the heading to open the currently used folder in Windows Explorer. Click the up and down keys on the keyboard or the far right bar to move up and down in the lightbox. NOTE: Only folders and albums that can be seen in the list will be shown in the lightbox. Folders inside of a closed album won't be seen.  

Copyright 2007 BHO Technologists - Photo Editing Software