windows xp - Read-only image viewer for kids?

07
2014-07
  • jacobsee

    I'd like to allow my kids to look through our digital archive of home photos and videos without the possibility of them deleting or changing anything.

    Any suggestions for either software that does this (preferred) or a way to set up a folder so that bad things can't happen? The solution should be robust under severe mashing of the keyboard and random mouse clicks.

    • Answers
  • 8088

    Maybe you could set up a limited user account for the kids, and give them read only access to your documents? If you prefer not to set up another account, you could simply make the specified folder read only for the current account, then turn off the permission again when you need to edit or delete the files yourself.

    I don't know which version of Windows XP you have, but if it's XP professional, in an explorer window navigate to Tools -> Folder Options ->View tab and turn off simple file sharing if it isn't off already. You can then proceed to edit permissions on the desired folder.

    Right-click the folder, and go to the security tab. Here you can add or modify user permissions:

    alt text

    You'll want to leave them with Read, Read & Execute and List Folder Contents.

    If you'd like permissions to be applied recursively, click Advanced and tick the box to replace permissions for child objects:

    alt text

  • Journeyman Geek

    how about zipping or raring them up and using a cbz viewer like CdisplayEX

  • stevemacn

    The easiest way to do it would be to put the pictures onto a photo hosting site like flickr. This will allow them to go through the pictures without having any ability to delete the originals (which you keep). You can protect your photos on flickr so that only you can view them (hide from public search).

    Alternatively if you are somewhat technologically inclined you could set up an account with read-only access like John T suggested.

    The main advantage about using flickr is that you can allow grandparents or other family members to view the pictures while still hiding them from the general public.


    • Related Question

    image viewer - XnView How to change file read-in format?
  • RCIX

    I have a "raw file" (not unprocessed image data, but raw heightmap data from a game's map editor saved as Photoshop RAW) and it looks like XnView might be able to open it.

    It sees the properties as 513x513 8-bit RGB when in reality it is a 513x513 single channel 16 bit file with IBM PC byte order and no header. How do i force it to read it this way?


    • Related Answers
  • Ludwig Weinzierl

    Convert it with imagemagick to format XnView can read.

    I can be difficult to preserve the 16 bit depth however. You will have to find a suitable format that can represent the depth and can be exported by imagemagick and imported by XnView.

    As a start I would try TIFF, it supports 16 bit and is supported by imagemagick as well as XnView. The conversion will blow up the single channel into three channels with identical values.

    To read you file in imagemagick you'll probably have to use the following options:

         GRAY   Raw gray samples  	
               Use -size and -depth to specify the image 
               width, height, and depth.

    Try:

    convert -endian LSB -size 513x513 -depth 16 gray:image image.tiff

    Convert back to 16 bit single channel: 

    convert image.tiff -depth 16 -type grayscale gray:image