https://youtube.com/watch?v=VE2NCPnULA0 [Embed]
windows
zip: https://github.com/hydrusnetwork/hydrus/releases/download/v552a/Hydrus.Network.552a.-.Windows.-.Extract.only.zip
exe: https://github.com/hydrusnetwork/hydrus/releases/download/v552a/Hydrus.Network.552a.-.Windows.-.Installer.exe
macOS
app: https://github.com/hydrusnetwork/hydrus/releases/download/v552a/Hydrus.Network.552a.-.macOS.-.App.dmg
linux
tar.zst: https://github.com/hydrusnetwork/hydrus/releases/download/v552a/Hydrus.Network.552a.-.Linux.-.Executable.tar.zst

I had a great week. There's a bunch of small fixes and improvements, and the addition of 'system:has transparency' search.

Full changelog: https://hydrusnetwork.github.io/hydrus/changelog.html

has transparency

So, the database can now remember if a file has transparency. This might mean a file with fully transparent pixels, or it might just be an area that is semi-transparent. You can now search it under the new 'system:file properties' entry, selecting 'system:has/no transparency' (or you can just type it).

Like 'has exif' and others before it, 'has transparency' will be correct for all new files instantly, but figuring it out for your existing files will take a bit of background maintenance work. It will take some time for the full results to populate. You can review how much it has still to do under database->file maintenance->manage scheduled jobs.

Note that this is not a 'this file is RGBA' test. There are a bunch of files out there with an alpha channel that is all 100% opaque, so my 'has transparency' check actually looks for impactful transparency information in the image. I'm also keeping it simple to start with, so we are scanning all images except jpegs and animated gifs. No Krita or PSD or anything yet--I'm not sure if our various rendering hacks are even able to pass along accurate alpha info.

As always, I'm interested in seeing any unusual files that fail the test. However, while doing this work, I encountered several files that looked normal but still got the 'has transparency' label. When I inspected them closer, I discovered they had a single 98% opaque pixel, or a border with a slight fade, or just one invisible corner pixel. Maybe some of these pixels are secret artist markers, or perhaps they are tool errors or drawing tablet smudges. They probably aren't really what we are interested in finding with a 'system:has transparency', so be on the watch for them and let me know how bad the problem is in an IRL client. Maybe I can fine-tune this system to say 'image is at least 0.3% transparent'.

other highlights

I fixed a stupid logical typo in the folder move/copy tech changes from last week. If you couldn't run an internal backup or migrate your hydrus folders around, sorry for the trouble! Should all work correct again.

I fixed the 'open externally' thumbnails position if your thumbnail supersampling is >100%, and made it so files without thumbs (e.g. zip, epub) will show their filetype thumb or the hydrus icon.

'system:number of character tags > 4' now parses if you type it in (previously, this didn't support the namespace filter). 'unnamespaced' should work too.

'system:has audio' and the 'system:embedded metadata' stuff, which never had good homes, are now all merged under that new 'system:file properties' entry. If you can't find something weird, check there!

next week

Everyone around me is sick, and I can feel myself going, so it may be up in the air! In any case, I think I'd like to take a simple code cleanup week. Nothing too clever or amazing, but should be some small fixes and QoL.