Can I use the same folder to keep my photo library, and from there test different photo apps?

[JaviPas]

In the past I was using Synology Photo to manage my photo library, but I've made the jump to Unraid and one of the goals is try different apps to manage my personal photos/videos and see what works best for me.

I've seen several apps easily available (Photoprism and Photostructure are candidates) and I'd like to know if I could copy my photos to my Unraid system —on some folder such as (/mnt/user/)data/media/photos — and use that folder as the "container path" for both PhotoPrism and Photostructure (and others) or I will be messing all of it doing this. I guess each platform has it's own way to organize and manage files, but if keeping just one folder/copy of my photos would be great at least for testing purposes.

[Frank1940]

1 hour ago, JaviPas said:

I guess each platform has it's own way to organize and manage files

 

This is the problem that I can see.  If an app that you are testing moves the photos into directories and subdirectories, you will have a problem with testing/evaluating the next app because what the previous app has already done.  If the apps build a database and uses that database to 'organize' the photos, you could use the same set of files to evaluate each app.  (Each of these described methods have advantages and disadvantages depending on your viewpoint and requirements.)

 

What I would probably do is to select a subset of my photos (Perhaps, 200-500 photos-- make it large enough to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each app but small enough that time required to conduct each evaluation is reasonable.) to use for my evaluation.  Then I would create several shares on the Unraid server-- one for each app.  Then copy that testing subset to each share.  Then point each app to a share and evaluate each one to determine which one best suited my needs.  This way, there would be no interaction between apps that might affect my evaluation. 

Edited November 29, 2023 by Frank1940

[JaviPas]

Thank you @Frank1940, I was thinking about that option too, but I thought there was maybe a chance to test others without messing with the library. It seems a good idea, so unless someone can clarify if my first idea could work, I'll go that way and work with a subset of my library.

Regards!

[foo_fighter]

Both photoprism and photo structure have options leave the photos inplace. I tried both and stuck with photoprism. I still have photostructure but just disabled the docker. 

[JaviPas]

Thank you too @foo_fighter, I have read something about that, I'll test it too with that subset @Frank1940talked about. Cheers

[JaviPas]

Just to update this, I'm still exploring this option and as of now both Photostructure and Photoprism don't modify the originals folder, so both apps can run concurrently (at least on my initial tests). I'm making several tests and installing other options (Synology Photos —this needs its own copy of the library, that's for sure—, Librephoto) and I'd like to test them before picking a 'winner' for me. I'll probably be testing this for a couple of months before deciding, but my plan is to come here and tell that story.

[foo_fighter]

Immich is probably another one you should try. Even NextCloud has a photos app.