5 Obscure Picasa Tricks

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5 Obscure Picasa Features You Probably Didn't Know About

Picasa Tips

The other day I installed Picasa 3 and have been fiddling with it since. I found that Google kept the experimental features available, most folks don't venture that far into Picasa so I decided to post these 'Obscure' experimental features that are available to you. Below I summarized 5 of the 7 experimental features and how to use them. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to post them below.

Note: I have created this guide using Picasa 3 Beta, but some of these features can be found in Picasa 2

Picasa 3 Tips

All of these features can be accessed via the Tools > Experimental

Feature 1 - Show Duplicates | Great tool to eliminate duplicates that have accumulated over time and make space.

Picasa 3 Tips

Click on Tools > Experimental > Show Duplicate Files

Feature 2 - Search by color | This is a very neat feature that displays all of the pictures containing the specified color, not sure what you'd use it for other than remembering when you wore a certain colored shirt.

My recommendation to Google would be to allow someone to chose the amount of that color to look for.

Picasa 3 Tips

Click on Tools > Experimental > Search for... [pick color]

Feature 3 - Save search | This is one of my favorites, it's kind of like searches in Vista that can be saved and opened later except you apply it to your pictures in Picasa.

Picasa 3 Tips

A. Click on Tools > Experimental > Save search results...

Picasa 3 Tips

B. Name the search and add the appropriate information, click OK

Feature 4 - Show tag as album | This is a neat feature that creates albums from your tags

Picasa 3 Tips

A. Click on Tools > Experimental > Show tag as album...

Picasa 3 Tips

B. Type the Tag and click OK

Feature 5 - Passport | This option requires a picture with one person (one visible face) and preferably one which matches the standards used for passport pictures (see standards) the software automatically isolates (crops the picture to) your face and sets up the print feature.

Picasa 3 Tips

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Excellent page

Just to congratulate you guys about your page and for the tips that are given. Regards. Cecilia

Experimental features to add

I used Picasa II for awhile. One thing they need to bring back from Picasa I is search by partial names. Picasa II and III I assume will only search for photos by the beginning of the photo name, not partial name.

Please add central object / background colors

What a fantastic development!

Having said that, I think it is easier to search for images that have a known color of the central object - or a known background.

In addition, it would be more useful and precise if we could optionally select the color from a palate.

Search by color

That "Search by color" feature could be useful on Flickr (or other) forums where sooner or later someone starts a thread called "Show me your RED photos".

Useful article, by the way. Passed on to me by a friend who uses Twhirl.

Yes I would like to see...

that feature added in more websites and search engines, they use something similar to this on stock sites like istockphoto and others. Thanks for stopping by.

-Gil

Guest (not verified)

While I wouldn't go so far as "Guest (not verified)", I do understand being a bit frustrated with Picasa. I tried version 2 a year or so ago. Maybe it's time to check out version 3.

It's a much...

nicer upgrade from version 2. Trust me.

-Gil

question

Can this new piece of shit open individual files without indexing and thumbnailing the whole dambed folder?? Thats the main reason I have been avoiding it so far.

Piece of shyte? Dambed?

Dear Sir/Madam/Other,

How did you manage to find The Internets? We were under the impression that our services were reasonably out of reach for the population you represent. Please step away from the computer and resume your life of blissful ignorance to the existence of social and educational standards. We hear there's a Sesame Street marathon on this weekend. Please avail yourself of the lessons therein.

Good day.

-The Internets

p.s. How did you manage to pass the verification math question?

Yes, Picasa can...

...act as your default photo program instead of using windows explorer. Regarding the indexing part, you can tell Picasa not to index your pictures and you wont have to worry about pictures being indexed.

-Gil

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