User provided files
User-provided files are files used by BPP to give BPP additional information; these contrast with BPP-provided files that come with the BPP distribution.
The table below lists each user-provided file able to be utilizied by BPP, linked to the detailed information in the alphabetical file list that follows.
| Comment Files | ||
|---|---|---|
| comments.properties | filename.txt | meta.properties |
| Header/Footer Files | ||
| header.inc | footer.inc | meta.properties |
| Image/Audio/Movie Files | ||
| filename.extension | ||
| Miscellaneous Files | ||
| albumfiles.txt | variables.properties | |
| File name: | albumfiles.txt |  |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose: | Specifies which images to include/exclude from album generation | |
| Notes: | albumfiles.txt is a JAlbum file, not one specific to BPP. See this FAQ for more information. | |
| File name: | comments.properties | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose: | Holds comments for multiple slide image pages | |
| Notes: | There are many ways of implementing comments for slide image pages. A more detailed explanation of the use comments.properties is here. | |
| File name: | filename.extension (files other than those specifically described on this page) | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose: | A user-provided file for images, audio clips, or movie (video) clips | |
| Notes: |
JAlbum treats most files in an folder as “images”, whether or not the file is really an image file. There are exceptions, such as ‘header.inc’, ‘footer.inc’, files ending in ‘.txt’, files ending in ‘.properties’, and probably others (there is no complete list I am aware of). However, at this point JAlbum only properly processes jpg image files (it will pass on other types to the generate album, but will not handle scaling, etc.). If JAlbum treats a file as an image file, JAlbum will make a thumbnail for an index page and will create a slide image page. This is undesirable, unless the file is indeed an image file (including a movie file). By default, JAlbum ignores files whose names begin with or ‘.’ (dot, or period). This can be used to advantage; files that are ignored by JAlbum are nevertheless copied to the album output folder, and hence can be used by skins. BPP can “process” audio files by playing the file in the backround (audio). Audio files should begin with ‘_’ to avoid being treated as “images”. The meta.properties file is used to tell BPP where to find audio files. A full explanation of how to handle audio and movie files can be found here. Examples:
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|
| File name: | filename.txt | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose: | Holds comments for a single slide image page | |
| Notes: | There are many ways of implementing comments for slide image pages. This method requires a separate file for each image in a folder, leading to folder clutter. But, it is easy to see at a glance which image files have comments associated with them. | |
| File name: | footer.inc | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose: | Holds footer text for a folder index page and all slide image pages within that folder | |
| Notes: | More information is here | |
| File name: | header.inc | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose: | Holds header text for a folder index page | |
| Notes: | More information is here | |
| File name: | meta.properties | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose: | Used to provide many different kinds of information on generated albums | |
| Notes: | Support for meta.properties files is one of BPP’s greatest strength; it is also one of it’s more complex features. Details (along with a complete example) are here. | |
| Variable name: | variables.properties | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose: | Specifies custom values for user variables that apply to a single subfolder | |
| Notes: | Through the use of variables.properties files it is possible for subalbums to have a different look and feel than parent albums. A full explanation is here. | |