Reading/Multimedia/Media Viewer



Here are our project hub for the Media Viewer, a new tool under development by the Wikimedia Foundation's new multimedia team. For a quick overview of this project, visit 'About Media Viewer'.

Media Viewer aims to improve the multimedia viewing experience on Wikipedia, Commons and MediaWiki sites, to display images in larger size and with less clutter. It is being developed by the Wikimedia Foundation's new multimedia team and now has a first beta version ready for testing, as part of our new Beta Features program.

You can now test beta version v0.2 of Media Viewer on all wikis worldwide. For example, check out this demo page on MediaWiki.org (be sure to enable Media Viewer first in your Beta preferences). This version is still in development, with [//bugzilla.wikimedia.org/buglist.cgi?resolution=---&component=MultimediaViewer many known bugs], and we invite community members to report any new issues, as described below.

After you've had a chance to test it as described below, we invite you to join this discussion. Hope to see you there!

Purpose
The purpose of this tool is to:
 * Provide a richer multimedia experience, to match user expectations
 * Display images in larger size, on the same page as the thumbnail you click on
 * Reduce confusion when users click on thumbnails (bypass duplicate file info page on Wikipedias)

It aims to serve all users of Wikipedia, Commons and other MediaWiki sites. Note that this media viewer now only supports still images, but we plan to support other file formats such as video, audio and slides in the next version.

Minimum Viable Product
Features for the minimum viable product include:
 * Show images in larger, media viewer panel when you click on them
 * Modal panel opens up as overlay (on same page where you clicked)
 * Large image appears without clutter, for a more immersive experience
 * Information about the image can be accessed easily
 * Images can be shown in full-screen mode
 * Images in a collection can be browsed easily

Workflow
The thumbnails to the right show the reader workflow we are looking to support:
 * Overview of reader workflows (shown above for reference)
 * Proposed workflow for viewing images with Media Viewer

Lightbox View




Media Viewer provides two different views of an image when you click on its thumbnail on an article page: Lightbox and Full-screen View. The 'Lightbox view' for this tool is described below.

Image
The image is shown in large size against a black background, as an overlay that fills up the entire browser page where you clicked on the thumbnail. This makes the image stand out more and removes some of the visual clutter typically found on a text-heavy page.

In the image view, the browser window will be obscured to hide its contents, but not the entire screen (unlike the Full-screen view where the entire screen will be darkened).

Tools
In this v0.2 release, these tools are provided:
 * Close button (goes back to article view)
 * Full screen button (expands into full-screen view)
 * Next and Previous arrows (to browse through related images)

In future releases, we are looking to provide more tools, such as 'Share this file' and feedback tools.

Primary Info
Here are the most important information fields that will be shown prominently near the image, as shown in the first version of this tool (see mockup):

Here is the information that is shown immediately below the image, in a small meta-data strip (see mockup):
 * Primary Info
 * File name (Zonotrichia atricapilla)
 * Author (e.g. Alejandro Erickson)
 * Source (e.g. Bird Institute)
 * License Info (e.g. CC-BY-SA-2.0) (or link to license info)
 * Chevron icon for opening the metadata panel to reveal more info (see below)

The first mockup to the right shows how this information would be presented to the user, to minimize clutter near the image, but still keep important metadata as prominent as possible. Please click on the specific features above to see the latest mockups and specifications.

Secondary Info
Here is the information that is shown below the fold, once you open the metadata panel (by clicking on the chevron or scrolling):
 * Description
 * Site name and link (e.g. 'Learn more on Wikimedia Commons')
 * Uploader name (e.g. Smallbones)
 * Creation Date (e.g. 12 April, 2012)
 * Location (e.g. place name and/or geotag coordinates, if any)
 * Categories (e.g. Birds of British Columbia, Zonotrichia atricapilla … more> )
 * File usage (e.g. 'This file is being used by 5 other pages. ')
 * Permissions (e.g. special credits or restrictions)
 * Assessment credit (e.g. '')
 * More meta-data may be added to this panel over time, as proposed below
 * File format / size (e.g. JPEG, 4928 x 3264 px (more), 3.8 Mb)
 * Tool used for upload (e.g. 'Via Flickr')

The second mockup to the right shows how this information would be presented to the user, to minimize clutter near the image, but still keep important metadata as prominent as possible. Please click on the specific features above to see the latest mockups and specifications.

Full-screen View
The 'full-screen view' for this tool will show a large image across the entire screen, with minimal information and buttons available on hover. This is the view that lets you focus exclusively on the image, with no other distractions.

Full image
When you click on the full screen icon, you see the largest version of the image that fits within the user's entire screen (not just the browser window).

Information
In this mode, you only see the controls, the file name and the author/source/license if you hover over the image.

If desired by users, it may be possible to include more information below the image, available by scrolling down.

Current Release
A first beta version v0.1 of Media Viewer was released in November 2013, as part of Beta Features (a new experimental program that will enable users to opt-in to test new beta features before they are released widely). It will remain in beta until we have completed work on remaining key features. We are now targeting the end of March 2014 for a wider release out of beta.

Media Viewer can now be tested in beta mode by logged-in users on most sites using the current MediaWiki software. You can enable this feature in your Beta preferences, such as this one on MediaWiki.org. See instructions below on how to test this software.

In the first release, the Media Viewer will only support the most widely used image file formats (e.g.: JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, SVG). In subsequent releases, we will gradually add support for other file formats (e.g.: PDF), as well as audio and video file formats.

How can I help?


Can you help us test Media Viewer in coming days? Version 0.2 of this beta feature is now available for testing by logged-in users on all wikis. For example, you can test it on this demo page on MediaWiki.org (don't forget to enable Media Viewer in your Beta Features preferences page).

If you're feeling adventurous, you can test the latest features before they are released, on this beta site, but performance will be much slower on that site (you will also need to create an account, then enable Media Viewer in your Beta preferences).

To test either version of Media Viewer, click on the small 'Beta' link next to 'Preferences' in your personal menu. Then check the box next to 'Media Viewer' in the Beta Features section of your user preferences — and click 'Save' (see screenshot). You can turn off any this option anytime, by reversing these steps.

Try out Media Viewer and let us know what you think on this discussion page. If you find any technical bugs, please [//bugzilla.wikimedia.org/enter_bug.cgi?product=MediaWiki%20extensions&component=MultimediaViewer report them here on Bugzilla].

Over 12,000 other beta testers have now enabled Media Viewer around the world. Here is an overview of the feedback they have kindly given us to help improve this tool. Many of these requests are now being implemented, as part of our current release plan.

Note: in this current release, the Media Viewer will only support the most widely used image file formats (e.g.: JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, SVG). In future releases, we plan to add support for more file formats, such as PDF, audio and video files. See the next section.

Next Version


The next version 0.3 of Media Viewer will focus on tools for using files, more file formats (e.g. slides, video, audio), as well as navigating through collections, enabling users to zoom on large images, as well as provide plug-ins so developers can add more features. For an overview of what we're working on, check our 2016 multimedia vision, as well as the current release plan.


 * 'Share this file' (formerly 'use this file')
 * Download this file
 * Embed this file
 * Show file collection panel
 * View files in slideshow mode
 * Show PDF slides
 * Play Video files
 * Play Audio files
 * Zoom on this file
 * Developer Plugins
 * Accessing Media Viewer on Commons
 * Bypassing Media Viewer
 * Mobile Version of Media Viewer

A consistent user interface will be provided for time-based and audio-video playback tools above (play/pause, rewind, volume, timeline). In future versions, we plan to provide more feedback tools below the image (e.g. thank, flag), as suggested by best practices from other media sites. We will also start working on mobile versions of the Media Viewer, in collaboration with the mobile team.

Desktop Mockups
Here are some preliminary mockups of designs we're exploring for desktop computers.

These mockups will be adjusted based on community feedback.

Mobile Mockups
Here are some preliminary mockups of designs we're exploring for mobile devices.

We will update mobile specifications on this Mingle card in coming weeks. This product will be considered for v0.3 but may not be included in this release, if not feasible. This new version v0.3 will not be available until March, but you can test version v0.2 right away, as described above. Enjoy!

Future releases
For future releases in 2014, we are considering these features:
 * Watchlist (add this file to your watchlist)
 * Thanks (send notification to uploader to show appreciation, through notifications)
 * Flag (reports this file as inappropriate on Commons)
 * Tag (tag this file with a new category, geolocation or intersecting tags)
 * Related files button (show thumbnails of files in same gallery/category)
 * Add Category button (for categorizing files in Media Viewer)
 * Discussion button? (goes to Commons talk page)
 * Edit button? (goes to Commons edit page)

These tools would help users take action on the media they are viewing. For example, a user might want to add a file to their watchlist, or thank the person who uploaded the file, flag a file as inappropriate, tag it with a new category, etc. These tools could be offered in a toolbar below the image, or further down in the metadata panel.

Feedback
Here is some of the feedback we have received about Media Viewer since its deployment in early November. We are already working on many of these recommendations (see Tasks below) and will regularly update this section.

Favorable Responses

 * Very clean and useful! (Kelvinsong)


 * [Glad you're working on] a better media viewer. (Amada44)


 * I is nice I can enlarge thumbnails wihtout having to go to another page. (Arcane21, Cornel24)


 * I like that I can see all the most relevant information about the image in 1 page only and the graphic display. (Daniele Pugliesi)

Recommendations for improvement

 * Performance
 * Really slow -- slower than loading the file page. (Mono, Arcane21, Ragesoss, Another Believer, Daniele Pugliesi, Cornel24, Holger1959)


 * Layout and size


 * Style and layout
 * The transparent background against the file information is distracting. I would prefer that the text have an opaque background -- preferably darker. (Ragesoss, Another Believer, equazcion, Daniele Pugliesi, Cornel24, Kelvinsong, Daniele Pugliesi) (-Gryllida)
 * 'Use This File' popup could be prettier. (Kelvinsong)
 * Smiley face in front of 'Uploaded by' is confusing, should use an arrow instead (Ainali, Daniele Pugliesi)
 * I expected the closing X on the top right position, not left (Barcex, Raymond, Gryllida)
 * Image size
 * Zooming would be useful. There is no obvious interface for getting to a larger version or the original media file. (FocalPoint, Daniele Pugliesi, Michael Z.)
 * Quicklinks to other image sizes are a must. (MarkJurgens, Daniele Pugliesi, Elitre)
 * I'd make the initial view/popup show a larger image size. (MarkJurgens, Daniele Pugliesi, Frank Schulenburg)
 * Make the size of the media viewer preview smaller, eg only 80% width & height, so the article is still clearly visible in the background. (File:Media_viewer_mockup_1_preview.png) (Gryllida)
 * The file information should be balanced centrally with the image, instead of jutting to the left. (Ragesoss)
 * Add more clearly visible link to file info — not the confusing 'license' word — at the preview bottom, explaining where it is ('bla bla its page at Commons'). (Gryllida)


 * Text, interface, content
 * Integrate 'Use this File' link -- to attribute files correctly, with a quick summary of author, source and license. (Amada44, Elitre, Church of emacs, Rsocol)
 * "Use this file" menu should have the option to "copy to clipboard" to be used together with the VisualEditor. (Micru)
 * Add left and right arrows to navigate to other media in the article. (Micru, Daniele Pugliesi) ("Please remove this, I never know what it does, it is confusing." -Gryllida)
 * It could be nice to see a slideshow of the images in the same Commons category or in the same Wikipedia page. (Daniele Pugliesi) ("Please remove this, I never know what it does, it is confusing." -Gryllida)
 * 'Created by' date above the uploader name is confusing for old images (Ainali)


 * Interacting
 * Clicking outside of the modal should close it. (Theopolisme, JamesA, Ainali, Daniele Pugliesi, Gryllida)


 * Bugs
 * The date given is wrong. I don't know from where the media viewer could have taken this information. (Holger1959)
 * This viewers says that the date is "Invalid" -- but all my pictures have correct dates and times in the information template. (Barcex, Julian Herzog)
 * Each field has its own issues mostly due large variety of Commons:Infoboxes and how they are used. Here are detailed recommendations for each (Jarekt, Elitre)
 * Support for multiple page documents (Djvu, PDF, PPT, etc). (Micru, Gryllida)


 * Simply adjust the settings in preferences (appearance / file) for quick viewing … for a result better and faster than what is proposed by this beta. (Archaeodontosaurus)

Discussion Links for Media Viewer
Talk:About Beta Features
 * About Beta Features

Talk:Multimedia/About Media Viewer
 * About Media Viewer

commons:Commons:Village pump/Archive/2013/11
 * Commons Village Pump:

m:Meta:Babel
 * Meta Babel:

w:Wikipedia:Village pump (technical)/Archive 120
 * English Wikipedia

Tasks
Here are some of the development tasks we are working on for the current release of the Media Viewer. They are listed in order of priority. We expect that not all of these tasks will be included in the first release, though we plan to keep adding more features in subsequent releases.

As a user, I want to see images faster when I click on thumbnails, so I don't have to wait so long. One possible solution might be to use a background script to 'pre-render' many different thumbnail sizes for all images on Commons -- so that we can immediately load the thumbnail size that's the closest to the user's screen size for faster display. We are also working on other ways to pre-load images in advance, and create more thumbnail sizes to match a variety of screen sizes. This is not a trivial task, which needs to be solved before we can move Media Viewer out of Beta in coming months. (See Mingle ticket #62 and ).
 * Display Images Faster

As a manager or community member, I can view a metrics dashboard of usage data for the Media Viewer, so that I can learn how it is being used. (See Mingle ticket #54).
 * Show Metrics Dashboard

More tasks may be added here, as needed -- as well as on our Multimedia team's Mingle project management site.

Code
Our work in progress can be viewed on this beta site, where new features are rolled out all the time (you'll need to create a test account to log-in and use the Beta Features preference, as described in the 'How can I help' section above.)

The code for Media Viewer is made possible by two separate extensions:
 * Multimedia Viewer Extension - the front-end extension that displays media files and information
 * Commons Meta Data - the back-end API that serves information to the Media Viewer

More Info
For a shorter description of this tool, visit this project overview page.

This feature was designed in collaboration with community members like you, through a series of discussions held over video roundtable #2, IRC, the in person at Wikimania, as well as video roundtable #4 and video roundtable #5.

Media Viewer was brought to you by many Wikimedia Foundation team members, including: Fabrice Florin, Gilles Dubuc, Mark Holmquist, Gergő Tisza, Pau Giner, Jared Zimmerman, May Galloway, Brian Wolff, Bryan Davis, Keegan Peterzell, Rob Lanphier, Erik Moeller, Howie Fung and Tomasz Finc, to name but a few.

To learn more about other multimedia projects we're working on, visit this Multimedia project hub.