How about -

• Each time you visit a particular web page, you get to see a randomly selected picture from your archive.
• You install a web page as an active desktop item, and each logon or desktop refresh, you get to enjoy one of these pictures.
• You sync your handheld, and the background changes to another of your images
• While you're enjoying the random picture of the moment, you notice red-eye, or one is turned 90°, or another is just too fuzzy to keep. You don't have time to fix it now, but you'd like to tag it for later.
• You see a picture, and want to watch a slideshow of pictures among the others you took

These are just a few of the scenarios I've put into action with this script.

Interested?

If you're interested in this as a solution to a problem you have, here's how to install it. First, the disclaimer -

You are on your own. If you don't know what you're doing, it is indeed possible to overwrite files and generally mess up your computer.

Prerequisites

• Installed and operational web server
• Perl installed and configured to serve CGIs from your web
• Image::Size module in Perl

Download the Perl Script and the sample configuration file

RandomPix.zip

Containing:
RandomPix.pl

Configure the Script

The Script has a number of configuration options. Each should be reasonably self-explanatory, and they are at the top of the file. Perl scripts are delivered in source format, so you can just edit it with Notepad.

There are options to tell it where on your hard drive it can maintain the list of pictures, and the list of pictures to fix. There are options to tell it where in your web server the pictures appear, and how to map that location to your hard drive. There are options to set the default size. It will try to fill your request while maintaining the aspect ratio of the picture. You can also set the background color, which is most suitable if you add this to your active desktop and what to match that color.

And, there is a way to link to a companion program - SlideShow. When that random picture comes up and you want to see more of that set of images, you can open your browser in the SlideShow mode.

License Agreement

This program is Webware. You may install it, test it for a reasonable period of time, and even modify it, but if you elect to keep it in use, whether in original form or in a modified form, you are then obligated to pay on a scale based on the value you receive from it. You are not allowed to redistribute any modified copy.

As with other license agreement, this program is supplied as is, and is not guaranteed free from defects. You assume all risk for problems you may incur as a result of the use of this program.