Getting Started with PhotoGlobe Sorter - From Photo to Story

🚀 Step 1: Open PhotoGlobe Sorter

The first step is the easiest: launching the software on your computer. PhotoGlobe Sorter was designed with a clean, intuitive interface so you're never lost, even on your first use.

How to Launch the Software

• On Windows: Double-click the "PhotoGlobe Sorter" icon on your desktop, or search for "PhotoGlobe" in the Start Menu.

The Home Screen

Once open, PhotoGlobe Sorter displays its main window. You'll immediately notice the interface is intentionally clean and minimalist:

• A large central space with a welcome message
• A single, highly visible main button: "Create a new collection" or "Select a folder"
• A top menu bar with essential options (File, Settings, Help)
• A license badge indicating your status (FREE, TRIAL, PRO)

This simplicity is intentional: PhotoGlobe Sorter naturally guides you toward the most important action → starting an analysis.

📁 Step 2: Choose Your Memory Folder

Now that PhotoGlobe Sorter is open, it's time to tell it which photo folder you want to analyze. This is a crucial but very simple step.

Selection Process

1. Click the main button

   On the home screen, click the large "Create a new collection" button. This button is impossible to miss, holding a central position in the interface.

2. The file explorer opens

   Your operating system's native file explorer (Windows Explorer) will automatically appear. This is the interface you already know for navigating your files.

3. Navigate to your photos

   Browse your computer to find the folder containing the photos you want to analyze. Typical folder examples:

   • "US_Roadtrip_2024" on your hard drive
   • "Family_Photos" in your Documents
   • "NYC_Trip" on an external drive
   • "Beach_2023" in a shared folder
4. Select the entire folder

   Click once on the folder to select it (it will be highlighted in blue or gray depending on your system), then click the "Select" or "Open" button in the explorer.

What File Types Are Supported?

PhotoGlobe Sorter automatically analyzes all common photo and video formats found in the selected folder:

How Many Photos Can I Analyze?

PhotoGlobe Sorter can handle collections of all sizes:

• Small collection (10-100 photos): Perfect for starting out and testing, analyzes in a few minutes.
• Medium collection (100-1,000 photos): Typical use for a trip or event, analyzes in 1 to 18 minutes.
• Large collection (1,000-10,000 photos): Full family library, analysis in 30 to 40 minutes.
• Very large collection (10,000+ photos): Professional archives, analysis is possible but may take 4.5 to 5 hours or more.

For your first steps, we recommend starting with a folder of 100-500 photos to get fast, meaningful results.

🔍 Step 3: Launch the Intelligent Radar

Once your folder is selected, PhotoGlobe Sorter displays a summary of what will be analyzed (number of files detected, total size). Now it's time to launch the magic!

Start the Analysis

Click the "Start Analysis" or "Analyze Now" button. This button is generally displayed large and in a bright color to be unmissable.

What Happens During the Analysis?

The PhotoGlobe Sorter intelligent radar kicks into action. Here's what happens behind the scenes:

1. File Scanning: The software reads all photo and video files in the selected folder.
2. Metadata Extraction: For each file, PhotoGlobe reads the 127 available EXIF metadata fields (date, time, GPS location, camera, settings, etc.).
3. Reverse Geocoding: GPS coordinates are converted into readable place names (country, state, city).
4. Data Normalization: Information is cleaned and standardized for better organization.
5. Database Indexing: All information is indexed for rapid access.

Interface During Analysis

While the radar is working, the interface displays several visual elements to keep you informed:

• Radar animation: An animated circle symbolizing the scan in progress.
• Progress bar: Percentage of analysis completion (0% to 100%).
• Photo counter: "Analyzed 247 / 1,000 photos" in real-time.
• Processing speed: "~120 photos/second" depending on your computer's performance.
• Estimated time remaining: "About 2 minutes remaining".

The 127 Analyzed Metadata Fields

PhotoGlobe Sorter can read 127 different types of metadata. Here are the most important:

How Long Does It Take to Sort Your Photos?

PhotoGlobe Sorter deeply analyzes your EXIF metadata to ensure perfect organization. Discover realistic processing times and how to optimize your automatic sorting.

Processing Times - Standard Configuration

The software efficiently uses your computer's resources without slowing it down. You can even continue working on other tasks during the analysis.

🎯 Step 4: Discover the Analysis Results

When the analysis is complete, PhotoGlobe Sorter automatically switches to the results screen. This is your first overview of your photo collection, transformed into an intelligent database.

What Does the Results Screen Contain?

The post-analysis interface presents several informative sections:

1. Global Statistics

   At the top of the screen, a numerical summary of your collection:

   • Total number of photos analyzed (e.g., "847 photos")
   • Number of files with GPS (e.g., "623 geolocated")
   • Time range (e.g., "From January 2020 to December 2024")
   • Number of unique locations (e.g., "15 countries, 42 cities")
   • Number of devices detected (e.g., "3 different cameras")
2. Mini-Map

   If your photos contain GPS data, an interactive map displays, showing the points where your photos were taken. You can:

   • Zoom in and out to see details
   • Hover over points to see the number of photos per location
   • Click on a point to see the associated photos
3. Timeline View

   A chronological chart showing the distribution of your photos over time (by year, month, or day depending on the range).

4. Extracted Metadata List

   An organized preview of the main information found:

   • Countries: USA (324), Italy (187), Spain (145)...
   • Cities: New York (156), Rome (98), Barcelona (87)...
   • Years: 2024 (421), 2023 (312), 2022 (114)...
   • Devices: iPhone 15 Pro (456), Canon EOS R5 (287), Sony A7 III (104)...

Interpreting the Results

This results screen is the raw material that will be used to build your organization. Take a few moments to:

• Explore the statistics: Discover the richness of your collection.
• Check the locations: Are the country and city names correct?
• Observe the timeline: Which periods are richest in photos?
• Identify the devices: What are your main photography tools?

Photos Without Metadata

It's possible that some photos may not contain all metadata. The results screen will inform you:

• "224 photos without GPS" → These photos have no geographic coordinates.
• "12 photos without date" → These photos have no recorded capture date.
• "45 screenshots detected" → Images without classic photo metadata.

This is not a problem! PhotoGlobe Sorter can still organize these photos by creating a special "Without Metadata" category or by using available criteria (file size, name, etc.).

Options Available at This Stage

From the results screen, several actions are possible:

• Proceed to organization: The main button to create your folder structure.
• Export results: Save the statistics as a CSV or PDF file.
• Refine analysis: Exclude certain folders or file types and re-run.
• Go back: Select another folder for a new analysis.

📋 Summary: Your Successful First Steps

Congratulations! You have just completed your first steps with PhotoGlobe Sorter. Let's recap what you've accomplished:

You have transformed a simple photo folder into an intelligent database, ready for organization. This is a major step!

Ready for What's Next?

Now that your photos are analyzed, the fun part begins: creating your custom organization with the intuitive drag-and-drop system. You'll discover how to build complex folder structures in just a few clicks.