Advanced Drag & Drop: move and organize visually

Drag & drop in Polimake makes organizing your images as intuitive as moving files on your desktop. This feature lets you visually reorganize your library simply by dragging items to where you want them to be.

This guide will show you all the ways to use drag & drop in Polimake, from moving individual images to reorganizing entire folder structures.

What is drag & drop in Polimake?

Drag & drop lets you:

• Move images between folders by dragging them
• Reorganize folders by changing their location
• Upload files by dragging them from your computer
• Organize visually without needing menus or dialogs

It's the fastest and most intuitive way to keep your library organized.

Moving images between folders

Basic process

To move an image to another folder:

1. Click and hold on the image you want to move
2. Drag it over the destination folder
3. Drop it when the folder highlights or shows a visual indicator
4. Confirm if prompted

The image will move immediately to the new location.

Visual indicators

While dragging, you'll see:

• Destination highlight: The destination folder is highlighted when you can drop
• Changed cursor: The cursor indicates you're in drag mode
• Item preview: A thumbnail of the item you're moving
• Drop zone: Valid areas where you can drop are clearly shown

Moving multiple images

To move several images at once:

1. Select multiple images using multiple selection
2. Drag them all together as a group
3. Drop them on the destination folder
4. They'll all move simultaneously

Tip: Multiple selection makes reorganizing many images very efficient.

Moving folders

Reorganizing structure

You can move entire folders to reorganize your structure:

1. Click and drag the folder from the sidebar or the gallery
2. Move it over another folder or the project root
3. Drop it to move it

Behavior:

• Over another folder: The folder becomes a subfolder
• Over the root: The folder moves to the project's root level

Moving folders with content

When you move a folder:

• All the content (images and subfolders) moves with it
• The internal structure stays intact
• The breadcrumbs update automatically

Uploading files with drag & drop

From your computer

To upload images by dragging them:

1. Open the folder on your computer that contains the images
2. Select the images you want to upload
3. Drag them over the Polimake area
4. Drop them when you see the drop area highlighted
5. Wait for the upload to complete

Advantage: It's faster than using the upload button, especially when you already have the images open in your file explorer.

Preserving folder structure

When you drag a complete folder from your computer:

1. Select the complete folder in your file system
2. Drag it over Polimake
3. The structure is recreated automatically
4. The images are uploaded while keeping the organization

This is ideal for migrating organized libraries from your computer.

Visual feedback during drag & drop

Visual states

While dragging, the interface gives you clear feedback:

Item being dragged:

• A semi-transparent version is shown
• It follows your cursor
• It clearly indicates what you're moving

Valid drop zones:

• They highlight when you can drop
• They show a different border or background
• They indicate where the item will be placed

Invalid zones: "

• They don't highlight "
• The cursor may show a "not allowed" sign
• This prevents accidentally dropping in the wrong places

Drag overlay

During the drag you'll see:

• A semi-transparent overlay over the interface
• Valid drop areas clearly marked
• Contextual information about where the item will be placed

Common use cases

Reorganizing newly uploaded images

After uploading images:

1. Review the images in the location where they were uploaded
2. Drag them to the appropriate folders
3. Organize quickly without needing menus

Example: You upload 50 product images and then drag them into specific folders by category (Apparel, Accessories, Footwear).

Reorganizing project structure

When you need to change the organization:

1. Identify the folders you want to move
2. Drag them to their new location
3. Adjust the structure as the project evolves

Example: You have folders by month and decide to reorganize by content type. You drag the folders to create the new structure.

Cleaning up the project root

To organize images in the root:

1. Identify images that should be in folders
2. Drag them to the appropriate folders
3. Keep the root clean and organized

Best practices

Organize before moving

Before you start dragging:

• Plan where you want things to go
• Create the necessary folders first
• Group related items to move them together

Use multiple selection

To move many things:

• Select multiple items first
• Move them all together in a single operation
• Save time compared to moving them one by one

Verify before dropping

Before dropping:

• Confirm that the drop zone is the correct one
• Check the visual highlight
• Make sure it's where you want the item

Use breadcrumbs for navigation

While organizing:

• Use breadcrumbs to understand your location
• Navigate quickly to different levels
• Keep context of where you are in the structure

Limitations and considerations

It can't be easily undone

Once you move something:

• The action is immediate and permanent
• There's no easy "undo" (it may be available in future versions)
• Verify before dropping to avoid mistakes

Moving between projects

Currently:

• You can't move items between projects directly
• Solution: Download and re-upload, or contact support

Locked items

Some items may not be movable:

• System folders (if any exist)
• Items with restricted permissions
• Items in the process of analysis or processing

FAQ about drag & drop

Can I cancel a drag in progress?
Yes, simply drop outside any valid zone or press Escape to cancel.

What happens if I drop in the wrong place?
You can move the item again immediately. Just drag it to the correct location.

Can I move items while they're being processed?
It's best to wait until processing finishes before moving items to avoid problems.

Does drag & drop work on mobile?
On mobile devices, drag & drop may work in a limited way. Use the context menus as an alternative.

Can I move multiple folders at once?
Currently they're moved one at a time, but you can move the content of a folder by selecting multiple images within it.

Is metadata preserved when moving?
Yes, all metadata, tags, and AI analysis are preserved when you move images between folders.

Conclusion

Drag & drop makes organizing your library fast and intuitive. With practice, you'll reorganize large numbers of images in minutes, keeping your structure always up to date.

Once you master drag & drop, you can combine it with multiple selection to be even more efficient in your organization.

Next steps

1. Practice moving a few images between folders
2. Experiment with moving entire folders
3. Use multiple selection to move groups of images
4. Organize your library using drag & drop regularly
5. Combine with other techniques of organization for maximum efficiency

Visual organization has never been so easy!