Display thumbnails on Home Screen

Oct 13, 2025 by magicalceylontours.com 147 views

Introduction

In this article, we will explore the process of adding device's photos thumbnails to the Android Home Screen. This feature is essential for users who want to access their photos quickly and easily. We will discuss the user story, acceptance criteria, and the implementation details of this feature.

User Story

As a user, when I open the PhotoPixels's Home screen, I want to see thumbnails of the photos from the Backend and local photos.

Acceptance Criteria

Fetch device's photos thumbnails and show it to Home Screen

The primary goal of this feature is to fetch the device's photos thumbnails and display them on the Home Screen. This involves retrieving the photos from both the Backend and the local device.

If no photos are available in PhotoPixels BE and Local device show message “No media on.”

If there are no photos available in the PhotoPixels Backend and the local device, the Home Screen should display a message indicating that there is no media available.

Current Implementation

Currently, the Home screen shows only thumbnails fetched from the Backend. This means that users can only view photos that are stored in the Backend, and not the local device.

TBD: Should we show same photos, for example if photo is available in the device and BE?

This is a topic for discussion. Should we display the same photos if they are available in both the device and the Backend? This would provide users with a more comprehensive view of their photos, but it also raises questions about data consistency and storage.

Implementation Details

To implement this feature, we will need to make the following changes:

1. Fetch device's photos thumbnails from Backend

We will need to modify the Backend to fetch the device's photos thumbnails and return them to the Android app.

2. Fetch device's photos thumbnails from local device

We will need to modify the Android app to fetch the device's photos thumbnails from the local device.

3. Display thumbnails on Home Screen

We will need to modify the Home Screen to display the thumbnails fetched from both the Backend and the local device.

4. Handle no media available scenario

We will need to modify the Home Screen to display a message indicating that there is no media available if there are no photos available in the PhotoPixels Backend and the local device.

Code Implementation

Here is an example of how the code implementation might look:

Android App

// Fetch device's photos thumbnails from Backend
public void fetchBackendThumbnails() {
    // Make API call to Backend to fetch thumbnails
    BackendApi backendApi = new BackendApi();
    List<Thumbnail> thumbnails = backendApi.getThumbnails();
    // Display thumbnails on Home Screen
    displayThumbnails(thumbnails);
}

// Fetch device's photos thumbnails from local device
public void fetchLocalThumbnails() {
    // Get local device's photos
    List<Photo> photos = getLocalPhotos();
    // Create thumbnails from local photos
    List<Thumbnail> thumbnails = createThumbnails(photos);
    // Display thumbnails on Home Screen
    displayThumbnails(thumbnails);
}

// Display thumbnails on Home Screen
public void displayThumbnails(List<Thumbnail> thumbnails) {
    // Create adapter to display thumbnails
    ThumbnailAdapter adapter = new ThumbnailAdapter(thumbnails);
    // Set adapter to Home Screen
    homeScreen.setAdapter(adapter);
}

// Handle no media available scenario
public void handleNoMediaAvailable() {
    // Display message on Home Screen
    homeScreen.setMessage("No media available.");
}

Backend

// Fetch device's photos thumbnails
public List<Thumbnail> getThumbnails() {
    // Make API call to fetch thumbnails
    List<Thumbnail> thumbnails = fetchThumbnailsFromDatabase();
    return thumbnails;
}

// Fetch thumbnails from database
public List<Thumbnail> fetchThumbnailsFromDatabase() {
    // Query database to fetch thumbnails
    List<Thumbnail> thumbnails = queryDatabase();
    return thumbnails;
}

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed the process of adding device's photos thumbnails to the Android Home Screen. We have covered the user story, acceptance criteria, and implementation details of this feature. We have also provided an example of how the code implementation might look. This feature is essential for users who want to access their photos quickly and easily, and it provides a more comprehensive view of their photos.

Future Work

In the future, we can improve this feature by:

Displaying the same photos if they are available in both the device and the Backend
Handling data consistency and storage issues
Providing a more user-friendly interface for displaying thumbnails

Introduction

In our previous article, we discussed the process of adding device's photos thumbnails to the Android Home Screen. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about this feature.

Q: What are the benefits of displaying device photos thumbnails on the Android Home Screen?

A: The benefits of displaying device photos thumbnails on the Android Home Screen include:

Easy access to photos: Users can quickly and easily access their photos from the Home Screen.
Improved user experience: Displaying thumbnails on the Home Screen provides a more comprehensive view of the user's photos.
Increased productivity: Users can quickly find and access the photos they need, without having to navigate through multiple screens.

Q: How do I implement this feature in my Android app?

A: To implement this feature in your Android app, you will need to:

Fetch device's photos thumbnails from Backend: Make an API call to the Backend to fetch the thumbnails.
Fetch device's photos thumbnails from local device: Get the local device's photos and create thumbnails from them.
Display thumbnails on Home Screen: Create an adapter to display the thumbnails and set it to the Home Screen.
Handle no media available scenario: Display a message on the Home Screen if there are no photos available.

Q: What are the technical requirements for implementing this feature?

A: The technical requirements for implementing this feature include:

Android SDK: You will need to use the Android SDK to develop the app.
Backend API: You will need to make an API call to the Backend to fetch the thumbnails.
Database: You will need to query the database to fetch the thumbnails.
Thumbnail creation: You will need to create thumbnails from the photos.

Q: How do I handle data consistency and storage issues?

A: To handle data consistency and storage issues, you can:

Use a consistent data model: Use a consistent data model to store the photos and thumbnails.
Implement data caching: Implement data caching to reduce the number of API calls and improve performance.
Use a reliable storage solution: Use a reliable storage solution to store the photos and thumbnails.

Q: Can I display the same photos if they are available in both the device and the Backend?

A: Yes, you can display the same photos if they are available in both the device and the Backend. This can be achieved by:

Comparing the photos: Compare the photos from the device and the Backend to determine which ones are the same.
Displaying the same photos: Display the same photos on the Home Screen.

Q: What are the security considerations for implementing this feature?

A: The security considerations for implementing this feature include:

Data encryption: Encrypt the data to prevent unauthorized access.
Authentication: Implement authentication to ensure that only authorized users can access the photos.
Authorization: Implement authorization to ensure that users can only access the photos they are authorized to view.

Conclusion

In this article, we have answered some frequently asked questions about displaying device photos thumbnails on the Android Home Screen. We have discussed the benefits, implementation details, technical requirements, and security considerations for this feature. By implementing this feature, you can provide users with a more comprehensive view of their photos and make it easier for them to access their photos quickly and easily.