View source for SoC 2008/PanoramaViewing

= Google Summer of Code 2008 =
== QuickTime VR (panorama) Viewing ==
Also on this wiki: [[SoC_2008#QuickTimeVR_Playing]]
=== My Commitment ===
I'm committed to work at least 40 hours per week for 3 months on this project except for the first week in April when I will be busy with final exams.

=== Plan ===
This plan is based on the dates in the [http://code.google.com/opensource/gsoc/2008/faqs.html#0.1_timeline GSoC 2008 timeline]
* '''March 31'''
* figure out what needs to be done
** how to modify VLC to detect QTVRs
** what needs to change in VLC to display QTVRs
** figure out how to write codecs for VLC
*** [[User:dionoea]] mentioned that image handling modifications are required
* get an understanding of the QTVR format (possible start: http://developer.apple.com/documentation/QuickTime/InsideQT_QTVR/6Chap/chapter_6_section_1.html and the [http://freepv.sourceforge.net/ FreePV] code)
* see how much of the FreePV code can be used
* make a list of QTVR functionality in the order of importance to organize the implementation steps
* think about turning FreePV into a library that can be used in VLC
* by now I should have a good idea of how things fit together
* write a bare-minimum OpenGL QTVR viewer for VLC
* '''July 14'''
* do some testing
* get feedback
* keep extending the basic functionality until time runs out
* '''August 18'''

=== What to do about plain image (JPG, PNG) panoramas? ===
* can't really detect that an image is a panorama without any hints
** command line: let the user specify what type of panorama the supplied image(s) is(are) using a --panorama={equirectangular,cylindrical,littleplanet,...} switch
** GUI a special open dialog for loading panoramas - the user specifies what type of panorama is expected using a drop down box