[Feature] Optional search by person and context in the asset selection view

[EinNiki]

I have searched the existing feature requests, both open and closed, to make sure this is not a duplicate request.

• Yes

The feature

The feature I would like to request

When selecting photos or videos in the asset selection view, I would like to have a search available directly in that view. It should allow filtering by:

People (recognized faces)
Context (smart search / CLIP, e.g. "beach", "birthday", "dog")

This would let me quickly find the relevant assets while selecting them, instead of scrolling through the whole timeline or leaving the selection view to search first and then starting over.

The feature should be optional. For example:

A toggle in the user settings (e.g. "Show search in asset selection view"), and/or
An admin setting on the server level to enable or disable it, since face recognition and smart search can be disabled by the admin or may not be wanted by everyone.

If face recognition or smart search is disabled on the server, the corresponding filter should simply not be shown.

Why this is useful

Faster and more convenient selection of assets
Fewer steps: no need to leave the selection view to search and re-select
Makes use of existing features (people and smart search) in a place where they are currently missing
Users who prefer the current, simpler UI are not affected, because the feature can be turned off

Possible behavior

User opens the asset selection view
A search bar is shown at the top (if enabled)
User can filter by a person and/or enter a context query
Selected assets stay selected when the search or filter changes
User confirms the selection and continues as usual

Platform

• Server
• Web
• Mobile

[bo0tzz]

It's not really clear to me what you're asking for. Is this a duplicate of #3477?

[EinNiki]

Hi, thanks for the feedback! I don't think it's a duplicate of #3477. That one is about a general filter panel on the timeline/home view.

What I mean is more specific: when you share with third parties (shared links or shared albums), the asset selection view has no search or filter at all. With a big library you have to scroll through everything.

I'd like a search bar there to filter by person and by context (smart search, e.g. "beach"), with selected assets staying selected while changing the search. It should be optional, so nobody who likes the current UI is affected.

A timeline filter wouldn't help here, since the filtering is needed while picking assets to share, not on the home view. Both could maybe reuse the same filter components later.

[bo0tzz]

That seems very specific, I don't see us adding that. You could just use the normal search to find everything you're looking for, right?

[EinNiki]

Thanks for the reply! The normal search doesn't really help in this case, because it's about what the people I share with can do, not about my own library.
For example: I share an album or link with friends after a trip, and it contains around 200 photos and videos. The people I shared it with can only scroll through everything to find the pictures they want, for example the ones with them in them or "the beach photos". They can't use my normal search, since they only have access to the shared content.
So the idea is a search/filter inside the shared album or shared link (by person and by context), so recipients can find the right pictures faster. It would be optional, so you could turn it off for shares where you don't want it.
I understand it might seem niche, but sharing larger sets of photos with friends and family is a very common use case, and the more photos are in a share, the more useful this becomes.