Sorting Photos
Beta Status
Phosor is currently in an Internal Beta stage. Features may change before the public release. Performance may occasionally be inconsistent depending on hardware, image formats, and library size. Unexpected bugs may still occur. Feedback from beta testers is highly appreciated.
Sorting is the core activity in Phosor. You assign photos to categories using keyboard shortcuts, then execute a batch move to distribute them into destination folders. This page covers the two sorting modes, undo/redo, and the clear flag action.
Sorting Modes
Phosor supports two sorting modes:
| Mode | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Single Mode (default) | Press a category key to assign the current photo and advance | Careful, deliberate sorting |
| Continue Mode | Hold a category key to repeatedly assign photos at a configurable interval | Rapidly flagging sequences of similar photos |
For a deep dive on each mode, see Burst Mode and Continue Mode.
Single Mode
In Single Mode (the default), pressing a category key:
- Assigns the current photo to that category.
- Automatically advances to the next photo.
Duplicate sort detection
If you press a category key for a photo that's already assigned to that category, Phosor simply advances to the next photo without re-assigning. This prevents duplicate history entries and speeds up navigation.
Continue Mode (Burst)
Continue Mode enables rapid, repeated sorting while a key is held.
Enabling Continue Mode
- Press ⌘B (macOS) or Ctrl+B (Windows/Linux) to toggle Continue Mode.
- The footer button label changes to "Continue" and a burst interval input appears.
Using Continue Mode
- Press and hold a category key to repeatedly assign photos at the configured interval (default 200ms).
- Release the key to stop the burst.
Shift Burst (Temporary)
Hold Shift + a category key for temporary burst sorting without enabling Continue Mode. Release Shift to stop.
Scrubbable burst interval
The burst interval input field in the footer is scrubbable — click and drag horizontally to adjust the value. This is faster than typing or using arrow keys.
Burst Interval
- Range: 50–5000ms
- Step: 10ms
- Adjust by: Typing a value, dragging the input field, or using arrow keys.
Clear Flag
To remove a photo's category assignment:
| Platform | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| macOS | ⌘ D or ⌘ ⌫ (Backspace) |
| Windows/Linux | Ctrl + D or Ctrl + Backspace |
Undo / Redo
Phosor provides a full undo/redo system for all sorting actions, allowing you to correct mistakes without re-sorting.
Shortcuts
| Action | macOS | Windows/Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Undo | ⌘ Z | Ctrl + Z |
| Redo | ⌘ ⇧ Z | Ctrl + Y |
How It Works
- Undo navigates back to the affected photo and restores its previous category assignment.
- Redo re-applies the undone assignment and navigates to the affected photo.
- Up to 100 levels of undo are supported.
What gets recorded?
Only sorting actions (assign and clear flag) are recorded in the undo history. Navigation is not.
Behavior During Execute
Undo and redo are blocked during the Execute (move) operation to prevent state corruption. See Recommended Workflow for details on the Execute step.
History Clearing
The undo history is cleared when a new folder is opened.
No visual history list
There is currently no visual undo/redo history list. After 100 undo entries, the oldest entry is discarded.
Current Limitations
- Burst mode does not pause when reaching the last photo — it wraps around.
- There is no visual indicator for which key is currently in burst mode beyond the toast notification.
- Burst mode is automatically disabled if the assigned category is deleted.
- Only sorting actions are recorded — navigation is not.
- The history limit is 100 entries; older actions are discarded.