Documentation
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A searchable, cross-linked guide to the current FenSight feature set, organized by how you work: import, arrange, search, clean up, export, and visualize.
Topics
46
Structure
Wiki
Advanced tier
Studio
Getting started
The first pass through FenSight: import, arrange, save, and learn the workspace.
01
Quick start
Build your first board in a few minutes.
Open FenSight, drag in files or folders, apply a layout preset, then save the board as a .fns file. The core loop is intentionally simple: collect assets, arrange them visually, then keep the board as a reusable workspace.
02
Interface overview
Canvas, docks, menus, and overlays.
The canvas is the main workspace for arranging images, videos, documents, and references. Docks sit around the canvas for properties, tags, organization, chat, folders, duplicate review, export, and settings-driven tools.
03
Keyboard shortcuts
Move around the board without breaking flow.
FenSight supports keyboard and pointer shortcuts for navigation, selection, layout refresh, undo, redo, and board inspection. Open Help -> Keyboard Shortcuts for the in-app list.
04
Settings and backups
Keep preferences portable and recoverable.
Settings store your rendering choices, dock layout, AI provider configuration, indexed folders, and workflow preferences. The settings backup tools make it easier to move or recover a working setup.
Canvas and boards
Everything that lives directly on the board: imports, navigation, files, and saved state.
01
Importing media and folders
Bring files, folders, and large libraries onto the canvas.
FenSight accepts drag-and-drop imports from Explorer, folder imports, watched roots, and direct folder browsing. Large imports use a staged pipeline so the board stays responsive while thumbnails and metadata fill in.
02
Supported formats and thumbnails
Images, videos, RAW files, documents, and shell thumbnails.
FenSight supports common creative formats, many camera RAW formats, videos, image sequences, PowerPoint files, PDFs, Cinema 4D projects, and optional any-file imports through Windows shell thumbnails.
03
Image sequences
Treat numbered frames as one board item.
Numbered files such as render_0001.png, render_0002.png, and render_0003.png can be grouped into a single sequence item. This keeps animation frames, render passes, and burst sets manageable.
04
Video playback and thumbnails
Review video files directly on the board.
Video items display thumbnails, duration metadata, and a play badge. Double-click a video to play it inline without leaving the visual workspace.
05
PowerPoint and document imports
Bring deck and document assets into the board.
PowerPoint files can be split into individual slide previews for visual review. Document and project files can appear with thumbnails and metadata so they can live alongside images and videos.
06
Board files
Save and reopen full visual workspaces.
.fns board files preserve the working state of a canvas so you can reopen a reference board, production board, or review board without rebuilding it from scratch.
07
Selection and navigation
Work quickly on dense boards.
Selection tools are built for large visual collections. You can marquee-select, add or subtract individual items, nudge by keyboard, and navigate without switching modes.
08
Labels, shapes, and connectors
Annotate boards without leaving FenSight.
Labels, shapes, and connectors turn the board into more than a file viewer. Use them to mark groups, explain relationships, sketch review notes, or build a visual map around your assets.
Layouts and grouping
Preset layouts, custom clusters, metadata grouping, and performance tools.
01
Built-in Layouts
Every one-click arrangement in the layout dropdown.
The layout dropdown ships 27 ready-made catalog arrangements: spatial presets, path-routed layouts, one-click cluster modes, group-by-dimension modes, and AI visual similarity. Free tier includes Radial Tight, Edge-Biased, Masonry Rows, and Masonry Columns, plus the Cluster: Created Date mode; the rest of the catalog is Pro. Pathing + Vertical Masonry is a separate non-premium built-in custom preset.
02
Clustering Dimensions
Every heuristic FenSight can group by, and how each is computed.
Clustering groups items into labeled buckets by a chosen dimension. The same dimensions power the one-click Cluster modes and the Custom Cluster Layout dialog. This is the full reference for what each groups by and how it is derived.
03
Cluster Shapes
How clusters and their contents are packed: Group Shape vs Shape.
Every cluster layout composes two shapes: the Group Shape (how clusters are placed relative to each other) and the Shape (how items pack inside a cluster). Both choose from the same five shapes, with independent spacing and ordering.
04
Custom Cluster Layout
Compose Group Shape + Shape + heuristic into a saved preset.
The Custom Cluster Layout dialog builds a repeatable grouping recipe: one Group Shape, one Shape, one Clustering Heuristic, plus order, neutral threshold, name, and label colors. Saved presets persist through app settings and appear in the layout dropdown.
05
Pathing Layouts
Route items into lanes by Path ID.
Pathing layouts arrange items into per-destination lanes driven by Path IDs, so a routing plan is visible on the board. Built-in Pathing + Masonry Rows/Columns plus the built-in Pathing + Vertical Masonry preset.
06
Cluster Labels and Backgrounds
Readable group headers and frame shapes.
Cluster layouts draw a label per group and can frame each group with a background shape. Labels are resizable on the canvas and persist in board files, with global or per-preset colors.
07
Rendering and Performance
Keep thousand-item boards responsive.
FenSight is built for boards with hundreds to thousands of items. Level-of-detail streaming, decode throttling, a surface-only render path, and the performance HUD keep navigation smooth while a board fills in.
Search and AI
Semantic search, enrichment, local AI, and chat-driven board commands.
01
AI semantic search
Search by concept, not filename.
AI semantic search lets you type what you remember or what you are looking for, then find matching images by meaning. It is optional and can run locally where supported.
02
AI enrichment
Generate captions, tags, and embeddings for your assets.
AI enrichment prepares items for semantic search and visual similarity workflows. Enrichment can generate richer captions, useful tags, and embeddings from selected items or larger sets.
03
Local AI setup
Keep AI work on-device where possible.
FenSight can recommend an on-device AI setup for search and enrichment. Local AI keeps files on your machine and avoids API costs where hardware and model support are available.
04
AI chat dock
Use natural language against the current board.
The Chat dock can receive board context such as item counts, tags, layout, selected items, and optional previews. It is meant for board-aware assistance, not a generic cloud workspace.
05
Slash commands
Run common board operations from chat.
Slash commands are concise board instructions that the Chat dock can execute. They are useful when a natural language exchange resolves into a specific selection, tagging, layout, or upload action.
Automation and cleanup
Duplicate scans, watched folders, indexes, and thumbnail maintenance.
01
Duplicate Finder
Find duplicate files across indexed folders.
Duplicate Finder helps clean large libraries without manually comparing files. It scans indexed folders, groups duplicate candidates, and gives you a review tree before anything is moved.
02
Watched folders
Auto-import when files change.
Watched folders monitor selected roots and can add new files to your board automatically. They are useful for active production folders, capture sessions, and asset dumps that keep changing.
03
Index roots
Control what FenSight scans and enriches.
Indexed roots define the folders FenSight can scan for folder browsing, duplicate finding, thumbnail generation, and AI enrichment tasks. Keeping roots intentional helps large libraries stay predictable.
04
Shell thumbnail extension
Improve Windows-side previews where available.
The shell thumbnail extension helps FenSight-related files and imported file types appear with useful previews in Windows contexts where the shell can provide them.
Export and integration
Move assets from FenSight to local folders, other apps, or remote targets.
01
Export options
Copy, save, upload, and deliver selections.
FenSight export tools are designed for handoff. Export selected files, board views, or organized batches without losing the visual context that helped you choose them.
02
External drag-out
Drag board selections into other apps.
External drag-out turns a board selection into a Windows file drop. It is a fast way to move references into creative tools without exporting a duplicate first.
03
FTP and remote upload
Send files to configured delivery targets.
Remote upload lets you deliver selected files through configured FTP or FTPS destinations. It is useful when review boards feed client drops, production handoff folders, or pipeline endpoints.
Studio visualizers
Advanced visual analysis tools for Studio seats.
01
World Map visualizer
Plot geotagged photos on an offline map.
The World Map visualizer plots board photos with GPS metadata over a bundled offline world map. It is built for travel, location scouting, field shoots, and geographically organized libraries.
02
Artist Visualizer
Preview non-destructive color grades across a board.
Artist Visualizer applies real-time color grading as an overlay so you can compare a board under different looks without modifying source files.
03
File Size Visualizer
See the heavyweight files immediately.
File Size Visualizer scales board items by source file size so expensive or unusually large assets stand out. It is useful for cleanup, delivery prep, and pipeline review.
04
Game Memory Mode
Estimate texture memory risk for game production.
Game Memory Mode visualizes predicted GPU memory cost across a board as a heatmap. It helps game teams spot expensive textures, oversized assets, and compression opportunities.
Security and privacy
Local-first behavior, media handling, licensing, and file safety expectations.
01
Local-first architecture
Your files stay on your device unless you choose otherwise.
FenSight is designed as a local Windows app. Boards, thumbnails, settings, indexes, and source files live on your machine unless you explicitly configure a provider or upload destination.
02
SOC 2 alignment for local-first teams
Map FenSight's local-first model to common trust controls.
FenSight is not a cloud asset store, so security review looks different from a SaaS platform. This guide explains how local-first behavior maps to SOC 2-style concerns such as data handling, access control, change management, vendor review, and audit evidence without claiming a formal certification.
03
Media pipeline security
Video handling avoids the FFmpeg parser path.
FenSight uses LibVLC for video playback and thumbnail generation. It does not bundle or call FFmpeg for this path, which keeps it separate from FFmpeg MOV/MP4 parser advisories.
04
Licensing and offline use
Understand Free, Pro, Studio, activation, and seats.
FenSight has a permanent Free tier, Pro options, and Studio seats for advanced visualizers. Paid licenses are machine-bound and designed for offline use after activation.
05
File operations and responsibility
Rename, move, delete, and upload with care.
FenSight can perform real file operations. Treat batch rename, move, delete, routed output, and upload tools as production actions and keep backups of important work.
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