Documentation

Everything you need to master FenSight and accelerate your visual workflow

Getting Started

Quick Start Guide

Set up a board from your first import

Open FenSight, drag in files or folders, apply a layout preset, then save a .fns board. Use Organize and Tags docks to keep things tidy.

  • Drag files or folders onto the canvas to ingest assets.
  • Apply a layout preset like Radial, Spiral, or Masonry to organize fast.
  • Save a .fns board to keep layout, tags, and labels together.
  • Use the Organize dock to batch rename or route items with Path IDs.

Interface Overview

Canvas, docks, and menus at a glance

The main canvas supports pan/zoom and selection. Docks for Organize, Tags, Chat, and Export sit on the sides, and the File menu handles Load, Save, and Rebuild Thumbnails.

  • Canvas is the main workspace for arranging images and videos.
  • Right and left docks host Organize, Tags, Chat, and Export tools.
  • File menu covers Load, Save, Rebuild Thumbnails, and Exit.
  • Context menus mirror Windows Explorer actions like Open and Properties.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Key actions for speed and flow

Space or middle-drag pans, scroll zooms, F11 toggles fullscreen, and ` toggles the perf HUD. Open Settings -> Keyboard shortcuts for the full list.

  • Pan with Space + drag or middle mouse drag.
  • Zoom with scroll wheel, Ctrl + scroll, or pinch. Adjust cluster label size with Alt + scroll.
  • Shift click adds to selection and Ctrl click toggles selection.
  • F11 toggles fullscreen and ` toggles the perf HUD.
  • Arrow keys nudge items; hold Shift for larger steps.
  • Ctrl + Z/Y handles undo and redo; R refreshes the layout.

Board Management

Creating & Saving Boards

Save workspaces and reuse layouts

Boards store layout, tags, labels, and item metadata. Use File -> Save/Load, and Rebuild Thumbnails when assets change.

  • Boards preserve item positions, labels, tags, and path IDs.
  • Use File -> Save to write a .fns board file for later reuse.
  • Use File -> Load to reopen a board without reimporting assets.
  • Rebuild Thumbnails refreshes previews when source files change.

Importing Media

Bring in images, videos, RAW, and sequences

Drag files or folders to import. FenSight supports common image/video types, many RAW formats, and auto-detects numbered sequences as a single item with a frame count.

  • Supports common image formats like PNG, JPG, TIFF, and WEBP.
  • RAW formats like DNG, CR2/CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF, and more are supported.
  • Video items show a play badge and can be played in-canvas.
  • Numbered frames like name_0001.png import as a single sequence item.

Selection & Navigation

Move fast on large boards

Marquee select by dragging on empty canvas. Shift adds to selection, Ctrl toggles, and arrow keys nudge items (Shift for +10).

  • Marquee select by dragging on empty canvas areas.
  • Shift adds to selection and Ctrl toggles selection.
  • Drag selections to move them and use arrow keys for nudges.
  • Space + drag pans the canvas; scroll zooms in and out.

Layout Algorithms

Radial Tight Layout

Circular pack around a center

Quickly clusters items into a tight radial layout to reveal relationships.

  • Arranges items in a dense circle around the current viewport center.
  • Useful for comparing items and spotting similarities quickly.
  • Pairs well with clustering presets to split large sets first.

Edge-Biased Layout

Open the middle, use the edges

Push items toward the perimeter to create breathing room in the center.

  • Biases items toward the edges to clear the center of the board.
  • Helpful when you want empty space for notes or guides.
  • Combine with tags or clusters to keep groups separated.

Spiral Layout

Continuous, ordered flow

Ideal for sequences or progressive exploration of a set.

  • Creates a spiral that reads outward or inward in a natural order.
  • Great for timelines, versions, or sequential image sets.
  • Use after sequence detection to keep frames in order.

Masonry Layout

Rows or columns that adapt to size

Masonry Rows and Columns pack mixed aspect ratios into tidy grids.

  • Masonry Rows and Columns fit different aspect ratios tightly.
  • Use this to build compact grids without cropping.
  • Ideal for large image libraries and reference boards.

Clustering & Grouping

Cluster by metadata or visual traits

Group by folder, path fragments, extension, size, duration, brightness, hue, or other presets. Use the spread toggle to open or tighten clusters.

  • Cluster by folder, path fragments, extension, date buckets, or file size.
  • Visual presets include brightness, hue, entropy, and edge density.
  • Spread toggle opens clusters for exploration or tightens them for density.

Tagging & Organization

Adding & Removing Tags

Flexible tagging with UI or chat

Add or remove tags from the Tags dock, context menus, or chat commands like /tag add and /tag remove.

  • Use the Tags dock to assign or remove tags in bulk.
  • Right-click items to edit tags directly from the context menu.
  • Chat supports /tag add, /tag remove, and /tag clear commands.

Tag Filtering Logic

Find exactly what you need

Filter using AND/OR logic with tag pills. Toggle filters to isolate subsets quickly.

  • Combine multiple tags using AND for intersection or OR for union.
  • Tag pills provide quick toggles for narrowing a selection.
  • Clear filters to return to the full board view.

Metadata Overlays

See details on the canvas

Overlays can show filename, dimensions, file type, duration, and path IDs. Toggle overlays in Settings.

  • Overlay text can show filename, dimensions, type, duration, and path ID.
  • Cluster label size can be adjusted with Alt + scroll.
  • Toggle overlays from Settings when you want a clean view.

Batch Operations

Rename and route in bulk

Organize dock supports prefix/suffix/insert, remove digits, and numbering. Assign Path IDs to route outputs to destinations.

  • Organize dock can remove segments, add prefixes, or insert text at a position.
  • Numbering preserves order when batch renaming.
  • Assign Path IDs per item for automated routing later.

Export & Integration

Export Options

Share or deliver assets fast

Export selections to clipboard or files, and upload via FTP/FTPS with configurable targets.

  • Export selected items to clipboard or to a folder on disk.
  • FTP and FTPS upload options are available for delivery workflows.
  • Use presets and naming rules to keep exports consistent.

External Drag-Out

Drag directly to other apps

Drag a selection off the canvas to start a FileDrop into Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, or the desktop.

  • Drag a selection off the viewport edge to begin a FileDrop.
  • Drop into apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, or the desktop.
  • Use this for fast handoff without exporting a file first.

Path ID System

Automated routing for exports

Assign Path IDs per item and map them to destinations in Settings. Preview routes before export.

  • Assign a Path ID to any selection of items.
  • Map Path IDs to destination folders in Settings.
  • Preview routed targets before exporting or uploading.

AI Chat Integration

Setting Up Chat Providers

Choose API, EXE, or NPM

Configure Settings -> Integrations -> Chat provider. Use OpenAI API, a local CLI, or a global npm shim with an args template.

  • Api uses OpenAI Chat Completions with an API key.
  • Exe runs a local CLI with a customizable args template.
  • Npm uses a global shim or PATH to locate the CLI.
  • Template placeholders include {message}, {history}, {context}, {image}, and {out}.

Board Context Awareness

Chat understands your board

The assistant receives selection, tags, layout, and optional preview context to answer in-place.

  • Selection, tags, and layout state are sent as context.
  • Optional low-res previews can be attached for visual context.
  • One-line slash command replies are executed automatically.

Slash Commands

One-line commands that run

Use /layout, /select tag, /tag add/remove/clear, or /upload to trigger actions directly.

  • /layout <mode> applies Radial, Edge-Biased, Spiral, or Masonry presets.
  • /select tag <tag> filters selection to a tag.
  • /tag add/remove/clear updates tags on the current selection.
  • /upload <target> invokes the external upload agent.

Security

Media Pipeline Security

How FenSight handles video safely

FenSight uses LibVLC for all video playback and thumbnail generation — it does not bundle or call FFmpeg. This matters because critical zero-day vulnerabilities were recently discovered in FFmpeg's MOV/MP4 parser (libavformat/mov.c) by Anthropic's Claude Mythos AI.

  • FenSight ships LibVLC 3.0.23.1, which uses its own QuickTime/MP4 demuxer (libmp4_plugin) — completely separate from FFmpeg's vulnerable mov.c parser.
  • The four Mythos-flagged vulnerabilities (integer underflow, unbounded sample arithmetic, OOB pointer dereference, buffer overwrite) all target FFmpeg's libavformat, which FenSight does not include.
  • FenSight only processes user-selected local files — no auto-parsing of network streams or untrusted remote media.
  • LibVLC dependencies use a wildcard version spec (3.*) to automatically receive security patches on restore.
  • We actively monitor upstream VLC and FFmpeg security advisories to keep the media pipeline current.

Local-First Architecture

Your files never leave your machine

FenSight is designed around local-first principles. All processing happens on your machine, and no data is sent to external servers unless you explicitly configure an AI provider or export destination.

  • Board files (.fns), thumbnails, and index data are stored locally on disk.
  • AI semantic search is off by default and can be configured to use a local CLI tool.
  • No in-app telemetry or crash reporting by default. License verification may periodically check license status for refund or revocation handling.
  • FTP/FTPS export only runs when you explicitly trigger it to a destination you configure.

Advanced Features

Image Sequence Detection

Treat numbered frames as one

Numbered files like name_0001.png are grouped into a single sequence item with a frame count overlay.

  • Detects numbered sequences and groups them as one item.
  • Frame count overlays show how many images are inside.
  • Detection prefers consistent dimensions and consecutive numbering.

Performance Settings

Scale to thousands of items

FenSight uses LOD streaming, decode limits, and BoardSurface rendering. Toggle perf HUD with ` and tune overlays in Settings.

  • BoardSurface is always on to keep interaction responsive.
  • LOD streaming loads fast thumbnails before upgrading detail.
  • Decode limits prevent stalls on large boards.
  • Use the perf HUD to inspect rendering and decode behavior.

PowerPoint Integration

Import slides as board items

PPTX files split into individual slides with metadata, and can be rebuilt into a document item later.

  • PowerPoint slides import as PNGs while preserving metadata.
  • Slides can be rebuilt into a document item from the context menu.
  • Useful for visual review of decks without leaving the board.

Essential Shortcuts & Controls

Navigation & View

Pan CanvasSpace+Drag
Zoom In/OutScroll / Ctrl+Scroll / Pinch
Cluster Label SizeAlt+Scroll
FullscreenF11
Perf HUD`

Selection & Movement

Select / Multi-selectClick / Shift+Click / Ctrl+Click
Marquee SelectDrag Empty Canvas
Move SelectionDrag Selection
Nudge ItemsArrow Keys
Nudge x10Shift+Arrow

Board Operations

UndoCtrl+Z
RedoCtrl+Y
Refresh LayoutR
Delete SelectionDelete
Dock FocusTab

Context Tools

Snap Grid OverlayCtrl+;
Select Path ItemsRight-click
Select Duplicate FilesRight-click
Shortcut ReferenceSettings

Video Tutorials

Getting Started with FenSight

Video walkthrough coming soon. Covers import, layout presets, and saving boards.

Layout Presets Deep Dive

Video walkthrough coming soon. Covers radial, spiral, masonry, and clustering.

Tags, Filters, and Organize Dock

Video walkthrough coming soon. Covers tags, overlays, and batch rename.

Chat Integration Setup

Video walkthrough coming soon. Covers API, EXE, and NPM providers.

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