Image application performance optimization

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method that from a source external to a device, imports a first image and a lower resolution second image that corresponds to the first image into the device. The method assigns the second image as a temporary preview of the first image. The method generates a preview third image for the first image. In some embodiments, the method further selects the first image for display before generating the preview third image. The selecting causes the temporary preview image to be displayed as a preview of the first image. In some embodiments, the method further selects the first image for display after generating the preview third image. The selecting causes the preview third image to be displayed as a preview of the first image.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 from a source external to a device, importing a first image and a lower resolution second image corresponding to the first image into the device;   assigning the second image as a temporary preview of the first image;   receiving a selection to display the first image in a display area;   when a preview display option for displaying preview images is disabled, displaying the first image in the display area in response to said selection of the first image for display; and   when the preview display option for displaying preview images is enabled, displaying the temporary preview image in the display area in response to said selection of the first image for display.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 generating a preview third image for the first image; and 
 assigning the preview third image as the preview of the first image. 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising selecting the first image for display after generating the preview third image, said selecting causing a display of the preview third image as a preview of the first image. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said selecting causes the display of the preview third image only when the preview display option is enabled. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the preview third image is generated only when a preview generation option is enabled, wherein said preview generation option is different than said preview display option in that the preview display option enables and disables display of a preview image in lieu of displaying a master image and the preview generation option enables and disables generation of a preview image from a master image. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the external source is one of a camera, memory card, hard drive, computer, and image scanner. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the device is associated with a database, wherein importing the images into the device comprises storing the images into said database. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the preview third image has a resolution that is larger than the resolution of the temporary preview image but is at most equal to a resolution of the first image. 
     
     
         27 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for execution by at least one processing unit, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:
 importing, from a source external to a device, a first image and a lower resolution second image corresponding to the first image into the device;   assigning the second image as a temporary preview of the first image;   receiving a selection to display the first image in a display area;   displaying, when a preview display option for displaying preview images is disabled, the first image in the display area in response to said selection of the first image for display; and   displaying, when the preview display option for displaying preview images is enabled, the temporary preview image in the display area in response to said selection of the first image for display.   
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim  10  further comprising sets of instructions for:
 generating a preview third image for the first image; and 
 assigning the preview third image as the preview of the first image. 
 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for selecting the first image for display after generating the preview third image, said selecting causing a display of the preview third image as a preview of the first image. 
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein said selecting causes the display of the preview third image only when a the preview display option is enabled. 
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein the preview third image is generated only when a preview generation option is enabled, wherein said preview generation option is different than said preview display option in that the preview display option enables and disables display of a preview image in lieu of displaying a master image and the preview generation option enables and disables generation of a preview image from a master image. 
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the external source is one of a camera, memory card, hard drive, computer, and image scanner. 
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the device is associated with a database, wherein importing the images into the device comprises storing the images into said database. 
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the preview third image has a resolution that is larger than the resolution of the temporary preview image but is at most equal to a resolution of the first image.