user interface on darktable 5.6 user manual

views

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The functionality in darktable is separated into six different views:

lighttable: Manage images and collections.
darkroom: Develop a single image.
map: Show geo-tagged images on a map and manually geo-tag new images.
print: Send images to a printer.
slideshow: Display images as a slideshow, processing them on-the-fly.
tethering: Remotely capture and save images taken with a connected camera.

You can switch between views by clicking the view name at the top of the right-hand panel (the currently active view is highlighted) or by using one of the following keyboard shortcuts:

screen layout

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The layout of all darktable views is similar and consists of a center area with panels at the edges:

center area : Contains information and functionality specific to the current view.
left panel : Contains modules primarily used to provide information.
right panel : Contains modules primarily used for image processing.
top banner : Contains information about the current darktable version and allows you to switch between views. Also used by some modules to show additional hints and messages.

filmstrip

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The filmstrip, when enabled, is shown at the bottom of the screen (except in the lighttable view, where it is replaced with the timeline module) and displays the images from the current collection (set in the lighttable view). You can navigate the filmstrip by scrolling with the mouse wheel.

The filmstrip allows you to interact with images while you are not in the lighttable view. For example, while developing an image in darkroom mode, you can switch to another image by double-clicking its thumbnail in the filmstrip. You can also rate and color-classify the images as you do in lighttable, as well as copy & paste the history stack using keyboard shortcuts. As as in the lighttable view, you can drag and drop thumbnail images to change images’ sequence when using a custom sort order.

top panel

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The top panel appears in all darktable views and provides access to common functions.

🔗On the left-hand-side

filter: Choose which of a collection’s images are displayed, making them available to different views for selection and action. Criteria can be altered in the collection filters module or by clicking the icon.
sort by: Choose the property that orders the displayed image sequence.
sort order: Switch the sort order (ascending / descending).

🔗On the right-hand-side

grouping: Expand or collapse grouped images.
thumbnail overlays: Define what information is overlaid on to thumbnails in the lighttable/filmstrip.; You can define different settings depending on the thumbnail size. See preferences > lighttable for details of how size delimiters are set.
context-sensitive help: Click this icon and then click on a control element to be directed to the appropriate online help page.
shortcut mapping: Click this icon to enter the visual shortcut mapping mode to create keyboard/mouse shortcuts.
preferences: View and amend darktable’s preferences & settings.

bottom panel

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The bottom panel appears in all darktable views. Common controls are described here. View-specific controls are described in the appropriate pages:

🔗common controls

view log history

Display a scrollable popover showing stored log messages with timestamps. The log history viewer provides a persistent record of application log messages (e.g., export/import progress, library operations, warnings, and errors). The key features are:

Messages are stored in a circular buffer; when the buffer is full, older entries are removed as new ones arrive

Consecutive identical messages are automatically deduplicated (e.g., repeated “exporting image” updates)

Entries are displayed in monospace format with HH:MM:SS timestamps

Individual entries are selectable and can be copied to the clipboard with Ctrl+C

the viewer is closed by clicking anywhere outside the popover

keyboard shortcuts

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Much of the functionality in darktable can be controlled via keyboard shortcuts, which can be customised in preferences > shortcuts.

Press the H key (for help) in any darktable view to show a list of all shortcuts that are applicable to the current view.