diff --git a/ImageGrid.otl b/ImageGrid.otl
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..0f6d0724
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ImageGrid.otl
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+Concepts
+	basic
+		item
+		| a basic element in the system.
+		| an item is represented by a URL
+		group (item)
+		| a special item that unifies several items
+		list
+		| a representation of several items
+		tag
+		| a piece of text connected with an item
+		action
+		| a user defined command or script
+	constructed
+		state (tag)
+		| a named state of an item
+		stack (group)
+		| a set of versions or states of an item
+		| a stack behaves like an item
+		collection/list
+		| a special list defined manually or with a search that is maintained in the filesystem
+		tag chain
+		| a special tag that consists of several tags
+		event
+		| a condition that can be bound to an action
+		workflow
+		| a named sequence/graph of states and transitions (actions)
+	structural
+		store
+		URL
+	
+
+.
+| vim:set spell ts=4 sw=4 :
diff --git a/basic_import.py b/basic_import.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..1927a240
--- /dev/null
+++ b/basic_import.py
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+#=======================================================================
+
+__version__ = '''0.0.01'''
+__sub_version__ = '''20111015034511'''
+__copyright__ = '''(c) Alex A. Naanou 2011'''
+
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+import os
+import shutil
+import Image
+import tempfile
+import pyexiv2
+
+import tags
+
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+INPUT_PATH = r'L:\mnt\hdd9 (photo)\NTFS2\work\ImageGrid\staging\input'
+ARCHIVE_PATH = r'L:\mnt\hdd9 (photo)\NTFS2\work\ImageGrid\staging\archive'
+
+THUMB_SIZE = 200
+PREVIEW_SIZE = 900
+
+HIRES_DIR = 'hires'
+THUMBS_DIR = 'thumb'
+PREVIEW_DIR = 'preview'
+TMP_DIR = 'tmp'
+
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def setup_archive(path):
+	'''
+	build directory tree and setup initial data.
+	'''
+	pass
+
+
+##!!! need to select propper dir for preview...
+# this should:
+#	- create thumbnail						- DONE
+#	- create preview						- DONE
+#	- extract metadata						- DONE
+#	- populate EXIF/IPTC of preview images	- DONE
+#	- add path to preview/thumb				- DONE
+#	- generate tags							##!!!
+#
+def import_image(path):
+	'''
+	import a single image.
+
+	'''
+	# get the filename...
+	file_name = os.path.split(path)[-1]
+	file_name_base = file_name.split('.')[0]
+
+	# start with metadata...
+	metadata = pyexiv2.ImageMetadata(path)
+	metadata.read()
+	
+	# add path to the original as a comment...
+	if metadata['Exif.Photo.UserComment'].value.strip() == '':
+		metadata['Exif.Photo.UserComment'] = 'RAW path: ' + os.path.abspath(path)
+	else:
+		metadata['Exif.Photo.UserComment'] = preview_metadata['Exif.Photo.UserComment'].value + '\n\nRAW path: ' + os.path.abspath(path)
+
+	# extract preview from raw file (largest)...
+	orig_preview_path = os.path.join(ARCHIVE_PATH, HIRES_DIR, file_name)
+##	orig_preview = metadata.previews[-1]
+##	orig_preview.write_to_file(orig_preview_path)
+
+	##!!! HACK: use a lib instead of exec-ing a command for each image...
+	cmd = 'exiv2 -f -l "%s" -ep%s "%s"' % (
+		os.path.join(ARCHIVE_PATH, TMP_DIR),
+		len(metadata.previews),
+		path
+		)
+	os.system(cmd)
+	##!!! HACK: guessing the file name...
+	orig_preview_path = os.path.join(ARCHIVE_PATH, TMP_DIR, '%s-preview%s.jpg' % (
+																	file_name_base,
+																	len(metadata.previews)))
+
+	# generate preview and save to preview dir...
+	preview_path = os.path.join(ARCHIVE_PATH, PREVIEW_DIR, file_name_base)
+	orig = Image.open(orig_preview_path)
+	scale = PREVIEW_SIZE/float(max(*orig.size))
+##	preview = orig.resize((int(orig.size[0]*scale), int(orig.size[1]*scale)), Image.BICUBIC)
+	preview = orig.resize((int(orig.size[0]*scale), int(orig.size[1]*scale)), Image.ANTIALIAS)
+	preview.save(preview_path + '.jpg')
+
+	preview_metadata = pyexiv2.ImageMetadata(preview_path + '.jpg')
+	preview_metadata.read()
+	metadata.copy(preview_metadata)
+	preview_metadata.write()
+
+
+	# generate thumb and save to thumb dir...
+	thumb_path = os.path.join(ARCHIVE_PATH, THUMBS_DIR, file_name_base)
+	preview.thumbnail((THUMB_SIZE, THUMB_SIZE), Image.ANTIALIAS)
+	preview.save(thumb_path + '.jpg')
+
+	thumb_metadata = pyexiv2.ImageMetadata(thumb_path + '.jpg')
+	thumb_metadata.read()
+	metadata.copy(thumb_metadata)
+	thumb_metadata.write()
+
+	##!!! tag stuff...
+	##!!!
+
+
+
+def import_dir(path):
+	'''
+	'''
+
+
+
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+
+	import_image(os.path.join('test', 'RAW.NEF'))
+
+
+
+#=======================================================================
+#                                            vim:set ts=4 sw=4 nowrap :