chore: bump version to v9.5.0 Pre-Release 1; update docs (#751)

* chore: change version branch to "Pre-Release 1"

* docs: update docstring for JSON `open_library()`

Update method docstring with exact starting and ending versions now that they exist.

* docs: update README, CONTRIBUTING.md, & index.md

* docs: update roadmap

* docs: fix typo in README, change callout

* docs: update docs site with v9.5 features

* docs: remove warning from index.md

Author: CyanVoxel

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -1,20 +1,15 @@
 # Contributing to TagStudio
 
-_Last Updated: December 12th, 2024_
+_Last Updated: January 30th, 2025_
 
 Thank you so much for showing interest in contributing to TagStudio! Here are a set of instructions and guidelines for contributing code or documentation to the project. This document will change over time, so make sure that your contributions still line up with the requirements here before submitting a pull request.
 
-> [!CAUTION]
-> **As of Pull Request [#332](https://github.com/TagStudioDev/TagStudio/pull/332) (SQLite Migration) the `main` branch will marked as experimental before full JSON to SQL parity is operational.** Existing TagStudio libraries are not yet compatible with this change, however they will **NOT be corrupted or deleted** if opened with these versions. Once parity is reached and a stable conversion tool in place, this notice will be removed. UPDATE: As of November 19th, 2024, full parity is rapidly approaching.
->
-> For the most recent stable feature release branch, see the [`Alpha-v9.4`](https://github.com/TagStudioDev/TagStudio/tree/Alpha-v9.4) branch. These v9.4 specific features are currently being backported to the SQL-ized `main` branch. (Feel free to help!)
-
 ## Getting Started
 
 -   Check the [Feature Roadmap](/docs/updates/roadmap.md) page to see what priority features there are, the [FAQ](/README.md/#faq), as well as the open [Issues](https://github.com/TagStudioDev/TagStudio/issues) and [Pull Requests](https://github.com/TagStudioDev/TagStudio/pulls).
 -   If you'd like to add a feature that isn't on the feature roadmap or doesn't have an open issue, **PLEASE create a feature request** issue for it discussing your intentions so any feedback or important information can be given by the team first.
     -   We don't want you wasting time developing a feature or making a change that can't/won't be added for any reason ranging from pre-existing refactors to design philosophy differences.
-- **Please don't** create pull requests that consist of large refactors, *especially* without discussing them with us first. These end up doing more harm than good for the project by continuously delaying progress and disrupting everyone else's work.
+-   **Please don't** create pull requests that consist of large refactors, _especially_ without discussing them with us first. These end up doing more harm than good for the project by continuously delaying progress and disrupting everyone else's work.
 -   If you wish to discuss TagStudio further, feel free to join the [Discord Server](https://discord.com/invite/hRNnVKhF2G)
 
 ### Contribution Checklist
@@ -141,13 +136,14 @@ Most of the style guidelines can be checked, fixed, and enforced via Ruff. Older
 
 ### Modules & Implementations
 
+-   **Do not** modify legacy library code in the `src/core/library/json/` directory
 -   Avoid direct calls to `os`
     -   Use `Pathlib` library instead of `os.path`
     -   Use `platform.system()` instead of `os.name` and `sys.platform`
 -   Don't prepend local imports with `tagstudio`, stick to `src`
 -   Use the `logger` system instead of `print` statements
 -   Avoid nested f-strings
--   Use HTML-like tags inside Qt widgets over stylesheets where possible.
+-   Use HTML-like tags inside Qt widgets over stylesheets where possible
 
 ### Commit and Pull Request Style
 
@@ -159,7 +155,7 @@ Most of the style guidelines can be checked, fixed, and enforced via Ruff. Older
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]
 > Please do not force push if your PR is open for review!
-> 
+>
 > Force pushing makes it impossible to discern which changes have already been reviewed and which haven't. This means a reviewer will then have to rereview all the already reviewed code, which is a lot of unnecessary work for reviewers.
 
 > [!TIP]
@@ -172,9 +168,9 @@ Most of the style guidelines can be checked, fixed, and enforced via Ruff. Older
     -   macOS: 12.0+
     -   Linux: _Varies_
 -   Final code must **_NOT:_**
-    -   Contain superfluous or unnecessary logging statements.
-    -   Cause unreasonable slowdowns to the program outside of a progress-indicated task.
-    -   Cause undesirable visual glitches or artifacts on screen.
+    -   Contain superfluous or unnecessary logging statements
+    -   Cause unreasonable slowdowns to the program outside of a progress-indicated task
+    -   Cause undesirable visual glitches or artifacts on screen
 
 ## Documentation Guidelines
 

README.md

@@ -4,33 +4,15 @@ title: Home
 
 # Welcome to the TagStudio Documentation!
 
-!!! warning
-	This documentation is still a work in progress, and is intended to aide with deconstructing and understanding of the core mechanics of TagStudio and how it operates.
-
 ![TagStudio Alpha](assets/github_header.png)
 
 TagStudio is a photo & file organization application with an underlying tag-based system that focuses on giving freedom and flexibility to the user. No proprietary programs or formats, no sea of sidecar files, and no complete upheaval of your filesystem structure.
 
 <figure width="60%" markdown="span">
-  ![TagStudio screenshot](assets/screenshot.jpg)
-  <figcaption>TagStudio Alpha v9.4.2 running on Windows 10</figcaption>
+  ![TagStudio screenshot](assets/screenshot.png)
+  <figcaption>TagStudio Alpha v9.5.0 running on macOS Sequoia.</figcaption>
 </figure>
 
-## Goals
-
-- To achieve a portable, private, extensible, open-format, and feature-rich system of organizing and rediscovering files.
-- To provide powerful methods for organization, notably the concept of tag inheritance, or “taggable tags” _(and in the near future, the combination of composition-based tags)._
-- To create an implementation of such a system that is resilient against a user’s actions outside the program (modifying, moving, or renaming files) while also not burdening the user with mandatory sidecar files or requiring them to change their existing file structures and workflows.
-- To support a wide range of users spanning across different platforms, multi-user setups, and those with large (several terabyte) libraries.
-- To make the darn thing look like nice, too. It’s 2024, not 1994.
-
-## Priorities
-
-1. **The concept.** Even if TagStudio as an application fails, I’d hope that the idea lives on in a superior project. The [goals](#goals) outlined above don’t reference TagStudio once - _TagStudio_ is what references the _goals._
-2. **The system.** Frontends and implementations can vary, as they should. The core underlying metadata management system is what should be interoperable between different frontends, programs, and operating systems. A standard implementation for this should settle as development continues. This opens up the doors for improved and varied clients, integration with third-party applications, and more.
-3. **The application.** If nothing else, TagStudio the application serves as the first (and so far only) implementation for this system of metadata management. This has the responsibility of doing the idea justice and showing just what’s possible when it comes to user file management.
-4. (The name.) I think it’s fine for an app or client, but it doesn’t really make sense for a system or standard. I suppose this will evolve with time...
-
 ## Feature Roadmap
 
 The [Feature Roadmap](updates/roadmap.md) lists all of the planned core features for TagStudio to be considered "feature complete" along with estimated release milestones. The development and testing of these features takes priority over all other requested or submitted features unless they are later added to this roadmap. This helps ensure that TagStudio eventually sees a full release and becomes more usable by more people more quickly.
@@ -39,31 +21,29 @@ The [Feature Roadmap](updates/roadmap.md) lists all of the planned core features
 
 ### Libraries
 
-- Create libraries/vaults centered around a system directory. Libraries contain a series of entries: the representations of your files combined with metadata fields. Each entry represents a file in your library’s directory, and is linked to its location.
-- Address moved, deleted, or otherwise "unlinked" files by using the "Fix Unlinked Entries" option in the Tools menu.
+-   Create libraries/vaults centered around a system directory. Libraries contain a series of entries: the representations of your files combined with metadata fields. Each entry represents a file in your library’s directory, and is linked to its location.
+-   Address moved, deleted, or otherwise "unlinked" files by using the "Fix Unlinked Entries" option in the Tools menu.
 
-### Metadata + Tagging
+### Tagging + Custom Metadata
 
-- Add metadata to your library entries, including:
-  - Name, Author, Artist (Single-Line Text Fields)
-  - Description, Notes (Multiline Text Fields)
-  - Tags, Meta Tags, Content Tags (Tag Boxes)
-- Create rich tags composed of a name, a list of aliases, and a list of “parent tags” - being tags in which these tags inherit values from.
-- Copy and paste tags and fields across file entries
-- Generate tags from your existing folder structure with the "Folders to Tags" macro (NOTE: these tags do NOT sync with folders after they are created)
+-   Add custom powerful tags to your library entries
+-   Add metadata to your library entries, including:
+    -   Name, Author, Artist (Single-Line Text Fields)
+    -   Description, Notes (Multiline Text Fields)
+-   Create rich tags composed of a name, color, a list of aliases, and a list of “parent tags” - these being tags in which these tags inherit values from.
+-   Copy and paste tags and fields across file entries
+-   Automatically organize tags into groups based on parent tags marked as "categories"
+-   Generate tags from your existing folder structure with the "Folders to Tags" macro (NOTE: these tags do NOT sync with folders after they are created)
 
 ### Search
 
-- Search for entries based on tags, ~~metadata~~ (TBA), or filenames/filetypes (using `filename: <query>`).
-- Special search conditions for entries that are: `untagged` and `empty`.
+-   Search for file entries based on tags, file path (`path:`), file types (`filetype:`), and even media types! (`mediatype:`)
+-   Use and combine boolean operators (`AND`, `OR`, `NOT`) along with parentheses groups, quotation escaping, and underscore substitution to create detailed search queries
+-   Use special search conditions (`special:untagged` and `special:empty`) to find file entries without tags or fields, respectively
 
 ### File Entries
 
-- All\* file types are supported in TagStudio libraries - just not all have dedicated thumbnail support.
-- Preview most image file types, animated GIFs, videos, plain text documents, audio files\*\*, Blender projects, and more!
-- Open files or file locations by right-clicking on thumbnails and previews and selecting the respective context menu options. You can also click on the preview panel image to open the file, and click the file path label to open its location.
-- Delete files from both your library and drive by right-clicking the thumbnail(s) and selecting the "Move to Trash"/"Move to Recycle Bin" option.
-
-> _\* Weird files with no extension or files such as ".\_DS_Store" currently have limited support._
->
-> _\*\* Audio playback coming in v9.5_
+-   Nearly all file types are supported in TagStudio libraries - just not all have dedicated thumbnail support.
+-   Preview most image file types, animated GIFs, videos, plain text documents, audio files, Blender projects, and more!
+-   Open files or file locations by right-clicking on thumbnails and previews and selecting the respective context menu options. You can also click on the preview panel image to open the file, and click the file path label to open its location.
+-   Delete files from both your library and drive by right-clicking the thumbnail(s) and selecting the "Move to Trash"/"Move to Recycle Bin" option.