SpeciesSelector

The name is quite misleading. The program can actually could be used for non-species as well.

This is a java application that uses Google Image search to help you learn to visually identify different things. For instance, say you want to learn how to visually identify the native trees of Ontario. You can provide a list of the trees, and it will repeatedly show you pictures of the trees, ask you what you think it is, and then provide the answer. This repeats with random items from the list until the user exits.

I have made several lists of my own, one of marine organisms (eg. fish) of the Caribbean (both common and scientific names), another of trees and shrubs of Ontario (both common and scientific names), and another of fungi of south-east Ontario (scientific names only).

The syntax of the file is as follows, and you should see the common name tree file as an example. Spaces between items are tabs.

"main1" "secondary1-1" "secondary1-2"...

"main2" "secondary2-1" "secondary2-2"...

...

The "main" column contains the primary search terms that are always included in the google image query. After a random "main" item is selected, a random "secondary" item (on the same line) is chosen to include with the search. This allows for queries such as "hemlock"+"leaf" and "hemlock"+"bark".

If you have java installed, you should just have to double click the "jar" file. When the program opens, the "Open Database" window should be visible, where you can select the database you want to use (eg. those above). Then you press "start" to begin, it will display an image corresponding to an item in the database, you try to identify it and then reveal the answer. You can then record whether you got it right or not. These are stored in a log file in the same location as the program. Once you record your answer, it moves on to the next image. You can close the program at any time.

This software is freely available, under the GPL v3.0

Here's the latest version: SpeciesSelector1.04.jar

...and the source: MainWindow.java

All DB Files:

NOTE: This program uses Google Image search with safe-search turned off