Unfortunately we can't show N placeholder images while they are loading due to issues with deleted media. After requesting all the images for a blog we actually have to perform an HTTP GET to verify that we don't receive a 404 on a particular image. That's the main reason for the delay you see when loading blog images.

IMHO, that's really a weird user experience. When on a slow network, I have the impression I don't have any images in my media library. How the media library is handling this 404 issue?

Another comment, the more I test it, the more I think we shouldn't mix local and media library pictures. The main reason: I have a huge list of local pics and searching for a media library items make me scroll a loooong way to see them. Second argument: even with the "W" logo, it's not super explicit. I'm not against it, but I would like to hear from other devs/designers/users about this.

When on a slow network, I have the impression I don't have any images in my media library. How the media library is handling this 404 issue?

MediaSourceWPImages queries each of the images and verifies a 200 return code. After all the checks are complete it updates the adapter with all the verified images via notifyDataSetChanged.

the more I test it, the more I think we shouldn't mix local and media library pictures. The main reason: I have a huge list of local pics and searching for a media library items make me scroll a loooong way to see them.

I've noticed this as well. I have ~100 images to scroll through when I want to get to my library images, it's a hassle. I'm gonna switch it to four tabs for now; Device Images, Device Video, Blog Images, Blog Video.

Before the merge:

• move tab titles to strings.xml
• loading indicator for "site image/video"
• reverse sort order
• adding a "site image" doesn't work
• create new post, add 2 (or more) images from the device, back, back (local draft saved), then edit the post again: it's empty.
• create new post, add 2 (or more) images, publish: the published post is empty (no images).

Next iteration:

• empty views
• work on pre-loading / caching / updating the media library

Here's a video of adding two local and two blog images to a new post then publishing it. Local images still need to be queued for upload then the last bullet point will be satisfied.

Removing the WPCollectionSpan on your branch fixes all the issues. There's still the problem (#2406) of too many items lagging the UI but as discussed on Slack that is likely an edge case.

EDIT: We should merge in your branch, @maxme then all the issues listed above will be resolved.

Tested again, and looks ok!

Encountered a crash, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't introduced in this pr:

03-10 11:30:34.651    8847-8948/org.wordpress.android.beta E/AndroidRuntime﹕ FATAL EXCEPTION: AsyncTask #4
    Process: org.wordpress.android.beta, PID: 8847
    java.lang.RuntimeException: An error occured while executing doInBackground()
            at android.os.AsyncTask$3.done(AsyncTask.java:300)
            at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.finishCompletion(FutureTask.java:355)
            at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.setException(FutureTask.java:222)
            at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:242)
            at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1112)
            at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:587)
            at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:818)
     Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'android.content.res.Resources android.content.Context.getResources()' on a null object reference
            at org.wordpress.android.util.HtmlToSpannedConverter.startImg(WPHtml.java:810)
            at org.wordpress.android.util.HtmlToSpannedConverter.handleStartTag(WPHtml.java:652)
            at org.wordpress.android.util.HtmlToSpannedConverter.startElement(WPHtml.java:992)
            at org.ccil.cowan.tagsoup.Parser.push(Parser.java:794)
            at org.ccil.cowan.tagsoup.Parser.rectify(Parser.java:1061)
            at org.ccil.cowan.tagsoup.Parser.stage(Parser.java:1026)
            at org.ccil.cowan.tagsoup.HTMLScanner.scan(HTMLScanner.java:632)
            at org.ccil.cowan.tagsoup.Parser.parse(Parser.java:449)
            at org.wordpress.android.util.HtmlToSpannedConverter.convert(WPHtml.java:552)
            at org.wordpress.android.util.WPHtml.fromHtml(WPHtml.java:159)
            at org.wordpress.android.util.WPHtml.fromHtml(WPHtml.java:122)
            at org.wordpress.android.ui.posts.EditPostPreviewFragment$LoadPostPreviewTask.doInBackground(EditPostPreviewFragment.java:78)
            at org.wordpress.android.ui.posts.EditPostPreviewFragment$LoadPostPreviewTask.doInBackground(EditPostPreviewFragment.java:62)
            at android.os.AsyncTask$2.call(AsyncTask.java:288)
            at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:237)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1112)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:587)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:818)

Filled this new issue for empty views: #2414

🎆