xnview.ini & Database Questions

Ideas for improvements and requests for new features in XnView MP

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viking
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xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by viking »

1. First of all, is there a help file or any documentation for the MP version?
2. Is it possible to change the location of xnview.ini after it has been created (it is currently in the program folder)?
3. In Settings|Database:
A. What does "Get Thumbnail size" do (it seems to just change the size to 96x96?)?
B. What is the purpose of "Base path of your pictures"?
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m.Th.
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by m.Th. »

1. First of all, is there a help file or any documentation for the MP version?
AFAIK, this forum. :) If someone else knows a better source, please chime in.
2. Is it possible to change the location of xnview.ini after it has been created (it is currently in the program folder)?
Yes. Tools | Settings | Integration.

But beware. I don't know if the program will COPY your xnview.ini to your new location. Do a backup of your current xnview.ini and play to see what's happening.
3. In Settings|Database:
A. What does "Get Thumbnail size" do (it seems to just change the size to 96x96?)?
It takes the size of the current selected thumbnail. That size will be used for the generation of the new thumbnails.
B. What is the purpose of "Base path of your pictures"?
If you know that all of your pictures are in d:\my pictures\ then you can set the base path to "d:\my pictures\". The program removes from all paths this text and when it displays a folder appends the base path to the remainder, stored in the DB.

The advantages:

1. Smallish speed gain
2. The plain-vanilla poor-man relocation. IOW, if I move my archive from d:\my pictures\ to \\MyNewServer\Archive it is a matter of seconds to change it in the DB by using this feature. Also, it lays down the foundation for multiple Catalogs/Data Stores in the future.
m. Th.

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xnview
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by xnview »

viking wrote:1. First of all, is there a help file or any documentation for the MP version?
No :(
2. Is it possible to change the location of xnview.ini after it has been created (it is currently in the program folder)?
Yes, in option>integration
3. In Settings|Database:
A. What does "Get Thumbnail size" do (it seems to just change the size to 96x96?)?
You the thumbnail size used in browser, and the thumbnail size used to store thumbnail in database
B. What is the purpose of "Base path of your pictures"?
It's to use relative path
Pierre.
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viking
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by viking »

xnview wrote:
viking wrote: 2. Is it possible to change the location of xnview.ini after it has been created (it is currently in the program folder)?
Yes, in option>integration
I wanted to place it in a custom folder (I have a "data only" drive). There does not appear to be an option for this :(.
Could that be added?
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m.Th.
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by m.Th. »

viking wrote:
xnview wrote:
viking wrote: 2. Is it possible to change the location of xnview.ini after it has been created (it is currently in the program folder)?
Yes, in option>integration
I wanted to place it in a custom folder (I have a "data only" drive). There does not appear to be an option for this :(.
Could that be added?
To be very clear:

Putting your xnview.ini file anywhere will NOT make any speed difference because the file is very very very small (a text file) and it is written & read usually in rare and non-critical circumstances (when you change a setting etc.).

...but putting your data warehouse (which now consists of two databases - xnview.db and thumb.db) on your "data only" drive certainly makes a difference.

How to do it:
  1. Make a folder on your data drive - let's call it D:\XnView
  2. Go and see where is your old data warehouse (this is optional - only if you wish to save them): Go to Tools | Settings | Integration press the 'Open Database Location...' - leave the Explorer Window open.
  3. In XnView from 'Folder for Database (.db)' drop-down choose 'Custom'. Now press the '...' button and select the D:\XnView folder created in step 1. Press Ok. Now you'll see in D:\XnView two new databases: Thumb.db and XnView.db. Beware, the XnView.DB still holds your catalog data from the old db, so isn't needed to copy it here.
  4. If you do not want to move your old data warehouse (usually the thumbs), you're done. But if you want to see the old DBs, then close XnViewMP and copy from the Explorer Window opened at step 2 the files xnview.db and thumb.db over the empty ones from step 3. Restart the XnViewMP. You should see your old data store with the thumbs already generated.
  5. Enjoy!
m. Th.

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viking
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by viking »

@m.Th.
I have already moved the databases to my data drive. The purpose of moving the xnview.ini was not for any speed gains, but
1. I like to have a backup of all my data and my data drive is backed up every hour (sector based)
2. If I install different version of xnviewMP, I can have them pointing at the same xnview.ini file
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m.Th.
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by m.Th. »

viking wrote:@m.Th.
I have already moved the databases to my data drive. The purpose of moving the xnview.ini was not for any speed gains, but
1. I like to have a backup of all my data and my data drive is backed up every hour (sector based)
2. If I install different version of xnviewMP, I can have them pointing at the same xnview.ini file
Aha! Try with the other option in the Integration pane: Folder for other files.

...but be sure to remove the xnview.ini from your base directory. It always takes precedence before the one from the specified folder in the Integration page.
m. Th.

- Dark Themed XnViewMP 1.7.1 64bit on Win11 x64 -
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viking
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by viking »

m.Th. wrote: Aha! Try with the other option in the Integration pane: Folder for other files.

...but be sure to remove the xnview.ini from your base directory. It always takes precedence before the one from the specified folder in the Integration page.
The only current options for the location of the xnview.ini file is in User (system), Program(xnview) and registry.

It would be great if also a custom folder could be used for xnview.ini; in other words, this is now a feature request :)
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xnview
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by xnview »

viking wrote: It would be great if also a custom folder could be used for xnview.ini; in other words, this is now a feature request :)
you can use your own folder, and start by using 'xnview - ini c:\...\xnview.ini'
Pierre.
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viking
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by viking »

xnview wrote:
viking wrote: It would be great if also a custom folder could be used for xnview.ini; in other words, this is now a feature request :)
you can use your own folder, and start by using 'xnview - ini c:\...\xnview.ini'
I am sorry, but I don't understand. I am using the portable MP version in C:\MyPrograms\XnViewMP\. I now have the xnview.ini in this folder.
I would like to have xnview.ini in this folder instead: D:\mydata\xnviewMP\.
However, I cannot just move the xnview.ini from C:\MyPrograms\XnViewMP\ to D:\mydata\xnviewMP\ without telling xnview the location of xnview.ini, and there is no option in the settings to select a custom folder (e.g. D:\mydata\xnviewMP) for the ini file.
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xnview
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by xnview »

you can start xnview with following command

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xnview.exe -ini  D:\mydata\xnviewMP\xnview.ini
Pierre.
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viking
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Re: xnview.ini & Database Questions

Post by viking »

xnview wrote:you can start xnview with following command

Code: Select all

xnview.exe -ini  D:\mydata\xnviewMP\xnview.ini
Ah... Got it thanks!