Using two different databases

[olivine]

I would like to use XnViewMP with two different image databases. Is this possible, with, say, a command-line argument when starting xnview? I've seen it mentioned on the forum, but I haven't been able to figure it out. Thanks in advance for any help.

[xnview]

The database is configured in xnview.ini, so you can use 2 differents .ini

[olivine]

How do I access a different xnview.ini? Starting "xnviewmp -i xnview2.ini" still loads up xnview.ini. I'm using linux, if that makes any difference.

[oops66]

Hello, ... today, only xnview classic can do that with a parameter ... ... see here:
http://newsgroup.xnview.com/viewtopic.p ... 21#p117321

[olivine]

Thanks for your answer. That's too bad. For now, I'm using this work-around: I have 2 settings folders (.xnviewmp-proj1, .xnviewmp-proj2), and each time I want to use one of the databases, a bash script copies the correct setting folder to .xnviewmp, then starts xnviewmp. Probably a bit risky, but should work as long as I'm not running both at the same time. Any other suggestions welcome.

[m.Th.]

1. Why do you want to use two different databases?

2. Yes, a command line argument would be nice.

3. Till then, perhaps you can use two instances of XnView MP in two separate directories? The program isn't that big to make any difference WRT storage available today.

[olivine]

1. Why do you want to use two different databases?

I have two different types of projects and I don't need to access both at the same time. It seems to me that things work noticeably faster with less files (maybe it is because one has a lot of folders/subfolders). Also, one is on my home server, and the other on my laptop. Xnview doesn't seem terribly happy whenever it's missing half of the files, and I'm afraid it'll screw things up.

2. Yes, a command line argument would be nice.

3. Till then, perhaps you can use two instances of XnView MP in two separate directories? The program isn't that big to make any difference WRT storage available today.

I don't know how I would start two instances in linux that would use a different .ini file. Maybe it would be possible to recompile it under a different name, but it sounds a bit of a pain. All it would need, really, is to let it use a different .ini startup file and/or a different settings directory.

[m.Th.]

I don't know how I would start two instances in linux that would use a different .ini file. Maybe it would be possible to recompile it under a different name, but it sounds a bit of a pain. All it would need, really, is to let it use a different .ini startup file and/or a different settings directory.

Yes, sure. This is it. Go to Tools | Settings | Integration | Paths

and in XnView settings change the "Use .ini file in folder" from 'User' to 'Program'

[olivine]

I've tried that. If I leave it as "use .ini file in folder User", but change the path for the databases, .ini appears in my home folder in .xnviewmp, as expected. The databases are where I wanted them.

If I also change the "use .ini file in folder" to "program", then .ini still appears in my home folder in .xnviewmp, and so do the databases (even though I've changed them to a custom folder).

Not sure if this is a bug or an issue with my (standard) set-up.

[vommie]

Did you copied XnView to a place where it has the right to write the ini to? For "C:\Program Files\..." it would need admin rights I think.

So you should do something like this:
- Excract XnViewMP to a place with user rights like "C:\test\XnViewMP_01" or the desktop etc.
- Start the xnview.exe from there and set all integration\path-settings to "Program (XnView)". Close it. There should be now the xnview.ini in the root dir.
- Copy the XnViewMP_01 folder and rename it for example to XnViewMP_02.

Now you should have two complete independent instances of XnView with their own settings and database, you even can start both at the same time.

Edit: Oh, I saw in antoher thread you're using linux - I don't know how it's handled there.