XnViewMP64 Portable: Selected language ignored

[Exoner]

Hello,

I do not know if it is you who publishes the portable version of XnViewMP64, but I did not find any other forum to write to.

I installed XnViewMP64 Portable using the PortableApps-UI. The installation was easy, no errors, no problems. The application was installed with a German user-interface and runs smoothly.

I launched Tools->Options.
I set the language to 'English'.
I restarted XnVMP64.
The language was still st to 'German'.

I opened the Xnview.ini-file and changed the language manually from 'de' to 'en'.
I started XnVMP.
Again, the language was set to 'German'.
I reopened the Xnview.ini-file and found the language-key still set to 'de'.

I double-checked this behavior. It is reproducable.

It seems that XnVMP64 does this change in Xnview.ini during its start-sequence.

The PortableApps-UI was installed with a German language-UI. I changed the language in some other portable apps without any problems.

Have a nice day.

[xnview]

no i'm not in charge of portable version, but you can change language in xnview.ini

[Exoner]

Hello Pierre,

as I mentioned, this is what I manually did without success.

Have a nice day.

PS. In the meantime I found the PortableApps-support-forum for XnViewMP64 Portable. I posted the bug there, too.

[xnview]

you have perhaps another xnview.ini in User's folder data?

[Exoner]

This issue only appears in the portable version. The 'normal' version works fine, changing the language works fine, no problems at all.

XnViewMP64 is installed on a stick.

I double-checked to edit the right portable INI-file on the stick. Today I checked it all again.

I searched for Xnview.ini-files on the stick (portable installation device, drive P:\), found four of them (XnVMP64 Portable not running):

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\App\AppInfo\Launcher\XnViewMPPortable.ini, 1 812 Bytes, 16.08.2022 20:48:20
P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\App\DefaultData\xnview.ini, 14 262 Bytes, 16.08.2022 20:48:30
P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\Data\settings\XnViewMPPortableSettings.ini, 166 Bytes, 01.04.2023 13:24:46
P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\Data\xnview.ini, 44 246 Bytes, 01.04.2023 13:26:17

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\Data\settings\XnViewMPPortableSettings.ini

Code: Select all

[XnViewMPPortableSettings]
LastDrive=P:
LastDirectory=\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable
[PortableApps.comLauncherLastRunEnvironment]
PAL:LastPortableAppsBaseDir=P:

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\Data\xnview.ini

Code: Select all

[General]
GAnalytics-cid={921a6a98-5ccc-4292-9244-d332d1feae28}

[Start]
otherFlag=2
updater=2
language=de
otherFolder=D:/Dokumente/backup/xnview/
dbFlag=2
lastCheck=@Variant(\0\0\0\xe\0%\x89\x83)
dbFolder=D:/Dokumente/backup/xnview/
style=-2
dbThumbFlag=4
dbThumbFolder=
sessionFlag=1
toolbar=default.bar
shortcut=default.keys
toolbarIcons=
OpenWith=C:/Program Files/Sony/Catalyst Prepare/Catalyst Prepare.exe
OpenWithName=Catalyst Prepare
OpenWithParam=
startupType=1
customPath=
startInFull=2
startBrowser=true
singleView=true
oneInstance=true
geom=
...

This INI-file shows

language=de

Changing this to 'en' has no effect. On the next run XnViewMP64 Portable shows a 'German' UI again.

Code: Select all

otherFolder=D:/Dokumente/backup/xnview/

is the backup-folder of the XnVMP64-database (non-portable-version).

After the start of XnViewMP64 Portable a new Xnview.ini file is present:

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\App\XnViewMP64\xnview.ini, 44 246 Bytes, 01.04.2023 15:13:46. This file disappears when XnVMP64 is closed.

Code: Select all

[General]
GAnalytics-cid={921a6a98-5ccc-4292-9244-d332d1feae28}

[Start]
otherFlag=2
updater=2
language=de
otherFolder=D:/Dokumente/backup/xnview/
dbFlag=2
lastCheck=@Variant(\0\0\0\xe\0%\x89\x83)
dbFolder=D:/Dokumente/backup/xnview/
style=-2
dbThumbFlag=4
dbThumbFolder=
sessionFlag=1
toolbar=default.bar
shortcut=default.keys
toolbarIcons=
OpenWith=C:/Program Files/Sony/Catalyst Prepare/Catalyst Prepare.exe
OpenWithName=Catalyst Prepare
OpenWithParam=
startupType=1
customPath=
startInFull=2
startBrowser=true
singleView=true
oneInstance=true
geom=
...

This INI-file shows

language=de

Changing this to 'en' (while XnVMP64 is running) has no effect. On the next run XnViewMP64 Portable shows a 'German' UI again.

All this is reproducable.

Have a nice day.

[michel038]

If I understand correctly, it seems that PortableApps creates an environment for XnViewMP at each launch, with a new xnview.ini ?


Otherwise, if you use the zip version provided as a download on the Xnview website, it behaves like a portable app if you specify at first startup to store all settings (and the xnview.ini file) in the program folder itself. If this first step fails or is not proposed, go to "Settings > Integration >Paths" to specify the program folder where to store the settings.

[Exoner]

I have no idea what PortableApps is doing.

I will try your suggestion how to install the program using a ZIP-file.

I will report the result.

Have a nice day.

[xnview]

xnview.ini is only the ini used by XnViewMP. You can check which one is used by going in 'Settings>Integration>Paths - Open config files location'

[Exoner]

I did it all over again to double-check what is going on.

I unistalled the portable app using Portableapps-UI.

I installed XnVMP64 Portable using Portableapps-UI.
The installation-device is a stick (P:)

After installing XnVMP64 Portable and before opening the app the first time, there are four Xnview.ini-files on the stick:

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\App\AppInfo\Launcher\XnViewMPPortable.ini, 1 812 Bytes, 16.08.2022 20:48:20
P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\App\DefaultData\xnview.ini, 14 262 Bytes, 16.08.2022 20:48:30
P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\Data\settings\XnViewMPPortableSettings.ini, 166 Bytes, 04.04.2023 13:24:46
P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\Data\xnview.ini, 44 246 Bytes, 04.04.2023 13:24:46

I started the app.

A new Xnview.ini-file was found on the stick

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\App\XnViewMP64\xnview.ini, 44 246 Bytes, 04.04.2023 13:26:31

This file is used by the app (tools->settings->installation->paths)

The file
P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\Data\xnview.ini, 44 246 Bytes, 04.04.2023 13:24:46

is no more present.

I quit the app. The file

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\App\XnViewMP64\xnview.ini, 44 246 Bytes, 04.04.2023 13:26:31

is no more present, but there is a new file:

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\Data\xnview.ini, 44 246 Bytes, 04.04.2023 13:28:12

I edited the language-key in the file

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\App\XnViewMP64\xnview.ini, 44 246 Bytes, 04.04.2023 13:26:31
(only present when the app was running)

and in the file

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMPPortable\Data\xnview.ini, 44 246 Bytes, 04.04.2023 13:28:12
(only present when the app is not running)

and started the app after editing.

Both editing-actions did not change the language of the app-ui. The app always had a 'German' UI.

Strange thing:

The language-key in any INI-file I had edited was set back to 'de' by the app in any case.
I mean, when I opened the two INI-files, that were temporarily present (one when the app was running and used, one when the app was not running) always hat a language-key 'de'.

Why does the app not keep the changes I made in the setings-menu when it closes? Does the portable app save the changes I made when I press the 'OK'.button in the settings-menu? And why does the app ignore changes in the Xnview.ini I did by editing this file manually?

So I cannot change the language-key of XnVMP64 Portable in the app itself or by editing any of the mentioned Xnview.ini-files.

That is really strange.

I know this is a complicated issue. I tried to explain it as simple as possible.

It seems, there is no fixed place of a Xnview.ini-file the portable version always uses when it starts and changes when the settings are edited. The 'standard'-program has a fixed location for its Xnview.ini. Its location can be found under tools->settings->installation->paths.

I'll try out your suggestion to install the 'standard'-program as a portable app. I will report the result.

Have a nice day.

[cday]

I'll try out your suggestion to install the 'standard'-program as a portable app. I will report the result.

The ZIP download should function as a portable app in most respects: I think I read recently that if you cut and paste the default .ini from .../Roaming/... into the ZIP folder it should then use that .ini. For maximum portability you would also need to move the various file browser databases into the program folder.

One limitation, though, is that the ZIP can't interface with GhostScript if that is installed, and so can't open PDF or certain other formats that use GhostScript to rasterise files when they are opened. I think I read a long time ago that the PortableApps version could open PDF files if the PortableApps Ghostscript was installed.

[Exoner]

Hello Pierre,

I uninstalled the portable app by using the Portableapp-UI. All files of XnView were gone.

I copied the PC-version (folder generated by unpacking the ZIP) to

P:\PortableApps\

There was no Xnview.ini present by default in the app-folder on the stick. When I started the app it used the INI-file from my desktop-installation:

C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\XnViewMP\xnview.ini

and did not generate an INI-file on the stick.

I copied the desktop-INI-file to

P:\PortableApps\XnViewMP\Xnview.ini

and started the app from the stick.

YES! XnviewMP64 showed up and used the INI-file that was present on the stick (checked it in the settings).

I edited some settings to support a true portable usage of the app (database-folder, default-picture-path and so on).

I closed the app and opened it again. The app remembered all the changes I made in the settings. There is always still only one Xnview.ini present on the stick at any time.

After restarting the Portableapps-UI XnViewMP was present in its menu that shows the installed apps. I moved it to the graphics-category. All is fine now.

Happy portable usage!

So the settings-problem and the strange creation and deletion of INI-files must be an issue of the XnviewMP64-app provided by the Portableapps-application. I hope this thread may help to solve this pronlem.

Thank you again for this woderful program.

Have a nice day.