XnView Software

Hi all
About "Settings, Catalog" window :
We can (or not) select some folders in the table.

Can anyone explain the effect of the different actions below ?

1) Check folders button
What's it's job ? Does it apply to the selected folder , or all folders ? (all folders beginning at C:\ ? or all folders already here in the table ?)

2) Rebuild Thumbnails Button
Does it rebuild thumbnails inside the selected folder ? inside all folders ? rebuild also "Folder's thumbnails" ?

3) "Optimze" button
3a) Does "optimze database" always optimize the whole DB ? which job is done ?
3b) Remove data for empty directories : on whole DB or only selected folder ?
3c) Purge all thumbnails : is it the same as deleting Thumbs.db ?
3d) Purge file data : what is this action ?
3e) Remove data from orphaned directories : what are orphaned directories ? is it the same action as 3b ?
... orphaned directories are directories deleted with another software
3f) Remove data from orphaned files : what are orphaned files ?
... orphaned files are files that were deleted out of xnviewmp

For all these questions : what about star ratings ? color labels ? people ? Tags ? Is there a risk that they will be deleted from DB ?

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My own answers :
For 3e) and 3f) : In French, "orphaned" is translated as non-existent. This is much more understandable.
It means that files or folders deleted (out of XnViewMP) must be removed from DB.

Other buttons:
- "Add Folder" button makes XnViewMP read metadata and add information in it's DB (=catalog) , only if "import" option is enabled in settings, metadata.
- "Delete" removes selected folders from the catalog.
- "Relocate" is used when folders have been moved or renamed out of XnViewMP, so it will be able to rebuild links with moved files, in it's DB.

* If one sends me some answers by PM ( private message or MP in french as well) , I can edit this first post and add answers with colours , so it will be easier to read in the future ... Thanks

michel038 wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 2:00 pm 1) Check folders button
What's it's job ? Does it apply to the selected folder , or all folders ? (all folders beginning at C:\ ? or all folders already here in the table ?)

All folders in catalog will be checked for new files

2) Rebuild Thumbnails Button
Does it rebuild thumbnails inside the selected folder ? inside all folders ? rebuild also "Folder's thumbnails" ?

Rebuild thumbnails for files/folders in selected folder list

3) "Optimze" button
3a) Does "optimze database" always optimize the whole DB ? which job is done ?

Yes whole DB, check all items in catalog

3b) Remove data for empty directories : on whole DB or only selected folder ?

whole DB

3c) Purge all thumbnails : is it the same as deleting Thumbs.db ?

yes

3d) Purge file data : what is this action ?

Remove file entry

3e) Remove data from orphaned directories : what are orphaned directories ? is it the same action as 3b ?
... orphaned directories are directories deleted with another software

folders that don't exist anymore

3f) Remove data from orphaned files : what are orphaned files ?
... orphaned files are files that were deleted out of xnviewmp

files that don't exist anymore

Thank you, I'll update my tutorial with these informations.