descript.ion file: Missing when moving entire photo directories

[OTRAG]

Hello All, I am a hobby photographer and have been managing my images with Windows Explorer and IrfanView for the last few years.

A few months ago I came across XnviewMP and now I am diving further and further into the possibilities of this powerful program and am simply thrilled. I especially use the categories and descriptions, and the associated search functions.

I usually import new photos into an import directory where I view, sort, organize, etc. the photos and then move them to a final directory.
Here I noticed something that I consider a program error and to which I have found nothing in the search function of the forum. Here is my description of this reproducible error:

XnViewMP 0.98.25 - Windows 10 64bit with current state.
Procedure:
1. A subdirectory for the last photo project is created in the import directory.
2. Photos are imported into the project directory
3. Photos are annotated with comments using the "Edit Comments" dialog <Ctrl+D>. Here the comments are properly recorded in the "descript.ion" file. The comments are available for further editing with <Ctrl+D> or e.g. for the search functions.
4. After completion of the edits the project directory with all photos is moved into a final directory. For this purpose, the functionalities of the Explorer integrated in XnViewMP are used.

Error pattern:
a. The project directory with all photos is moved to the final directory, but the file "descript.ion" is not taken into account, it is also no longer present in the import directory.
b. The comment data are still stored in the respective photo file (IPTC or EXIF data) however these are no longer visible or usable in XnViewMP and are lost.

Note:
If a directory is created in the destination folder before, and the photos are moved individually or in groups from the import project directory to the new directory, no error occurs.
A file "descript.ion" is then created in the target directory and the comment data of the respective image is transferred to it.
In the source directory, the "descript.ion" file is reduced by these entries accordingly.
This also works with an already existing "descript.ion" file in the target directory.
So as it is to be expected!

Is this bug already known, or is there even a solution already?
I hope that I could describe the error sufficiently and look forward to answers.

Many thanks in advance.

[xnview]

a. The project directory with all photos is moved to the final directory, but the file "descript.ion" is not taken into account, it is also no longer present in the import directory.

How do you move the photos into final directory?

[OTRAG]

Hello Pierre,
thanks for your question.
I use only the Explorer integrated in the XnViewMP.

[xnview]

I use only the Explorer integrated in the XnViewMP.

From/into thumbnail view? Folder tree?
I can't reproduce

[OTRAG]

I use the XnViewMP internal explorer to move an entire folder.
To do this, I select an entire folder in the thumbnail view and drag it to the file tree. Here the error described by me arises.
If I move single images in the same way everything is o.k..
I hope I could make myself clear.

[VictorVG]

Typically, in Windows OS, Descript.ion files have the Hidden (attrib h+ <filename>) attribute set, and by default, all OS file functions ignore them unless the user explicitly specified them to be included in the operation.

To get this feature by means of Explorer, you need to enable "Show hidden and system files" in the OS settings. Otherwise, they are expected to be skipped during processing.

[xnview]

Thanks to your detailed description I can reproduce the problem.

[OTRAG]

@VictorVG: Thank you for your answer.

I took your suggestion and tested the following variations independently and sequentially:

1. made all hidden files visible in Win10 File Explorer.
2. in XnViewMP marked the hidden files and folders as visible (Settings > Files > General)
3. changed Descript.ion file in Win10 File Explorer from hidden to visible.

Unfortunately, these attempts did not produce any changes. The error remains.

Thanks again !

[OTRAG]

Thanks to your detailed description I can reproduce the problem.

Hello XnView Team,
thank you very much for the support!

[xnview]

This problem is supposed to be fixed in XnView MP 0.98.3. Please check and confirm the bug fix here.