is there documentation on using a file list?

[ok_image_viewer]

Hi, I am looking for generic documentation that explains how to format a file listing such that I can use it later, including what format/special characters need to be used. That's the quick question, but in case it would be good, I put more detail below.

why do I ask?
I recently stumbled on the file list feature in XNviewerMP. I would really love to be able to save a listing of files such that I can open those files in viewer mode later. It seems like I might be able to use menu: "create > File Listing" to save a list, which I have tried. The result is a text file with headings based on the selections made in that step.

When I try to load the text file, however, I get an empty browser. I have tried command line (xnviewmp -flielist c:\H\file_list.txt), as well as "File > open file list..." and then pass the text file resulting from the create file listing step.

text file looks like this:
Folder name Filename With Ext
H 001.jpeg

a [tab] character is in between the folder name and the filename with ext, as in the first line of text (headers?).
I have searched as much as I can, and I am not finding anything sufficiently detailed that I can use to resolve the question I have. I am guessing it is a formatting issue, or I am just not using the file list as intended.

[cday]

Hi, I am looking for generic documentation that explains how to format a file listing such that I can use it later, including what format/special characters need to be used. That's the quick question, but in case it would be good, I put more detail below.

I believe that in general documentation for XnView MP is quite limited, and due to continuing development of the software, where it exists now often both incomplete and out of date...

The wiki can be found at here.

Anyone interested in reviewing existing information – and particularly creating additional content – please post in a new thread...

The syntax for opening a filelist is given in Help > About -- Command line tab as:

Code: Select all

xnviewmp -filelist <file_list.txt>   Load files list in browser mode

That option refers to loading a filelist into the browser, rather than opening the files in the list in the viewer, so possibly that isn't currently supported.

Pierre?

[ok_image_viewer]

I believe that in general documentation for XnView MP is quite limited, and due to continuing development of the software, where it exists now often both incomplete and out of date...

The wiki can be found at here

That option refers to loading a filelist into the browser, rather than opening the files in the list in the viewer, so possibly that isn't currently supported.

Pierre?

Thanks for your help. I admit that I am new to this whole topic of photo management software. I have just started with this in the hope of organizing a large hodgepodge of accumulated photos (some with very personal significance that I wish to keep track of). For this purpose I am looking at my content to make decisions later.

I am not sure that I have a good understanding of browser vs viewer mode. I think I have a general grasp, but if there are subtleties, I am likely missing something.

The wiki seems to have more information about the wiki platform, than it does about using xnView. I had imagined that there would be some sort of help file information for individual commands and their options. I am thinking of something equivalent to the command line help, e.g., “<foo> -?”
If that’s still a work in progress, at least that’s why I couldn’t find it, lol! I looked at other forum posts, and saw threads going back 10 years and more, so I had the impression that it was relatively mature software, and I was missing something obvious. Nonetheless, I understand the complexity inherent with open source software and projects that involve many volunteer contributors, so I don’t have any assumptions walking in.

[michel038]

A short example of a format that can be used in file list :

"{Directory}{Filename With Ext}";{iptc:keywords};{iptc:city}

This syntax, in a single line, with double quotes, allows the file to be opened

( viewtopic.php?p=203113#p203113 )

[ok_image_viewer]

A short example of a format that can be used in file list :

"{Directory}{Filename With Ext}";{iptc:keywords};{iptc:city}

This syntax, in a single line, with double quotes, allows the file to be opened

( viewtopic.php?p=203113#p203113 )

Okay, thanks. I will try that next chance I get. I did see that thread in my prior searches, so now I feel a little dense. I thought all the arguments were mandatory, and as far as I know, my images don’t have any metadata with keywords or city. It occurred to me on re-reading that it would not take long to use trial and error. I appreciate having this information here, because I was thrown off in the other thread because it seems to be a question about querying the metadata and that is not my use case.

[ok_image_viewer]

Also, apologies for the run on sentences. I’m not good at separating my thoughts into cohesive smaller parts.

[michel038]

it doesn't matter, I don't know either

You can find some information in French here : https://orchisere.fr/logiciels/html/xnviewmp.htm#11B (my own website)
I learnt there ( ) that this syntax is sufficient to obtain a re-usable file-list :
{Directory}{Filename With Ext} in a single field.
(using text format)
The google translation of the whole page is not very good, but the paragraphs of text can be easily translated (by copy paste)

[cday]

@michel038:

From ok_image_viewer's first post, his issue is (or maybe was...) to be able to open multiple images in a file list, whereas as I posted in response the browser file list option would seem to at present only support loading files to the browser.

Perhaps ok_image_viewer can update and clarify the support he currently needs?

[ok_image_viewer]

@cday,
I used the question of how to format the text file because it is an immediate thing that I would like to try out. I had assumed it would be either XML or JSON, but it seems to be more like plain text with specific headers that tell the application what to do.

However, the context/longer term goal is that I want to orient myself to the application in general.

Essentially I’m looking for the equivalent of the man pages in Linux, but for the application. I am under the impression from your first reply on my topic that it is a work in progress.

Hope that clarifies, but I am open to any questions if that just muddies the proverbial waters.