XnView Software

I am starting to get more proficient with some aspects of XnView MP (macOS), but I am confused on how the most efficient way is to create a catalog of tagged photos. I found the “settings -Catalog-import Folder” and “imported” about 48k of files from multiple folders / sub-folders. After process ended, there were no categories listed and the XnView catalog folder was basically empty. So what does this feature intend to do?

If I click on each folder in Folders list, and then “select All” photos inside the folder, I see a progress bar and all categories become listed. If I click on”select all “ and then “update catalog from files”, there is another progress bar. Is that doing the same thing?

If I want to add photos from a directory tree and subfolders, can this be done in one action rather than having to select each subfolder? I am not wanting the copy the actual files, but simply the metadata to create a catalog with files remaining in place.

I have scanned the forum and not hit this issue on point. Also, a LOT of “”solutions” in the forum are outdated since the software / menus have changed.

This is probably simple, but I have had no luck finding an explanation.

Thanks….gary

Catalog is filled when you browse your folders. Perhaps it's an album that you want to create?

Not looking to create a catalog. I know that browsing folders add the metadata to catalog, and appears to be creating thumbnails at same time. It takes longer than “add metadata from files”. Does that also populate the catalog, but without generating thumbnails? Also, I have found no way to “Browse” the entire folder structure at one pass, meaning get all folders and su folders without having to browse each separately to fill the catalog. Is that possible?

Also, what does “Settings -Catalog-Import Folder” do? When I do that, it does allow sub folders, but I don’t see any results afterwards.

Merci beaucoup!

Gary

"Settings, Catalog, Import folders" should work...
Be sure that import options are enabled in Settings Metadata.

But sometimes, old entries can stay in the table shown in Settings, Catalog and perhaps can block importation ?

Yes, I think that works. I tried it again and do see that catalog receives the metadata from the files.

Merci….gary