INI file and user changes

[cicciobello]

Over time I have added several custom entries to the INI file, and with each new release I insert my INI file from the previous release (always portable version) into the MP directory

In case of MP malfunction, the quickest solution is to delete the INI file. In this case I lose all my changes.
The problem is that it's hard to find all the custom entries I've entered. Aside from backups (I have a NAS with versioning), I tried comparing files line by line. It can be done, but it is tedious, time-consuming work and I always risk forgetting some changes.

I think it could be useful to have a system to extract from the working INI file all the entries entered by the user and save them in a file, in case of problems during a clean reinstallation.

Perhaps, in addition to user changes, also the settings made which are different from the default (clean) options. But perhaps this last thing is too complex.

Some example entries:
useFileDateWhenNoExif=1
gpsProvider=osm
maxCharsFilename=nn
useVideoInfo=true
[...]

[jkm]

In case of MP malfunction, the quickest solution is to delete the INI file.

I suspect this is more of "I made a change I don't like but I'm not sure what I did or how to undo it" as opposed to an app malfunction. I've never had to trash my ini file for that reason, except for diagnostic purposes when I wanted to check default behaviors.

Since the whole point of the "hidden" settings is to make it easy on Pierre to enable certain options without GUI changes, I doubt there will be automation for this. There would be no convenient way to "extract" user modifications to the INI file. The only prudent way would be to have a separate "user.ini" file that is overrides any settings in "xnview.ini". That way, the user.ini file could be preserved intact. Perhaps that could be done.

But I can make a couple of suggestions that might help you.

1. When you enter your changes into the INI file, also enter them into a personal log file you keep. That file will just have copies of your custom directives, and nothing else, making them easy to identify.

2. For comparing files, use a good file comparator, like WinMerge: https://winmerge.org/
It will highlight any changes or deletions, and even deals with sections that are otherwise identical but out of order. It also gives a graphical overview of differences between the files.

Hopefully this helps... Good luck.

[cicciobello]

I suspect this is more of "I made a change I don't like but I'm not sure what I did or how to undo it" as opposed to an app malfunction. I've never had to trash my ini file for that reason, except for diagnostic purposes when I wanted to check default behaviors.

If I made the change, I know what change I made.
I was referring to the general user. In my case, however, it could be a "quick" way to isolate all the entries that I have modified.

There would be no convenient way to "extract" user modifications to the INI file.

I was specifically referring only to the items that cannot be changed from the interface.

The only prudent way would be to have a separate "user.ini" file that is overrides any settings in "xnview.ini".

This is a really great, great idea (Pierre?). A "user.ini" file whose settings overrides any eventually same entries in the main ini file.

1. When you enter your changes into the INI file, also enter them into a personal log file you keep.

I already have some files like this, with descriptions of each change. I remember only one time, when switching from one release to another, when I had a problem. I finally managed to identify the affected entry by comparing the various INIs, but I know that the basic user doesn't even know what this means.
But every now and then I read about problems that need to be solved by deleting the INI file. Separating any custom entries might help. Or, much better, using a "user.ini" file would be great.

However, this is certainly not a priority. But the idea of ​​a "user.ini" is really interesting.

[jkm]

If I made the change, I know what change I made.
I was referring to the general user. In my case, however, it could be a "quick" way to isolate all the entries that I have modified.

As well you should! When you said "I lose all my changes" it made it sound like you were talking about yourself. A lot of users accidentally change things in the interface, don't know what they did, and delete the ini file to get back to defaults. That what's your story sounded like...

The only prudent way would be to have a separate "user.ini" file that is overrides any settings in "xnview.ini".

This is a really great, great idea (Pierre?). A "user.ini" file whose settings overrides any eventually same entries in the main ini file.
...
But every now and then I read about problems that need to be solved by deleting the INI file. Separating any custom entries might help. Or, much better, using a "user.ini" file would be great.

However, this is certainly not a priority. But the idea of ​​a "user.ini" is really interesting.

We will see... Thanks for your post; if not for that I wouldn't have thought about it...

[cicciobello]

A lot of users accidentally change things in the interface, don't know what they did, and delete the ini file to get back to defaults.

For more than 15 years I have been a computer technician for companies and private users (a long time ago). I could write books about this.
My idea regarding the extraction of "undocumented" entries was to allow the "simple" user to isolate changes made just because he found a suggestion in some forum somewhere.

However (again) the idea of having a "user.ini" file is very, very interesting. Linear idea and certainly more easily implementable.
Why didn't I think of that? :-/