thumbnail mode: scroll position jumps to last viewed image after copying/moving

[boarder's paradise]

This behaviour can be considered a bug or a feature, but I find it quite annoying :

In thumbnail mode, the scroll position jumps back to the last viewed image when copying/moving an image. This is quite cumbersome (imagine you have lots of images and want to move/copy some of them into subfolders - or anywhere else for that matter - and you have to repeatedly search for the point where you have "been" previously ...).

I don't know if there really is someone who needs the current jump-back-behaviour, but if the behaviour is needed it could be kept as an option in "set thumbnails options..."

[Sjef]

Nothing wrong here.
It could be your tuning in Properties\Settings\Extensions. Try this: rename i_view32.ini to i_view32.old (in the folder where IrfanView is installed) and start IrfanView. Open e.g. a JPG file in a folder with more JPG files and hit the T on your keyboard. Select some JPG's and hit F8. Your problem should be solved. Of course it also must work on associated files, started from a filemanager or when IrfanView is started with the /thumbs switch.

[Mij]

There is what I consider to be a bug in thumbnails after you rename a file. The thumbnails scroll to the new image position, OK, but then whenever you move another image by dragging it to somewhere on the folder tree the thumbnails always scroll back to the position of that renamed file.

Is this what you are reporting, boarders paradise?

[Sjef]

No no, it's not the renamed file, but the file who is in the Viewer's buffer. Load another thumb in the Viewer and this is the file to jump to after moving thumbs to another place. Can be of use sometimes. (Renaming=Viewing)

[boarder's paradise]

I think you are confusing two pheomenons, guys.

1) what I actually reported in my OP

2) IV behaviour according to "properties/settings >> file handling >> miscellaneous >> Don't change directory index after file renaming"


Note, that in my OP, no file renaming occurs. So let's leave aside file renaming for this thread.

And yes, Sjef, what you say about the "viewer's buffer, that's more or less what I reported in my OP: The scroll position jumps back to the last viewed file (or to the position were it were, in case it was moved). It's all there in my OP.

[Mij]

Yes, I see that the behavior is exactly as you describe, Boarders Paradise. I assume that you now do too, Sjef?
That annoying scrolling back of the thumbnails is to the image that is being displayed in the Viewer image, and it happens after a file is moved out of thumbs by a drag and drop to the folder tree. It does not happen for a file copy or if the move is done using the F7 key.

I normally do file sorting by launching Thumbnails (without Viewer) using the command line /thumbs option and have "Don't change directory index after file renaming" unchecked. So I did not recognize the relationship between my problem and that of the OP, just the similar outcome.

With the Viewer window open I can now see that renaming a file within thumbnails does indeed cause that image to be displayed, and that is why I get the same annoying scroll back as you do, Boarders Paradise. So your phenomenon and mine are really one and the same, and I do support your feature request.

It seems somewhat bizarre that my thumbnail problem is being caused by opening a Viewer image that I did not ask for in a window that is not even being displayed. It is clear that thumbnails always plays second fiddle to the needs of the Viewer window even when that window is not visible.

[Sjef]

Open a folder in the tree, let's call this the motherfolder. Dubbleclick a thumb, somewhere in the middle of the rows (nr. 50/100). The image is shown in the viewer. Hit the Esc-key. Now click another folder in the tree and read the thumbs of that folder (maybe in case you want to control the folder where you earlier moved some thumbs to from the motherfolder). Then return to the motherfolder by clicking on it. You'll see IrfanView brings you to the place you left behind and you don't have to search for the place you were earlier.

If you should have removed the thumbnail from the motherfolder after you had viewed it, there is no 'reminding' and the scrollhandle at the right of the thumbnail's interface stays on top.
Like I said, it can be handy sometimes.

[Mij]

Thank you for your explanation Sjef. Since the OP seems to have moved on elsewhere perhaps he won't object if I reply. I do now understand how the image stored for the Viewer window acts as a kind of "bookmark" for Thumbnails and I see how that can prove useful. What we are asking for need not change that behavior in any way though.

After either the Move (using drag and drop) or the Rename thumbnail operations that have been described, the highlight clearly cannot stay where it was since that thumbnail has gone away. What we would like to see is the same behavior as follows a Move (using F7 key); i.e. the highlight just goes to the next thumbnail and not to the position that is bookmarked by the Viewer window.

That already seems to happen for Move (using drag and drop) if the bookmark is in a different folder to where the Move is taking place. It is only if it is in the same folder that the highlight jumps to the bookmark position. That is just confusing, and probably can be corrected.

Rename may be different because that operation appears to reset the Viewer window (and hence the bookmark) to wherever the renamed image has gone. Perhaps that is necessary for some reason. If it is, I can live with it because I now know that it does not apply if "Don't change directory index after file renaming" is set in the Options.

It would be so helpful if the current position of the Viewer window were always indicated by a dotted box around its file name in Thumbnails. I think something similar was previously requested in another thread for a totally different reason.

[Skippybox]

This problem seems solved so long as you don't view anything. If both viewing and file operations are necessary, it may prove better to use two instances instead.

I am unsure whether this jumping is a good or a bad feature. I can see how it can be helpful, yet disturbing. Therefore, it may be better to make an option out of it, rather than go one way or the other. I can see how you might want consistency with the Move commands, but you do give up something. After a move you may actually want to go back to your last viewed image, as you do when moving between folders. Maybe there is a reason behind the difference in Move actions, but if an option were created I would like to see both in sync for the respective option.

It would be so helpful if the current position of the Viewer window were always indicated by a dotted box around its file name in Thumbnails. I think something similar was previously requested in another thread for a totally different reason.

You may be thinking of this thread, Mij.

[Sjef]

I think we all must admit the Thumbs mode of IrfanView isn't yet terrific. On the other hand, that is what I like about IrfanView. A great (free) application with some pigheaded qualities. And think of it this way, you found a solution! View a file in another folder and Thumbs mode reacts the way you wish in the folder you're working in.

For another example of this 'behaviour' try this: select a thumb and hit F7. Hit the Esc-key. Hit F7 again. You see? Now select a thumb and hit F8. Hit Esc. Hit F8 again. Typical Irfan Skiljan!

I regrettably don't use the Thumbnails mode a lot to bring order in my graphics. I use thumbs just to take a quick peek into a folder, using pretty large thumbs (250x250) and the Stretch-option checked (no resampling). In the Viewer's Settings I've checked the option 'Add "Browse with IrfanView" for Drives and Folders to shell menu'. Ones a month I get thousands of new pictures and I (still) order them using FastStone Image Viewer 3.6 or ACDsee 2.44. The rest of the time it's IrfanView that rules my desktop...

[Skippybox]

I think we all must admit the Thumbs mode of IrfanView isn't yet terrific.
For another example of this 'behaviour' try this: select a thumb and hit F7. Hit the Esc-key. Hit F7 again. You see? Now select a thumb and hit F8. Hit Esc. Hit F8 again. Typical Irfan Skiljan!

I agree, it is ridiculous. Thumbnails is definitely a work in progress. Or could this be what Irfan refers to as, "IrfanView is trying to create new and/or interesting features in its own way"!

[Mij]

For another example of this 'behaviour' try this: select a thumb and hit F7. Hit the Esc-key. Hit F7 again. You see? Now select a thumb and hit F8. Hit Esc. Hit F8 again. Typical Irfan Skiljan!

It's all good fun isn't it? I am happy, although I get the impression that Boarder's Paradise may be a little harder to satisfy. In truth I no longer sort my files with Irfanview. Since moving to Vista I have got to quite like Windows Explorer (I wrote that faint so that Matera won't see it).

All the best, Mij

[Skippybox]

I am sure Boarder's Paradise is. I've never used IrfanView for sorting either, as alternatives like you mention Mij, are far better. I don't think matera will see it. In fact, it appears she hasn't been around since about the 18th...

[Sjef]

Well Mij, I think I would support Matera here. I sometimes move to Vista (and get back to XP a.s.a.p.) and I don't like the Explorer and this slow 'Photogallery' for one bit. First of course there's no Escape-key to stop, no Save as and no FullScreen (only in diashow and not 1:1). Often not all the thumbnails are shown in Explorer (some JPG's do, some don't in folders with many files). These are just some of my drawbacks. The redundant left taskbar maybe is nice for most people, but sertainly not for me. In general it's Picasa that's first comes to my mind when I try to view my photo's and pictures. But that's because I like it basic and simple. And that's where IrfanView comes in...

[Skippybox]

I've never tried Vista, but I'd have to admit that I'd probably still enjoy XP better. Quick, simple, yet still fairly advanced. Paired with IrfanView, it is a workable combination. It definitely makes up for anything missing from IV Thumbs. I have tried Media Player 11, which is Vista themed and I find it pretty and interesting, but I always want to go back to 10 for some reason.