File name mix-up

[deDeurs]

I work with XP/Firefox and make extensive use of images. I have a map from which I rework and upload images, but often there are a lot of pictures stored there, depending on what article series I'm working on.
I scan them with the option 'show miniatures'. Now the last few months it happens regularly that the thumbs all of a sudden correspond no longer with the file names underneath. When I open a thumb, the viewer shows the wrong picture. So far I corrected things by saving a jpg again, and adding a number or a letter to the original filename, after which I delete the faulty one. With so many images it often keeps me busy for at least half an hour, bugger it. Is there a quicker way to undo this odd mix-up?

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

I have never come across this problem.

Have you tried refreshing the thumbnail window with the F5 shortcut? Are you saving new files in that folder while the thumbnail view is open?

[deDeurs]

Not sure if I understand what you mean Bhikkhu. I know that Irfanview offers this option 'thumbnails', but I don't use it. I simply use Windows maps in my directory, and the opening of the map is always set at 'miniatures display', which means that all files are presented as open thumbs. I prefer this option, it makes searching for a specific image so much faster, as I don't want to bother myself with filenames, or having to remember filenames.
But the mix-up only occurs in this specific map with active jpg's. I open the map almost daily, so maybe all this activity is screwing up data...

It might be a Windows hitch. The only solution I found sofar, is making a whole new map, and keep the active images in that map to a minimum, to avoid re-saving and re-naming too many jpg's. But what I just want, is these files to stop switching names & image presentation every few weeks...

[deDeurs]

Well, by now I'm quite sure it's an Irfanview glitz.
Someone adviced me to install I-plugins (huh? I thought I had done so), but after I did things went really wrong. Recent img's didn't open (black viewerspace and 'unknown file format or file not found'), and files could be dragged to other maps no longer. Horror!
So I de-installed Irfan, reverting to the standard Windows media viewer and saw that the mix-up was gone. I'll install Irfan again, and that's what I'll do if the effect returns. Refreshing the install is not too much trouble, I like the I-tool and I'm used to it.

[deDeurs]

Sigh. Sorry for bothering you again, but after re-installing Irfanview I have a mess on my hands. Downloads, changes in file names, deletions; they don't show right away as they used to. I have to close off my directory and reopen it, and only then the changes or downloaded images are there.

I have no idea if this is a Windows or Irfanview failure. When I try to namechange or delete a submap, like 'Animals 1', the same thing happens. That is, nothing seems to happen. Only after closing/reopening the directory, the changes become visible. I tried in Map Options 'open each map in separate window', but it doesn't help, and everything worked fine without this option anyway.

I noticed, and this may the crux, that when I download an image from the web, the window for saving gives me an option I'm not used to: ''Save as type: Irfanview JPG File' and in the tab there is only 1 alternative: 'All Files'. But when I choose All Files, the first option jumps back with the next download save! So there seems to be a configuration amiss, but I can't find which one.

All this occured after I downloaded plug-ins. Which was unnecessary, as the common install has all the plug-in features I need, as I discovered through your FAQ. Nevertheless, an uninstall of Irfanview didn't wipe the slate, some bug keeps hanging on. Some configuration amiss? But which one and where?

[matera]

It sounds like Windows trouble to me. You seem to be looking at files in Windows Explorer, which is not affected by IrfanView except to reflect changes in file association (icons, etc.). The files you are saving from the Web -- why would you want the "all files" option if they are JPGs? If you are getting them through the web browser, it simply identifies them by the file extension that they are given and tries to do its honest best to save them. It may not always be right...

The images that can't be opened may not be images, but files of other types that were given the wrong extension when they were downloaded. Sometimes there is misunderstanding between a web browser and a server, and a HTML or PHP file is handed over with the name of something else. If you drag one of these misnamed files into a text editor, it will show its true nature.

Do you clean up temporary files and do other computer "grooming" regularly?

[deDeurs]

Problem solved...

Well, obviously a shutdown/restart of the pc was needed to shake tools into good behaviour, as today everything works just fine again...
And yes, the download tab now shows this saving option 'JPG, JPEG', plus the usual long list of all other extension choices, and that's what went missing yesterday. So that must have been the culprit.

Thanks for thinking along!

[matera]

LOL -- I always say, "When in doubt, reboot!"