If editing the hardlink A in the folder A to a picture on which points another hardlink B in the folder B, thereafter the hardlink A is destroyed, i. e. changes made with the hardlink A did not change the picture where the hardlink B points on. Thus in addition the picture was duplicated using double space: now exists two copies of the file, one in the folder A, one in the folder B.
In my opinion it would be better if XnView would preserve hardlinks in any case.
XnView deletes hardlinks
Moderators: XnTriq, helmut, xnview