default settings lead to contradictory behaviour.
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 7:29 am
This post relates to several settings whose default values do not make sense to me, and lead to erratic behaviour in some cases where the same images are accessed/manipulated by more than one program,or by xnview with multiple database instances (running on more than one PC or with multiple users).
I refer to:
Saving XMP ratings and Colour
I can understand many users not wanting to write extra XMP details to a file, even though my personal preference is for as much metadata as possible to be within in the file, especially if it can be understood by other programs.
A compromise would be to have a third option, which is to not create new XMP entries, but always synchronize existing values. This would be a better default as it would avoid the potential for creating conflicting values.
File modification date/time
This has me baffled - I cannot think of any reason why the current default would be useful. The default says "make the file modification time not the file modification time". I have various file backup and synchronisation operations that rely on the assumption that the file modification time is what it says. Xnview itself relies on this for database updating.
OK, so you can probably guess that I would like the default option to be reversed.
If the current default is to be retained then is it possible to have a reminder prompt during system initialisation? In fact there are several options that could do with maybe being put on a second setup window as they can have major influence on the future operation.
Confusing options for File modification date/time
Irrespective of the default setting on the main settings menu, I have so far found three places saying something like "Keep original date/time for saving":
I suggest that all options relating to tinkering with file modification time be placed on the same page under general-> file operations. I think these options are something users would not want to change repeatedly and so they do not need to be in the other locations.
I refer to:
- file modification date is not set correctly: Settings->general->file operations "Keep original date/time for saving"
- file modification date is still not set correctly: rotation, or edit IPTC/XMP: same setting , different context.
- Settings->Metadata->IPTX&XMP-> "Export Rating/color in XMP metadata"
- by default xnview will import ratings and colours but not export any changes, even if it knows the value in the file is in conflict with the db value. I can have a screen of XnviewMP showing both values at the same time in different windows.
- xnview detects changes to file modification date as an indication to reread metadata from a file, but if it makes changes to a file, it does not adjust the file modification date to indicate this to other programs.
- Xnview reads an image with an embedded rating; user changes rating using xnview; user changes some other metadata in another program, which updates file mod time; xnview rereads file and restores old rating
- Xnview running on systems A and B read an image and save metadata to respective dbs; xnview A updates some data, and modifies file; system B does not see a file change and so does not reread the file to update its db.
Saving XMP ratings and Colour
I can understand many users not wanting to write extra XMP details to a file, even though my personal preference is for as much metadata as possible to be within in the file, especially if it can be understood by other programs.
A compromise would be to have a third option, which is to not create new XMP entries, but always synchronize existing values. This would be a better default as it would avoid the potential for creating conflicting values.
File modification date/time
This has me baffled - I cannot think of any reason why the current default would be useful. The default says "make the file modification time not the file modification time". I have various file backup and synchronisation operations that rely on the assumption that the file modification time is what it says. Xnview itself relies on this for database updating.
OK, so you can probably guess that I would like the default option to be reversed.
If the current default is to be retained then is it possible to have a reminder prompt during system initialisation? In fact there are several options that could do with maybe being put on a second setup window as they can have major influence on the future operation.
Confusing options for File modification date/time
Irrespective of the default setting on the main settings menu, I have so far found three places saying something like "Keep original date/time for saving":
- settings->general ->file operations
- settings->Browser->misc->rotation
- edit IPTC window
I suggest that all options relating to tinkering with file modification time be placed on the same page under general-> file operations. I think these options are something users would not want to change repeatedly and so they do not need to be in the other locations.