Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

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myrnalarson
Posts: 68
Joined: 29 Apr 2011 16:46

Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by myrnalarson »

I just spent more than an hour looking for a file that I had renamed. Much of the renaming involved swapping 2 file names and/or Batch renaming.

Because I had renamed multiple files, I was viewing thumbnails rather than file names. The file was not in the original folder. I searched other folders, in case I had moved it by mistake. I checked the Recycle bin in case I deleted it by mistake.

The problem turned out to be that the thumbnail cache had not been updated after I renamed the file, and I was seeing an icon for a file that I actually HAD deleted yesterday. Thank heavens I didn't delete 'it' again.

Once I refreshed the thumbnails, I 'found' my file. This has happened multiple times in the past -- a file is 'gone' until I refresh thumbnails.

Is there a setting I'm missing that will force XYP to refresh thumbnails after renaming and name-swapping operations?

klownboy
Posts: 4109
Joined: 28 Feb 2012 19:27

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by klownboy »

A number of settings could affect your situation...

Was all your file renaming accomplished within XYplorer or was it done outside?

Do you have auto refresh on?

Do you have "Show cached thumbnails only" checked in Configuration | Thumbnails?

Is "Create all thumbnails at once" checked in Configuration | Thumbnails?

Are you showing filenames in thumbnail views (i.e., is "Show Captions" off in Configuration | Thumbnails)?

I tested renaming outside of a thumbnail view (e.g., detail view) and then returned to a thumbnail view and the files/thumbs appeared renamed. And of course renaming the files in thumbnail view also updates the thumbnails immediately (with auto refresh).
Windows 11, 22H2 Build 22621.1555 at 100% 2560x1440

myrnalarson
Posts: 68
Joined: 29 Apr 2011 16:46

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by myrnalarson »

Thanks for your help!

All renaming was done within XYP*
Autorefresh is ON, as is 'Refresh during file operations'

The thumbnail settings you asked about are shown in the attachment.

For you, a thumbnail was updated immediately after the file was renamed. That's usually the case for me, too, but not always. That's the problem I'm trying to describe. It has happened enough times that I've created keyboard shortcuts to refresh the cache.

I'm working with a folder of several hundred images, typically categorizing them by renaming followed by a number, etc. I don't want to have to go switch between list and thumbnail views to do this. Looking at them has to do with how to rename them.

* I use Windows Explorer only occasionally. One such occasion relates to the shell menu. There's an entry for the utility, mp3tag. It doesn't work from XYP, and it does work from Windows Explorer. But that's a problem for another day.
Attachments
Thumbnails settings.jpg
Thumbnails settings.jpg (101.09 KiB) Viewed 2257 times

klownboy
Posts: 4109
Joined: 28 Feb 2012 19:27

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by klownboy »

My settings for the most part align with yours, but I have "Create all thumbnails at once" checked and I don't have the dimensions displayed on the thumbnails. Seems unlikely that those settings may be affecting your renaming, but you might test it. Unless the renaming for some files is out of the display view for the corresponding thumbnail view so the new thumbs may not be generated unless "Create all at Once" is checked - I'm guessing here but who knows. I name swapped a few times in one view and returned to thumbnail view and all was fine (for me).
Windows 11, 22H2 Build 22621.1555 at 100% 2560x1440

myrnalarson
Posts: 68
Joined: 29 Apr 2011 16:46

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by myrnalarson »

I've tried the 'all at once' option, but with 400-500 files in the folder, it was too slow.

I just thought of another possible cause: when I swap file names, I usually use a custom script (that was written for me by one of the other users here). Here's an example of the problem solved by the script.

I have 2 files: first file is John.jpg, and second is Peter.psd. But I've got the 2 guys turned around, and I need to fix that.

A 'standard' swap function won't work because it will swap the everything -- filename and extension. The extension is critical. Photoshop will refuse to open the renamed files if the extension doesn't match the file type that's embedded in the file itself.

The script retains the original extensions and swaps just the base names, i.e. John.jpg becomes Peter.jpg, and Peter.psd becomes John.psd.

That may be what's causing problems with refreshing the thumbnails.

The other snag is that this doesn't happen every time. That means, if it's a bug, it's really hard to track down. Also, batch renaming, rather than just 2 files, may be part of it.

PeterH
Posts: 2776
Joined: 21 Nov 2005 20:39
Location: Germany

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by PeterH »

Dom't know what the script *exactly* does. So a bit of guessing...

If it works just like you said, after the first rename there are
John.psd (not touched yet), and
John.jpg (just renamed).
Both should hve a thumb, but with the same name (like John.thumb)? This would be a problem.
W7(x64) SP1 German
( +WXP SP3 )

klownboy
Posts: 4109
Joined: 28 Feb 2012 19:27

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by klownboy »

I did a little searching under myrnalarson and came up with a highend script here viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6862&p=62604#p62605. It's over 8 years old. I didn't go over the script in detail but it looks like there would be newer and easier ways to accomplish parts of the script using SC gpc and exist etc. since XYplorer scripting has evolved substantially over that time. It does look like the script is renaming the first file to a temporary filename to accommodate the cases where the extensions are the same.
Windows 11, 22H2 Build 22621.1555 at 100% 2560x1440

klownboy
Posts: 4109
Joined: 28 Feb 2012 19:27

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by klownboy »

It actually wouldn't be a bad idea if Don made another swap filename function that left the extensions alone. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6862&p=62604#p63037 It would seem that leaving the extension alone would be a wiser option to take in most cases.

I'm always swapping filenames but never new this swap option existed 8) . I'll use it now. Though it may be better just swapping the base name.
Windows 11, 22H2 Build 22621.1555 at 100% 2560x1440

admin
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Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by admin »

1. The Swap Name function auto-updates the thumbs database as it should. I see no bug there.

2. Swap only the bases? Yes, might make sense in theory. But I won't change the current function and shock user habits. And the need to just change the bases never appeared to me in real life.

myrnalarson
Posts: 68
Joined: 29 Apr 2011 16:46

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by myrnalarson »

Yes, that's the script I've been using. I hadn't realized it's been 8 years. How time flies! And I've been using XYP for even longer.

Admin commented that "the need to just change the bases never appeared to me in real life". He must be referring to just the words "need" and "real life". The idea must have appeared in theory, since the Rename options include "Exclude extension on rename". What about another Rename option for swapping names, "Exclude extension on swap", so that Rename and Swap work the same way? The 'pieces' are probably there in the rename routines.
Last edited by myrnalarson on 22 Sep 2019 19:22, edited 3 times in total.

admin
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Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by admin »

"the need to just change the bases never appeared to me in real life." -- I meant when swapping names.

Are you still saying there is a bug? Or has this changed to a wish?

myrnalarson
Posts: 68
Joined: 29 Apr 2011 16:46

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by myrnalarson »

I guess, both a wish and a bug. I perceive it as a bug, given all the warnings you receive from Windows, like

"Are you sure you want to change the extension? Certain functions may not work if you do that.", etc.

The base name, set by the user, doesn't 'mean' anything to the operating system other than selecting the right file. OTOH, the extension, via the "File Association" list, tells the operating system how to open the file, so the user isn't required to use the "Open with..." option. And, as I said, Photoshop won't open a file that has the wrong extension. It's image files that are normally involved in my file name swapping.

Remember, the 'bug' I asked about has to do with the thumbnail cache not being updated, not renaming. I just suggested the latter as a possible cause of the former. :)
Last edited by myrnalarson on 22 Sep 2019 19:42, edited 1 time in total.

klownboy
Posts: 4109
Joined: 28 Feb 2012 19:27

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by klownboy »

I believe myrnalarson is making it a wish, "Swap Names (exclude extension)" or "Swap basename only". That's what I was getting at anyway.
Windows 11, 22H2 Build 22621.1555 at 100% 2560x1440

myrnalarson
Posts: 68
Joined: 29 Apr 2011 16:46

Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by myrnalarson »

To clarify, I guess Admin never expected that a user would try to swap names of two files with different extensions.

I wrote a program that was used by more than 100 blood testing laboratories around the world. I had lots of experience with users doing the unexpected. And it seems I do the same thing. :lol:

admin
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Re: Thumbnails not updated after file is renamed

Post by admin »

OK, but I still think this is a very rare use? Or am I wrong. Does it merit a menu command? I mean it could be scripted as well...

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