Problem selecting new files

[AndyML]

There is a problem on my Windows 11 system (with XYPlorer 28.10.0200) in selecting a new file that appears in a folder - eg when creating a new Word document, or creating a PDF from another program. This is something I do multiple times each day and the new file appears correctly in the folder as seen in XYPlorer but when I click on it to select it then another file all together is selected.

For example:
* I have the Downloads folder in one panel - sorted in descending modified date order
* I then create a new file in that folder (eg by selecting file and then COPY and then PASTE to create a new duplicate copy). This new file is at the top of the list
* I double click the file to load it (usually it is a Word document)
* However, what is loaded is not the file that I selected. It looks like it has selected a file based on a different sorting order. When I have selected the descending date order (which is my default) then I often see the files first sorted by name and then re-sorted by date - I'm not sure why the files are sorted twice, although this does happen more generally.

Is anyone else having the same problem? it is consistent and repeatable on my system with new files. I've tried editing different settings in case they are causing the issue but no change.

Any help appreciated. Thanks, Andy

[admin]

Can anyone produce this? I can't.

[Philip09621]

I’ve noticed something similar occasionally, especially on network drives or very large folders. It feels like the UI is 'painting' the file in one spot, but the internal index hasn't finished the resort yet, so your click registers on whatever was in that coordinate before.
Andy, does it still happen if you have 'Refresh list immediately after file operations' enabled in your settings? Sometimes forcing a manual refresh (F5) right after pasting 'cures' it, though obviously, that shouldn't be necessary!

[AndyML]

Hi Phillip. Thank you so much! That sounds similar... there is a 'repainting' going on and when I click on the file to select it then a different file is selected. Usually I double click to open the file which turns out to be the wrong file. I'm not sure why the UI needs to visually sort the folder twice... I would have expected only the final sort to be displayed.
I can't just see the option you mention although a "Jump to settings" search on refresh shows that I have them all enabled. I think F5 works but will double check over the next few days - as you say, it should not be necessary. Andy

[admin]

If you see three dots ("...") in the statusbar, the loading is not completed. In network locations, loading can be slower than normal if the network is slow. Sorting itself should be superfast always unless you list millions of files.

[daniel_m]

I have the same problem on my NVMe M.2 SSD. Sometimes, when creating or deleting a new file, XYplorer will redraw the list and display a different file where the deleted or created file is supposed to be or where the mouse cursor currently is. Worse, when another program is writing to the current folder, trying to select a file can make XYplorer select a completely different file due to the list redrawing.

I am still in the process of finding out how to replicate the bug. A fresh installation does not have that problem. But I am unsure whether this is because one of my setting causes the bug, or whether the bug is always present but only causes trouble when some settings results in a slower list refresh.

This is another one of those issues that are very difficult to replicate. But it has serious implications e.g. when a selected file is to be deleted, but the bug caused a different file to be selected, or multiple files in some cases. Quite often, I encounter a deletion dialogue asking if I want to "delete these 2 items", although I only selected one item.

[admin]

Okay, let me know the steps once you found them. Sometimes already a full window screenshot of the situation can help to spot the cause of the issue. BTW, I'm quite sure this is not general bug otherwise there would be countless reports about it.

[AndyML]

I wonder if it is to do with the number of files in a folder? I have about 1,200 files in my Downloads folder which is where I notice the problem - being the place I download or copy things before changing their names, perhaps editing, and then moving elsewhere. You suggest the sorting should be superfast but that is not my experience where there 600+ files. The Downloads folder is on OneDrive which might slow things down(?) although I've set OneDrive to always download files onto my local drive. I had also been using Norton Anti-Virus which I've now removed to see if this helps.

I can still replicate the problem and so have now copied most of the files in Downloads to an "Old Downloads" folder (which took longer than I expected to cut and paste) and will see if this improves things this week when I will have plenty of opportunity to check.
Andy

[admin]

1,200 files is nothing. But when they are all EXE files and you didn't exclude XY from your antivirus, then listing them can be a bit slow. Sorting, however, itself is never slow. But it can lead to a new subset being listed, and the speed of that depends on the number of files visible in your view port (which depends on the view mode, font size, screen size, etc), and again the combination of EXEs and AV can make that slower than normal.

[AndyML]

So the question is: why is XYplorer so slow to sort and display a folder on my computer as opposed to yours? I have excluded XYPlorer from Windows Defender (excluding both exe files).
XYplorer takes nearly 8 seconds to sort my "Old Downloads" folder of 5,200 files. It took just over a second for File Explorer to do the same. Both tried just after switching on my computer.
Is there an option to prevent me selecting a file until the sorting and display of folder contents is complete?

[admin]

Let me repeat what I said above: Sometimes already a full window screenshot of the situation can help to spot the cause of the issue.

[AndyML]

I didn't think they would help since the issue is related to time, but as attached.

[admin]

Thumbnails? What about 1:1 original size screenshots? The idea was to see stuff.

[AndyML]

You sound rather angry about all this. I am trying to be helpful and in this instance I passed the image through Word which I forgot edits images, so am trying again with just one image from after the sorting.

[admin]

I'm not angry at all.

Now your screenshot immediately reveals two notoriously slow columns. Unless you need them remove Status and Length and try again.