Problem with Thumbnails and descript.ion

[BZee]

Using 6.61RC1 but problem started earlier.
When downloading posts in picture groups, some sets do not show in the thumbnail tab while others do show. Seems to be related to descript.ion also. The pictures that do not show thumbnails do not get the descript.ion annotation while pictures that show on the thumbnail tab do have the annotation.

[BZee]

Still have this problem with 6.61RC2

I guess I may be the only one who uses the thumbnail tab to sample photo series to see if they are worth downloading and who relies on descript.ion because many many photos have IMG-#### or DSC_#### as file names.

I can work around the thumbnail problem if they don't display by firing up ACDSEE and locating the sample to view it.
The descript.ion part is harder. I had to activate the "short filename" mode and set the length to the maximum (14). Appending the subject to the filename helps but often messes up sorting - especially if some filenames in a series are under 14 letters and some are over.

Don't spend much time on this problem but if it is easy to locate and fix it will be appreciated.

[Quade]

I guess I may be the only one who uses the thumbnail tab to sample photo series to see if they are worth downloading and who relies on descript.ion because many many photos have IMG-#### or DSC_#### as file names.

I sample. Never seen a missed thumbnail.

I do use the ImageDb though so that might be related. You know the image DB contains the full subject for the images so even if the names are the same you can still sort on subject. Just something to consider. You can export the images from the image DB in a block too.

I'll try turning the ImageDb off and see what I see. Basically every image I download only goes to the ImageDB, then I use the image DB tab to sort and export the images to specific folders or different image DB files.

[BZee]

I tried the image DB but it has been quite awhile and I don't remember why I decided not to use it. I think it probably was because I sometimes use Flexible Renamer and/or ACDSee to clean up the filename or to incorporate into the filename info contained only in the descript.ion. I'll experiment with the DB again over the next week or so.

[Quade]

I'm thinking if you export to a unique folder from the ImageDB it would be easier to rename related files. For most people, I consider the ImageDB to be just a temporary stopping point for the files till you decide where to put them.

You can tell Newsbin to just save to the ImageDB or to save to both disk and image DB.

[BZee]

I testing. I only DL every 3 to 5 days so will take awhile to see if the database is useful for me. I had some weird problems DLing yesterday, but It was likely my doing. During testing I'm using the database and DLing to individual files (to a different drive). I carelessly put more into the download list than I had room for on the drive for individual files and had to pause Newsbin for some cleanup.

[BZee]

Tried using the db and saving individual images at the same time - didn't work. I found that "Save Image: Only save image to DB" had to be checked to save both. Because of the comment "Only save image to DB" I was expecting that checking it would only use the db.

[Quade]

Yeah, "Only Save" should only save it to the DB with not image files in disk. It's the mode I use.

Ah I get it. The wording is incorrect.

I turned off the image DB and tried some downloads. Not missing any files. How many files are already in the folder? Wondering if it needs to be cleaned out.

[BZee]

Yeah, "Only Save" should only save it to the DB with not image files in disk. It's the mode I use.

Sounds like you check the box to get DB only. I have to check it to get both the DB and individual files.

I start with an empty folder each time as I have deleted/sorted all the pics. I'll troubleshoot over the next few sessions - moving out various DL.db3 files, older .nbi, etc

[Quade]

I'm not really getting a sense for how the problem manifests. You download X images files and some number don't show up and don't appear in the failed list?

[BZee]

Using 6.61RC1 but problem started earlier.
When downloading posts in picture groups, some sets do not show in the thumbnail tab while others do show. Seems to be related to descript.ion also. The pictures that do not show thumbnails do not get the descript.ion annotation while pictures that show on the thumbnail tab do have the annotation.

I select say 6 out of maybe 50 posts in a series and DL. Then I look at the thumbnail tab and decide whether or not to download the rest of the series. For some series the thumbnail tab remains blank (or still shows the thumbnails from a earlier series I sampled). When this happens, I have to use ACDSee and look at the actual download pictures to decide. I also have Newsbin put the subject field into the field description. For the series that do not show up in the thumbnail tab the descript.ion notation is missing. The decript.ion notation is there for posts that do show in the thumbnail tab.

[Quade]

I have to use ACDSee and look at the actual download pictures to decide.

Ok, so they're on disk but not in the thumbs. That's less critical than not appearing on disk.

The way thumbs work, Newsbin saves the file, then tells the thumbs to display it from disk. It sounds like something prevents Newsbin from reading the file from disk. The descript.ion file gets written before the file is closed but Newsbin has to be able to read/write the file so, again it acts like something is preventing Newsbin from accessing the descript.ion file. As an experiment you might tell your firewall/virus scanner to ignore the download folders and see if that changes the symptoms. Only one thread talks to the descript.ion file so it's not like there's thread contention. If you have that file open in a way that prevents Newsbin from writing to it, that might cause issues too.

[BZee]

Running Windows 10 Pro without any extra firewall/antivirus. Some series show thumbnails and descriptions just prior or after. Anyway I'm looking hard at using the DB. One minor issue: I know the DB area is fixed to allow for display of the thumbnail but longer subjects don't fully display even using the horizontal scroll bar. I have to hover over them until the (tool tip?) pops up. Not very convenient when trying to find a range of entries to export to a folder.

[Quade]

I have to hover over them until the (tool tip?) pops up. Not very convenient when trying to find a range of entries to export to a folder.

Two things that helps there:

1 - You can column sort on the subject field or filename to group the files.

2 - You can put some partial word in the find box and hit the find button to only show matching files.

[BZee]

Column sort I have done. I'll try the "find"

[BZee]

I'm going to discontinue using the image database. Sampling of images is much simpler using the thumbnail tab.

I've started troubleshooting to find the version at which the problem of intermittent thumbnails started. Newsbin 6.60RC2 and before display all thumbnails. Newsbin 6.60 Final and later have intermittent thumbnails. I think I accidentally discovered the trigger that causes the missing thumbnails. I'll do some more testing and then get back to you.

[BZee]

I think I accidentally discovered the trigger that causes the missing thumbnails. I'll do some more testing and then get back to you.

Tested Newsbin 6.60RC3 (no problems) and 6.60RC4 (intermittent thumbnails) so the problem started with 6.60RC4

When "Short Filename Mode" is triggered and the subject is appended to the filename, the thumbnail is not displayed and the file is saved to disk without an entry for that file in the descript.ion file. Note: If this file is then downloaded again (while the original is still on the disk) the thumbnail is now displayed and the descript.ion entry is made for the second copy.

[Quade]

Ok that kinda makes sense. I imagine the rename is causing it to lose track of the file.

I'll have to check it out. Thanks.

[webstra]

I am running V6.62 and this problem is still occurring. When I use Short Filename Mode and the file is renamed to include the subject, the thumbnail is not displayed for that file even though the file exists. Is a fix for this planned? Also, while we are on this subject, why is the Short Filename character length limited to 14 characters? Sometimes I would prefer that ALL files include the subject since it has more information than what is included in the filename. It would be nice to have an option for any character length.