Question to ExifTool could not be loaded

[herb]

Hello Frank

I use ExifToolGUI 6.3.4 the latest released version.

In a directory I have some files with "unusual" filenames (similar to image.jpg_original):
e.g.: image.jpg_1234

Exiftool is working properly.
But when I right-click into the empty area inside the filelist the popup "Exiftool could not be started" is displayed.
Is this the correct behaviour?

When I have only files with "standard" filenames inside the directory, and right-clicking after the latest filename in filelist
a refresh of the list is done.
Is this the correct behaviour?

Thanks in advance
Best regards
herb

[FrankB]

Hi Herb,

I could simply answer NO to your questions. But I imagine you want more detail.

- You distinguish standard and unusual filenames. I have never noticed any difference. Could you give some examples? (If you're concerned about privacy, send me a PM)

- What happens if you right-click is that ExifTool is stopped, then the chosen ation is performed, and after completion exiftool is restarted. Some operations, like delete and rename , will fail when exiftool is stil running. Especially when the operation is performed on a whole directory.
If restarting ExifTool fails, that explains the error.

- Exiftool is always started with the 'Working directory' the selected directory. I do know that some directories can not be used as a working directory. (So the directory name would be unusual not the file name) See screenshot.

- Looking at the code I did notice an improvement that could be made.
When you right-click inside the empty area, the control de-selects all previously selected files. (The control does that) But in my code I do not check if any file is selected. Some code is executed needlessly, including restarting ExifTool.

Frank

[herb]

Hello Frank

try to play with the attached image.

I started ExifToolGUI 6.3.4 to open the directory with this image.
Then right-click into the empty area of the file-list.

Best regards
herb

[FrankB]

Thanks for your sample Herb.

I can not reproduce it. It just refreshes when I right click. I saved the file in c:\foto\herb.

Do you get the message like I posted earlier? If yes, I can send you a modified exe, that will show a callstack. That might help me.

Frank

[herb]

Hello Frank,

thanks for your investigations. This behaviour is really strange.
But you are right it does not always happen.

Using the following directory tree I could reproduce it. I give the tree as it is shown in left window of ExifToolGUI.
- F:\problem
- F:\problem\test1\image.jpg_12345
- F:\problem\test2\image.jpg_12345    (identical file as in test1)
- F:\problem\something.ZIP

Only the right click in test2 shows the popup message.

I hope this helps. Otherwise please send me your "trace-version".

Best regards
herb

[FrankB]

If I would have to place a bet, I would bet on the ZIP file. The controls used (Treeview with folders on the left, and the ListView with folders/files in the middle) consider a ZIP file as a directory. And GUI tries to start ExifTool with that ZIP file as the working directory.

Please try with renaming the ZIP file to something else (NO_ZIP) and see if that makes a difference. If that seems unrelated let me know, I will send you a 'Debug version'

Frank

[herb]

Hello Frank,

yes you are right: it happens only when the "next directory" in treeview is a *.zip file/directory.
This I tried to explain when I listed the content of my test-directory.

Best regards
herb

[FrankB]

Hi Herb,

Created a fix for this. Check your PM for download link.

Frank

[kevincalori]

It seems that ExifToolGUI might have trouble handling filenames like image.jpg_1234. The error "Exiftool could not be started" when right-clicking in an empty area with such filenames isn't expected behavior, although ExifTool itself works fine with them.

When using standard filenames, the list refresh upon right-clicking is normal behavior to update file metadata.

[FrankB]

Hi Kevin,

The error that occured after right clicking in the empty area has been fixed. It will be in the next release 6.3.5.

GUI has no problems with *.jpg_1234 files, but has been observed that zip archives can lead to simular messages.

If you want I can send you a PM with a download link for the pre-release.

Frank