Default Startup Folder

[Sean Nelson]

I've just upgraded from TPV7 to V9.  I installed TP using the "separate settings for each user" option.

I have several directory trees full of images that each have their own TP database in the topmost folder of the tree (which is not the root of the disk).  Under TP7, when I double-click the ".TD4" database file to open it, the TP window opens with the database folder highlighted (i.e., the topmost folder of my directory tree).

Under TP9, I can't find a way to do this - when I double-click on the ".TPDB8" file it seems that it always tries to open whatever folder was open the last time TP ran or, if I set the Preferences -> Startup -> Initial Folder -> Specific Folder option, that folder is always used no matter what database I open (i.e., that preference is stored as a per-user setting rather than a per-database setting).

Is there a way to have TP open so that it defaults to the same folder that the database is in, or so that it defaults to the Windows default folder for the process, or to configure the startup folder on a per-database basis?

Thanks!

[Daan van Rooijen]

> Under TP9, I can't find a way to do this - when I double-click on the ".TPDB8" file it seems that it always tries to open whatever folder was open the last time TP ran or, if I set the Preferences -> Startup -> Initial Folder -> Specific Folder option, that folder is always used no matter what database I open (i.e., that preference is stored as a per-user setting rather than a per-database setting).

Yep, that's correct. TP9 doesn't have a database-specific default folder to start in anymore (because it no longer stores parts of its settings in a database-specific .tdo file - there's only thumbs9.ini now).

> Is there a way to have TP open so that it defaults to the same folder that the database is in, or so that it defaults to the Windows default folder for the process, or to configure the startup folder on a per-database basis?

Alas: No, no and no.

You can specify a database on the command line though, and so, you could create separate shortcuts (desktop icons) that each launch TP with a different database.

However, to change the default startup folder, you'd have to edit the thumbs9.ini file before TP9 is launched. Perhaps you could write batchfiles that use a utility like [link=http://www.horstmuc.de/wbat32.htm#inifile]IniFile[/link] to do that automatically for you. The entry to change is StartupFolder= in the [Startup] section.

Combine the above suggestions and you could have a few different shortcuts (to the batchfiles) on your desktop that each launch a different database and that make TP9 start in the desired folder.

If that's too complicated, another way to quickly navigate to certain folders is to make them 'favorites' in ThumbsPlus. Use Ctrl-R to add a folder to your favorites, Ctrl-Shft-R to edit the favorites, and Tree | Go To to navigate to a favorite folder (or click the big yellow Star icon above the tree panel).

I hope this helps.

[Sean Nelson]

Thanks for the quick response, and in the middle of the Easter long weekend no less!

Too bad about the loss of that functionality, I found it quite useful.

Your suggestion of modifying the INI file via a script should work.   I can create a PowerShell script that will modify the INI file based on the default Windows folder and then either put shortcuts to the script in my image folders or perhaps change the '.TPDB8' file association to point to the script instead.

Can I assume that the INI file is only read once at startup?   So for example if I modify the INI one way and open a database, and then modify the INI to point to a different folder and open a second database then the two won't work at cross purposes?

Of course I expect that if I make a preference change the copy I make it from will re-save it's version of the INI info back into the file.

[Daan van Rooijen]

> Can I assume that the INI file is only read once at startup?

I don't know to be frank, and I don't think this has been documented anywhere.. SysInternals' Process Monitor might be a good way to find out.

> Of course I expect that if I make a preference change the copy I make it from will re-save it's version of the INI info back into the file.

Yes. It will save the current preferences to the INI file when it exits, but there might well be other points during a session when it updates the file (I don't know). Anyway, to avoid that you can't save any new options and settings, it would be good if your script uses the actual 'production' thumbs9.ini and not a copy that is re-used over and over again.