Problems with folder name encoding

[Glivi]

Hi. So here is my problem:

- I create a folder in TC containing some accented characters in the folder name, like "C:\Data\řřř".
- I copy a file "example.jpg" into the folder "řřř".
- I try to open the file in Irfanview and get the error "Unknown file format, empty/damaged file or file not found!"

Notes:
- IrfanView shows the path where it attempts to open the file as "C:\Data\rrr\example.jpg" (so with stripped accents)
- the same error appears when I try to open the file in IrfanViev in any other way (from windows file explorer, from the IrfanView menu)
- the error does NOT appear when I change the name of the folder to "rrr"
- the error does NOT appear when I create the folder "C:\Data\řřř" in windows explorer
- the error does NOT appear when I open the file in another program (GIMP)

Thanks for any help.

[MVV]

So it perfectly seems that problem is with your IrfanView, most probably it simply doesn't support Unicode. Which IrfanView version do you use? Try updating it.

[Glivi]

So it perfectly seems that problem is with your IrfanView, most probably it simply doesn't support Unicode. Which IrfanView version do you use? Try updating it.

The problem is not only with IrfanView. For example with Zoner I have the same issue. Generally, half of my programs have problems opening from an accent-named folder and the other half don't.

And both IrfanView and Zoner work fine, if I create or rename the folder "řřř" in Windows File Explorer.

I am using IrfanView 64 4.42.

[tuska]

https://www.irfanview.com/history_old.htm
Unicode is supported starting with version 4.50...

Current version is 4.52: https://www.irfanview.com/

[petermad]

"C:\Data\řřř" made in TC works fine here with:
IrfanView v. 4.52
XnView MP v. 0.93.1
Imagine v. 1.1.0

It does not work in XnView Classic v. 2.48 even though unicode should be supported as from v. 2.41 interesting enough it works with "C:\Data\ššš"

[Usher]

2Glivi
There may still be problems with plug-ins used by image viewers, so you should report them to the devs of those viewers/plug-ins.

[Hacker]

Just out of curiosity, what is your language for non-unicode programs? Ř is not really used outside Czech and some exotic Upper Sorbian languages.
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/%C5%98

Roman

[Dalai]

https://www.irfanview.com/history_old.htm
Unicode is supported starting with version 4.50...

Even older versions support Unicode in file names, but it has to be enabled manually (I'm still using 4.38). See Options > Change language > [ ] Load Unicode plug-in at startup (for filenames with non-latin characters). Note that enabling this option causes some side-effects, e.g. scrambled umlauts in the File type and Recent folders drop-downs of Open/Save dialogs.

Regards
Dalai

[j7n]

The 64-bit version didn't have a Unicode plugin.

I tried opening various names including "řřř" (r with combining caron) in IrfanView 4.51 and there were no problems. Windows is surprisingly intelligent in stripping off the accents for older programs, but that doesn't allow access to files with special names, unless a folder called "rrr" also exists. "š" would work for most people, as it is present in Western, Central European and Baltic codepages.

Recent versions of IrfanView look and work mostly the same, so I don't see any downsides to updating, because other language symbols (or the nasty combining diacritics) are encountered often enough in downloaded files.

[Usher]

The 64-bit version didn't have a Unicode plugin.

I'm afraid you didn't understand my info. IrfanView 64-bit may be fully Unicode with its own 64-bit plug-ins, but there are more 32-bit plug-ins available. Some of them aren't fully Unicode, some of them are abandoned and have no good replacement so far. If any people use such plug-ins, they probably have to live with 32-bit IrfanView and its limitations.

[j7n]

The OP said that he was running "IrfanView 64", and so would have the plugin. 32-bit is now Unicode-capable, and a good choice.

[Usher]

2j7n

Once again: Your observations may be good enough in a single case, but not in general.
As you don't know for sure which user will read this topic in the future, I put a GENERAL WARNING for all of them:

Some plug-ins are available only in old 32-bit, non-Unicode version, with no possibility to update, port or replace them.
if you use such plug-ins you may have problems, no matter what other users say.

Note: Unicode support doesn't mean only that you can use Russian names in Russian Windows. It means much more - you can use Russian names in Polish Windows or Chinese names in Russian Windows.