Thumbnail view in symlinked network path

[ega2002]

Not sure if this is a bug.
I have a local symlink to network path (cifs) on file server, storing jpeg photo archive. When I choose thumbnail view in TC panel, no thumbnails are displayed, but only big jpeg icon instead. This is quite annoying.
It seems, that Windows explorer also showed this behavior some time ago, but now (Win10 1607) the explorer show thumbnails on such symlinked paths correctly.

[ghisler(Author)]

Try this:
1. Select the thumbnails
2. Right click for 1 second for the context menu
3. Reload thumbnails

[ega2002]

Try this:
1. Select the thumbnails
2. Right click for 1 second for the context menu
3. Reload thumbnails

Thanks for replying, but this does not help, still no thumbnails

[ghisler(Author)]

Then you can try a different method to load them.

1. Load via Lister plugins
2. Use Explorer method (OLE2)
3. Load via Irfanview/Xnview

They can be configured in Configuration - Options - Thumbnails.

For example, to exclude jpg from the Explorer method, put the line
*.* | *.jpg
behind the line "Use Explorer method.."

[ega2002]

Unfortunately, neither of these methods works. I think you could easily reproduce this issue. Just create symbolic link to network share and try to get thumbnail view for any folder containing graphic file (jpg, png, bmp etc.).

[ghisler(Author)]

1 only works if you install a Lister plugin which can create thumbnails, like Imagine.

3 Only works if you set the location of Irfanview or Xnview in Lister settings.

[ega2002]

And what if I don't have any lister plugins or Irfanview/Xnview installed? Switching "Use Explorer method (OLE2)" on or off doesn't make any difference. Is it possible to make thumbnail view for symlinked network share working, like it does for ordinary folder or network share?

[ghisler(Author)]

Explorer method only works if the Explorer manages to show thumbnails in these folders (which is probably not the case). Therefore you will have to use other methods.

[ega2002]

As I've said in the first message of this topic, Explorer shows thumbnails OK in such folders. I wonder why TC can't do the same using Explorer method.

[ghisler(Author)]

TC uses OLE2 to get thumbnails from Explorer. This should work with all paths which the Explorer supports too. Sorry, I don't know why it doesn't work in your particular case.

[ega2002]

This is not an unique case, I have tried on several PCs in different networks. I'm sure you'll be able to reproduce this issue on your PC. Could anybody try this and confirm whether the thumbnails in TC can be seen or not. The symbolic link on local NTFS disk can be created with the following command (in elevated DOS box):

mklink /D test_symlink \\server\share\

where "\\server\share\" is any available network share path. Then put come graphic files to that share and switch to thumbnail view. Also, open this test_symlink in thumbnail view of Explorer and see the difference.

[ghisler(Author)]

I have just tried that, and it does work fine here with Windows 7, but not with Windows 10.

This is what I tried:
1. Client Computer with Windows 7 or 10
2. Target computer with Windows 7
3. Create symlink from root shell with
mklink /D test_symlink \\server\share\
4. Went into subdir of test_symlink with jpg file
5. Disabled all thumbnail methods except for the Explorer method
6. Switched to thumbs view -> jpg thumbs are displayed on Windows 7, but not Windows 10, although TC calls the exact same functions.

So my conclusion is that this is yet another Windows 10 bug.

[ega2002]

So, the only thing we can do is wait until MS decide to fix the bug. Anyway, thank you for trying to help and for such a great app!

[ghisler(Author)]

No, you can use one of the two other methods to get thumbnails: Lister plugins or Irfanview/Xnview. No need to wait for Godot Microsoft (who will never show up and fix the problem).

[ega2002]

Yeah, installing PhotoViewer.wlx did the trick! Thanks again!