This pages collects my tips and tricks for the changes I usually do to customise my XnView.

• Interface
  • Keyboard Shortcuts [Tab]
• Browser → File List
  • File list [Tab]
• Browser → Metadata
  • ITPC and XMP [Tab]
  • Sidecar [Tab]
  • Labels [Tab]
• View
  • Info [Tab]
• Integration
  • Integration [Tab]
  • Paths [Tab]
• Companion/Sidecar Files
  • Enable companion files
  • Set JPG file as master
• Custom Toolbars
• Adding context menu with icon

Interface

Tools → Settings → Interface

Keyboard Shortcuts [Tab]

Browser Shortcuts

Viewer Shortcuts

Browser → File List

Tools → Settings → Browser → File List

File list [Tab]

• Check Folder always sorted alphabetically
• Check Select first item on entering folder

Browser → Metadata

Tools → Settings → Browser → Metadata

ITPC and XMP [Tab]

• Check Export Catalog's Category to XMP Subject and ITPC Keyword
• Check Create XMP Data
• Check Export rating in XMP metadata
• Check Export colour label in XMP metadata
• Check Write comment in XMP

Sidecar [Tab]

• Select Yes for all file types
• Check Update or create XMP Sidecar

Labels [Tab]

Set Label and Write as the Name from table below

View

Tools → Settings → View

Info [Tab]

{File Index} - {Filename}
{EXIF:Date Taken} {EXIF:Shutter Speed}s {EXIF:Aperture} {EXIF:Focal Length 35mm}mm
{EXIF:Make} / {EXIF:Model} - {Format}
{Width}x{Height} - {Size KB} KB
✔{Tag status} ⭐[{Rating nb}] ⚫[{Color label}]

• Check Always view in fullscreen

Integration

Tools → Settings → Integration

Integration [Tab]

Check Add 'Browse with XnViewMP' to context menu

Paths [Tab]

Set the following to the option Program (XnView)

• XnView Settings (first select Use .ini file in folder)
• Folder for Catalog (.db)
• Folder for other files

Set the following to the option User (system)

• Folder from Thumbnails Database

Companion/Sidecar Files

Enable companion files

XnView MP supports what is traditionally known as Sidecar files, these are referred to Companion files in the program.

To hide the companion files:

Tools → Settings → Browser → File List → File List tab

• Uncheck Show companion files
• Check Companion files linked for delete action
• Check Companion files linked for copy/move/rename action

You may need to restart the application for the changes to take effect.

Set JPG file as master

In most of my cameras I take photos in RAW format. Together with the RAW file (e.g. dng, cr2, orf) a JPG file is saved. After copying the files to my computer when I am doing my initial culling to remove the bad photos, I like to review using the JPG file rather than the RAW file. This can be configured in XnView MP.

To set JPG as master and RAW as companion files:

Tools → Settings → Browser → File List → File List tab → Companion Files

Create the following table:

You may need to restart the application for the changes to take effect.

This can be easier set by editing the xnview.ini file. In the [Companion] section edit the list to the following:

[Companion]
list="@Variant(\0\0\0\v\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\x2\0*\0\0\0\x1a\0{\0\x65\0x\0t\0}\0.\0x\0m\0p\0;\0x\0m\0p)", "@Variant(\0\0\0\v\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\x6\0j\0p\0g\0\0\0\x16\0\x64\0n\0g\0;\0o\0r\0\x66\0;\0\x63\0r\0\x32)", "@Variant(\0\0\0\v\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\n\0{\0r\0\x61\0w\0}\0\0\0 \0l\0m\0n\0r\0;\0p\0p\0\x33\0;\0o\0n\0\x31\0;\0\x66\0p\0\x31)", @Variant(\0\0\0\v\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\x6\0j\0p\0g\0\0\0\x6\0\x65\0x\0\x66)

Custom Toolbars

I like to customize the toolbar, both to rearrange icons, but also add some of my own icons.

This can be most simple achieved by downloading the custom toolbar configuration. This file also includes some custom icons which are sourced from the Material Design Icons pro-ject:

• cmd_updateDB: Icon | Source
• cmd_updateFiles: Icon | Source
• cmd_rebuildThumb: Icon | Source

Note: you will need to change each line above to point to the path of the icon file.

Adding context menu with icon

The simplest way to add XnView MP to the context menu of folders with the option Open in XnView MP is to add it to the registry, see my GitHub repository for the .reg files.