Random sorting ignored when using small and large directories

[paul1965]

After experimenting with using filters to display different folders on different monitors, I've run into an issue today where random sorting seems to be ignored in certain cases. I added a new sub-directory that contains a very large amount of images, then a smaller directory with about 4,500 images. GPS correctly displays the images of the large sub-directory in random order, about 99% of the images in the small directory for monitor two are displayed in sequential order. I did test a workaround where I copied the files from the smaller directory into a different folder, then used a bulk renaming tool to rename them using a random 8 digit number. While GPS still displayed them in sequential order, they were of course randomized based on the new file name. However, I'd prefer to retain the original file names contained in the original directory.

Any suggestion on how to get GPS to display the smaller directory images in random order like it's doing with the larger sub-directory? My end goal is to have GPS displaying 2 small directories along with the one large sub-directory using 3 monitors.

[gpb]

Any suggestion on how to get GPS to display the smaller directory images in random order like it's doing with the larger sub-directory? My end goal is to have GPS displaying 2 small directories along with the one large sub-directory using 3 monitors.

When configured for random display gPhotoShow keeps that setting with one exception, if the process of choosing an image takes more than one second it switches to sequential.
However this is decided for each image, it depends on how much time it takes to filter and remove unwanted images.
It is important to disable the option: "When one monitor runs out of file list, restart slideshow on all monitors" in Filters page because when this option is checked, the file list is reset more frequently, making the problem even worse.

[paul1965]

When configured for random display gPhotoShow keeps that setting with one exception, if the process of choosing an image takes more than one second it switches to sequential.
However this is decided for each image, it depends on how much time it takes to filter and remove unwanted images.

This logic confuses me. Why would it take longer to load images in a directory with under 5000 images, compared to the larger one (in excess of 50,000 images)? The smaller one is the directory that GPS ignores random sorting for, not the larger one. Based on your reply, shouldn't it be the other way around?

It is important to disable the option: "When one monitor runs out of file list, restart slideshow on all monitors" in Filters page because when this option is checked, the file list is reset more frequently, making the problem even worse.

Yes, knowing the huge difference between directory sizes, I had already disabled this option

[gpb]

This logic confuses me. Why would it take longer to load images in a directory with under 5000 images, compared to the larger one (in excess of 50,000 images)? The smaller one is the directory that GPS ignores random sorting for, not the larger one. Based on your reply, shouldn't it be the other way around?

Not loading but choosing an image to display. gPhotoShow has a files list for each monitor and it contains all files.
when it has to display an image it chooses a random one then applies the filters, if the filters discard the image it chooses another one. If any filter uses exif/xmp/iptc tags gPhotoShow has to access the file and read the metadata, this takes time. Even just 10ms means that it can only analyze 100 images in a second.
After a while most images will be discarded and metadata will be cached in memory so gPhotoShow should start to display images randomly.
Also make sure extended log is disabled, it logs every file discarded slowing down the process.

[paul1965]

Not loading but choosing an image to display. gPhotoShow has a files list for each monitor and it contains all files.
when it has to display an image it chooses a random one then applies the filters, if the filters discard the image it chooses another one. If any filter uses exif/xmp/iptc tags gPhotoShow has to access the file and read the metadata, this takes time. Even just 10ms means that it can only analyze 100 images in a second.
After a while most images will be discarded and metadata will be cached in memory so gPhotoShow should start to display images randomly.
Also make sure extended log is disabled, it logs every file discarded slowing down the process.

Okay, thanks for the additional info on this.

[paul1965]

It is important to disable the option: "When one monitor runs out of file list, restart slideshow on all monitors" in Filters page because when this option is checked, the file list is reset more frequently, making the problem even worse.

I see an issue with disabling this option: Since there is such a large difference between the 2 directories, GPS hangs when it reaches the last image in the smaller one. Is there any workaround to prevent that from happening (other than reduce directory sizes)?

[gpb]

Are you sure it hangs ? I don't think that option causes gPhotoShow to hang, it just limits the list rebuild to only one monitor. It's a well tested feature.
Maybe the problem is that when it restarts the slideshow it has to delete all the unnecessary images and this can take a while.

[paul1965]

Are you sure it hangs ? I don't think that option causes gPhotoShow to hang, it just limits the list rebuild to only one monitor. It's a well tested feature.
Maybe the problem is that when it restarts the slideshow it has to delete all the unnecessary images and this can take a while.

It appears to be a full hang. Once the last image from the smaller directory is displayed, both monitors show the same image for an indefinite amount of time. If I click anywhere in the GPS window, I get the blurred screen with a progress spinner, then Windows will eventually display the typical message that the app isn't responding.

[gpb]

If I click anywhere in the GPS window, I get the blurred screen with a progress spinner, then Windows will eventually display the typical message that the app isn't responding.

It doesn't necessarily mean it's hanged, while deleting unnecessary images gPhotoShow doesn't respond to windows requests and it thinks it's blocked.
There's no workaround though, filters work fine when they don't have to remove a large number of images all at once.

[gpb]

gPhotoShow Pro 10 will allow you to specify the monitor number for each directory. This will avoid performance problems when using filters with many files