Gwenview loads alphabetically first image from folder instead of file intended from certain folders

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1

System information

Distro: Kubuntu 25.04
KDE Plasma: 6.3.4
KDE Frameworks: 6.12.0
QT: 6.8.3
Kernel: 6.14.0-15-generic
Graphics platforms: Wayland + X11
Dolphin version: 24.12.3
Gwenview versions: 24.12.3 (Kubuntu); 25.04.0 (Flatpak)

Problem description

If an image is loaded from certain folders through an external file browser (file browsers tried: Konqueror and Dolphin), Gwenview will automatically ‘refresh’ twice:

  • On initial load, the intended image is displayed, yet the ‘crop’, ‘adjust colours’ and ‘reduce red eye’ tool are not yet available under ‘image operations’.
  • The image then reloads; simultaneously, the ‘crop’, ‘adjust colours’ and ‘reduce red eye’ become available.
  • Immediately afterwards, Gwenview loads whatever image is the ‘first’ in the folder alphabetically.
  • Gwenview then stops reloading.

This all happens very quickly; I had to use a screen recorder to see what exactly was going on.

This problem only occurs if the image is loaded from Dolphin or Konqueror (e.g. by using right click > open with). It does not occur if Gwenview’s own image browser is used.

I am not sure if this is a Gwenview bug, as I cannot recall ever seeing this behaviour before. Until very recently I used OpenSuse Tumbleweed, where my images would always load correctly.

Things I have tried in an attempt to resolve the issue

In an attempt to exclude the possibilities that (a) this is a graphics issue or (b) this is a file system issue (too many files or folders), I have done the following:

  • Use X11 instead of Wayland > no effect.
  • Use a different Gwenview version (Flatpak instead of the default install) > no effect.
  • Reducing the number of images in a folder displaying this behaviour to only two > no effect.
  • Move a folder displaying this behaviour to a different drive > partial success.

The last solution worked to some degree. I copied a sizable folder containing three subfolders, each of which contained a few hundred images to an otherwise empty drive. Initially, the behaviour was identical to what I had seen before, until I moved the subfolders to the drive’s root directory. Once they had become ‘main’ folders themselves, the images they contained loaded correctly.

Does anyone know what might be going on?

2

hi, welcome

gwenview does not actually load the files directly but rather creates a copy for gwenview to work on… only upon save do the files actually get written.

so likely what you are seeing is some unwanted visibility into its process of loading the files into it’s temporary workspace before it hands control over to you for edits.

this copying behavior has motivated me to find alternatives for simple image manipulation where the files are operated on directly.

gthumb and nomacs are two other solutions i can recommend.

3

Thank you for your suggestions! I am still hoping to resolve this issue, but if need be I will consider doing as you suggested.