GIMP problems with Win 10 Explorer?

I keep noticing that when I’m in GIMP (64bit) and do File > Open, the resulting window is extremely slow to load a list of files/folders at the destination on my hard drive. I presume GIMP (2.10.22) is interacting with Windows Explorer to display this box. I’ve been monitoring more closely before posting here, and this simple action is far slower with GIMP than any other application.

This morning’s test: File > Open > Downloads : 9 seconds to display contents.

Any comments that might help me understand?

Do.you have any network disks mounted? Try unmounting them.

The slowdown may be due to the number of files and folders in downloads. How many do you have at the directory level? Try selecting a file type at the bottom to see if filtering files speeds up the populating. Report back: I don’t know if it will make it faster or slower.

image

I’m seeing the behavior every time I open a file anywhere. However, I chose my Downloads for this test, because I know it’s a mess. I was able to count off the seconds. If I launch NPP (an old text editor lying around) and point at Downloads, it’s less than one second to display contents.
Really curious if anyone else ever sees this slowdown?

From what I can recall, there is this thread from earlier this year:

Based on a tutorial, I’m apparently looking for “Network Locations.” Here is what I see…

I don’t recall using GIMP on a PC with network connections. Normally, on my work laptop (from my previous job), File Explorer wouldn’t slow down unless you expand Network and its network folders. It could be that @paperdigits is saying that GIMP crawls the sub-directories: I have not experienced that myself…

That does seem related. Will follow the link and read it …

Well, that was all about exporting an image. Mine is about trying to open an image. May seem like a nitpick but not at the level of me trying to find a solution.

Thanks anyway for pulling that up!

Apparently, I do not have any network disks available. Only the Wi-Fi signal.

Both involve accessing directory information. Another reason I linked the thread is to offer you suggestions on who to ask. There are also GIMP contributors (or people connected to the project) who are members of this very forum. Lastly, check out the issue page: Issues · GNOME / GIMP · GitLab.

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Oh! My mind didn’t delve that deeply. Good idea; I will pursue.

AFAIK this is because Gimp’s file dialog (*) uses a rather outdated/generic Windows API and tries to open all available drives (hardware, and network)

I notice that you have a DVD/BlueRay drive. Do you see/hear the drive light up when you open the Gimp file dialog and/or do you notice a difference when there is a disk in the drive?

There is also a known problem when you have a “phantom” diskette drive, so you want to check your BIOS options (but IIRC this introduces somewhat longer delays).

(*) which is from the GTK lib port that Gimp uses

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Even more information in your email!
OK I ran a test and monitored the DVD/BlueRay drive built into the side of this laptop. Absolutely no response during time I launched GIMP and directed it File > Open into several directories, including the infamous Downloads.
Experimented with a DVD inserted; no change in GIMP behavior.
Will have to check BIOS options later…

Can I influence the Windows API that GIMP uses?

PS When I get more coherent, I’ll summarize these emails for the forum.

  • Keith Purtell

Tulsa area, NE Oklahoma

OK folks, I finally decided I can’t realistically fix this. A bunch of monkeying with the guts in my PC. Thanks for the information, and maybe someday I’ll re-visit this annoyance.