Unexpected additional file created during import

Software darktable
1

For some time now, when importing images (CR2, jpg), darktable has also been creating empty txt files that have the same name as the image files.
What purpose do they serve and how can I stop it?
Did I unintentionally activate an option?
I’m using version 4.6.0

2

Dt actually imports nothing. It notes where your files are located and makes a database entry and creates a sidecar file. DT is non destructive… these files store your editing information. You can choose how and when they are created in preferences. I wouldn’t turn them off…

3

That’s all correct what you wrote, but it doesn’t answer my question about the blank text files. The meaning of the xmp files is clear to me, but that of the additional txt files is not.

4

Can you share one because what you described sounds like sidecar files …are they just text files with no content??

5

After performing the ‘add to library…’ task, the folder of the image contains the additional file. An xmp file is not there because I use the option ‘create XMPfiles after edit’
extratxt

6

Do you have Lua scripts?

7

Thanks g-man, that was the crucial hint.
While searching through the lua scripts I came across lua/official/generate_image_txt.lua.
I tried the script at some point and then forgot to deactivate it again.
The script checks whether a txt file with the name derived from the image filename exists. However, the function io.open() is used for this, which creates a file. I think this is a bug.

    local file = io.open(txt_filename, "r")
    if file then
      file.close()
      return
    end

Unfortunately, there is no overview in darktable of which scripts are active, otherwise I would have found this out earlier.

8

There is if you’re using the lua scripts manager. Its recommended.

9

Can you give me a hint (maybe a screenshot) how to get the status information of the scripts.
The script manager shows in ‘start/stop scripts’ only the list of scripts in a category (official, examples, contrib) but no information which of them are loaded/stopped.

10

See here darktable lua documentation - script_manager

11

In script manager you can see I have rename-images started and the rest on this screen are stopped. I am in lighttable view
image

1 Like
12

Hmm, on my W10 PC with dt 4.6.1 the script manager looks different.
There is no status information.
Is this a problem of my installation or of the dt version for Windows in general?
Quite strange.

script

13

Yes, I’ve seen the statement “… shows the name of the script and it’s current status…” in the manual. But my script manager pane looks different.

14

My guess is that you’ve enabled the color interface but not supplied the necessary CSS to make it display in color.

Open settings->general and paste the following into the custom css

button#sm_started label { background: rgb(0,128,0);
			 font-weight: bold; }

button#sm_stopped label { color: rgb(128,0,0);
			 font-weight: bold; }

then click the save CSS and apply button

15

On halfway to the goal.
The active entries are now green and the inactive red but the status as text (Started, Stoped) is still missing.
This means that the information is there, but is not displayed.
This solution is not perfect, but better than before.
Thanks!

script2

16

If you would rather have the started/stopped indication, then uncheck use color interface in the settings.