MX 23.5 XFCE
Another type of program that I have had some trouble finding the perfect solution for is an image viewer. Another basic common application that there are tons of, but again all contain little issues.
An issue that all viewers I have tested experience, is being able to view images in the order they sort in, in file manager.
Meaning that when an image file is opened in file managers associated image viewer application, that the RIGHT and LEFT arrows are used to go to the next and previous image in that sorted order.
I will use Thunar for example because all XFCE users probably have.
Thunar + locale LC_COLLATE=C uses the following sorting attributes
SORTING - WITH BEGINNING CHARACTERS
numbers
symbols - underscores, dashes, etc.
letters (ignoring case)
SORTING - MISC
Sequential numbering
Apple.jpg
Apple (2).jpg
Apple (10).jpg
also things like prefixes
Fruit.jpg
Fruit - Apple.jpg
Fruit - Apple (2).jpg
The only application that I have found that follows this sorting is "XFCE Ristretto".
This application is okay, but unfortunately follows similar path that most desktop environment applications do. Where the these common applications are created and just get to being usable but then all development seems to just stop. So this application is just lacking some desired features but is not really being updated currently.
Which brings me to the application "Feh"
I was wondering if anyone uses/has some more advanced knowledge about this application?
Would anyone by chance know if there is an efficient way (so that "Feh" still retains its speed) that Feh could be setup to follow the sorting preferences I mentioned above?
I have seen some of the options that Feh offers such as
--filelist
--preload
--sort name
--startat
etc.
Is anyone familiar with any of these? or aware of any others that would accomplish what I am looking for?
As mentioned, I do not want to have to select all files and then run this application.
Would like to just be able to open up any random image from anywhere in directories file list and be able cycle through forward or backwards to the next image file.
Hopefully does not have to scan/generate list of all the files in a directory to achieve this.
Thank you to anyone who reads this and for any help provided
Feh Image Viewer - View based on Thunar sort
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- Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:50 pm
Re: Feh Image Viewer - View based on Thunar sort
If you do not like the feh sorting.....then why not rename your files?
in my tests shows Apple.png is viewed before apple.png and last would be apple2.jpg
EDIT FIX numbers
1apple.png is viewed before 2apple.png
or am I missing something?
for most uses I do...I cd into the image dir and run feh....then press F to go fullscreen.....to scroll thru images I press -> arrow key instead of n key for next
I like arrow key as going backwards my brain can handle the left arrow key.
in my tests shows Apple.png is viewed before apple.png and last would be apple2.jpg
EDIT FIX numbers
1apple.png is viewed before 2apple.png
or am I missing something?
for most uses I do...I cd into the image dir and run feh....then press F to go fullscreen.....to scroll thru images I press -> arrow key instead of n key for next
I like arrow key as going backwards my brain can handle the left arrow key.
Last edited by ghunter on Sat Aug 23, 2025 11:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Feh Image Viewer - View based on Thunar sort
I don't understand why the sorting order between my file manager and image viewer has to be identical.
I use a specific file viewer because it displays all the formats on my system (including more exotic RAW formats and, for example, Afiv, one of the reasons why I never used FEH as my primary image viewer), and not because of how many additional sorting options it offers.
I've never paid attention to whether my RAW converter or my management program has the same sorting order, although the images from all my digital cameras, from the Canon A40 (2004) to the current Sony 7rIIIa, now have file numbering, which is displayed in the same order by all programs.
With approximately 30,000 images from my own cameras and approximately 10,000 from third-party sources, you have other problems to solve than the sorting order in the file manager/image viewer ;-}
I use a specific file viewer because it displays all the formats on my system (including more exotic RAW formats and, for example, Afiv, one of the reasons why I never used FEH as my primary image viewer), and not because of how many additional sorting options it offers.
I've never paid attention to whether my RAW converter or my management program has the same sorting order, although the images from all my digital cameras, from the Canon A40 (2004) to the current Sony 7rIIIa, now have file numbering, which is displayed in the same order by all programs.
With approximately 30,000 images from my own cameras and approximately 10,000 from third-party sources, you have other problems to solve than the sorting order in the file manager/image viewer ;-}
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mx-fluxbox, what else?
In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments.
There are consequences.
my wallpaper gallery