I was very pleased to learn that IrfanView was available as a snap package that works with my Mint 18.3 Linux.
However, to get the most out of IView (and is really essential), the latest set of IView plugins are needed.
I successfully downloaded and installed the 64 bit IView snap package and the Iview 64 bit plugins, but don't know how to install the plugins.
I can get around in terminal pretty well in case that is necessary for a solution.
Help, Please and Thanks!

Irfanview plugins generally go in a subdirectory where the binary (i_view64.exe) exists. The subdirectory name should be "Plugins." I believe the vanilla distribution of Irfanview actually has that directory already. The files from the iview_plugins453.zip should be placed there. Now, mixing that info with a snap might not end well. I don't really know about how snaps work and all that. But I have worked with Irfanview (custom dpkgs and rpms) and Linux plenty.

OK, I am using Mint Mate 64 18.3
I think the file browser is (caja?)
Here is the path to the IView Plugins' location:
FILE SYSTEM/SNAP/IRFANVIEW/20/USR/SHARE/IRFANVIEW/PLUGINS/
The contents of the last directory I listed above are:

Attached Thumbnails

 

BTW, I'm not shouting but using caps in the path lists for visual clarity only.
The irfanview binary executable is located at:

FILE SYSTEM/SNAP/IRFANVIEW/20/USR/SHARE/IRFANVIEW

In the directory:

FILE SYSTEM/SNAP/IRFANVIEW/20 There is a file called COMMAND-IRFANVIEW.WRAPPER

I found this README in the directory:

FILE SYSTEM/SNAP
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This directory presents installed snap packages.

It has the following structure:

/snap/bin - Symlinks to snap applications.
/snap/<snapname>/<revision> - Mountpoint for snap content.
/snap/<snapname>/current - Symlink to current revision, if enabled.

DISK SPACE USAGE

The disk space consumed by the content under this directory is
minimal as the real snap content never leaves the .snap file.
Snaps are *mounted* rather than unpacked.

For further details please visit
https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/the-snap-directory/2817
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

There are additional directories and files located along the pathway.

I'm getting the notion that I will most likely need to get in touch with someone at Irfanview. And thanks for your reply ! -lax

It seems that's where you need to drop the plugins. Why don't you just try it?
It doesn't really help IMO. CODE tags would give much better clarity.
Linux is case sensitive - system/snap/irfanview/20/usr/share/irfanview/plugins/ is not the same as SYSTEM/SNAP/IRFANVIEW/20/USR/SHARE/IRFANVIEW/PLUGINS/.

The Irfanview fellow doesn't officially support Linux. Additionally, I agree with ondoho; you found the place where the plugins go. It's probably actually a matter of the snap packaging to get the files in that directory. If you can just copy the files there, that's great! I suspect somehow that you will not be able to, and will have to be creative with adding files to the snap package.

On Mint, could you give my Debian Sid dpkg a try? https://software.opensuse.org//downl...rfanview-bin64

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Correct, all the directory and file names as accessed via the file browser contain only lower case characters. I did not meddle with anything in there, just here in the posts.

A major point of contention with this action is, what can one do about the dos/windows
.exe files? I haven't been able to launch any in these locations, clicking them does nothing. Since Wine is able to make Iview function in Mint 64 bit, (without the advanced plugins), there has to be some established scheme that is utilized. (?)

Question, what are Code tags? That is new to me. would you please explain the syntax of

?

This seems to a useful bit of information that would be applied in other situations beyond my humble stumbles here so far. But at this point I don't get it. Thanks!

There might be someone at the Iview forums who could help with this, worth a crap shoot.
Now I am thinking (do you smell something burning?, lol) that the snap people are currently the ones to ask.
Thanks again to all

Hmmm, I did not see a path statement as being code. Of course it is in a certain way, but, Ok now I am feeling obtuse. But actively craving more Linux knowledge.

So Irfanview is installed as a snap, only to run under WINE? Strange.
You probably cannot launch these .exe's directly.

How weird is that, by quoting it you already saw what CODE tags are.
Also see my signature.

Visual clarity.

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Still don't get the code tags thing, but I'll research that myself so as to not waste your time.

The plugins subdirectory is located in the location that you cited. I could not paste the plugin files into that location outside of a subdirectory.

As an aside, does microsoft have an app to let Linux programs run in windows? Whine?

snap packages are "containerized" I believe, and it's not desired to just add files to them.
Like I said, it's weird that Irfanview would run as a snap - why not just run the windows app under Wine?

https://www.startpage.com/do/dsearch...run+in+windows

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Well, I got the Irfanview core program as a "SNAP" but the advanced plugins, I don't think were included. I downloaded those for Mint 64 directly from the Irfanview website,but so far no successful integration has been achieved.
I have no knowledge of Wine and have avoided fooling with it, due to concerns with messing up my system. Which hasn't skipped a beat in a long, long time.
I wish to again thank you and the other responders for your help. I would like very much to see a "SOLVED" tag put on the thread. There must other folks out there experiencing the same issues.
What surprises me is that a developer would make an Iview snap package without the first, basic level of plugins. There are many more plugin packages (for windows) available for Iview, but the lowest tier set are IMO essential to get the excellent results normally achieved when using the program.
I'll be trudging across the tundra with this until it is solved, or the quest eventually burns me out. But for now I'm still game.

Would that work with a live session of Mint 64 as a basis for safe test and evaluation? I guess I could plug the USB stick with it in and roll the dice. Why Not?
I think I know basically what your Debian Sid dpkg is supposed to do, but could you please elaborate somewhat, as I actually don't have a clue as to what to expect.
Does this linuxquestions.org website have private message capability?
Thanks!

So you insist that snaps are easier to deal with than WINE.
Please read this:
https://hackernoon.com/managing-ubun...u-625dfbe4b26c
- esp. the bits under "Understanding the snap file system".

ondoho, I could not insist that is the case, because I have little knowledge about Snap or Wine. But I absolutely value your suggestions and will learn as much as I can, within the limited range of my brain's capacity for understanding code.
Many years ago I took one college course, "Introduction to Computer Science and Computing". I'm sure I dropped that class, since for whatever reasons the material didn't stick.
I wound up going to the hardware side, working with and on various radars and communications equipment. Just prior to the adoption of microprocessor I had several company training courses in digital state logic and what are now archaic, but still in use at the time data transfer formats such as ebcdic. I designed and built control circuits for machinery and antenna drive systems using that old state logic.
But I have never written a patch, a batch file, script or the like, but would very much like to know how. I think the closest I've come to utilizing any type of code would be state logic truth tables and nand-gate derived encoding/decoding logic for for the purpose of controlling and monitoring hardware functions.
So I am here to learn what I can and appreciate any and all help given. And do my best not to be wasteful of your time. Thanks again, Lex

Since I want to learn about using Wine, can I do that with Mint Live, to be cautious, and if so can I reasonably expect the same results with my Mint desktop system? Or install another dedicated HDD with Mint, and used strictly for learning and experimenting with Wine, Snap and/or other applications that I could prove to be dangerous with?
Regards and thanks again, Lax

Thanks for the heads-up that IV was available by Snap. It's my last holdover Windows program, how I wish there was a native Linux version.

After installing and testing it, and after reviewing all this thread, I will agree that copying all the plugins to the Plugins directory works. You can getthe latest at:

https://www.irfanview.com/64bit.htm - choose the plugin zipfile for 64-bit.

One note: the .pdf plugin won't work unless you go to options/plugins and click on the PDF Options button, and check the box about using the new PDF.DLL vesion. I assume it is because the old one is not included.

I have been using IrfanView for so many years that nothing else works well for me as a quick graphics utility!