How to use the command `nsxiv` (with examples)

The nsxiv command is a simple and lightweight image viewer for the command line. It allows users to view images, navigate through them, and switch between thumbnail mode and image mode. It is particularly useful for quickly browsing through and viewing images without opening a separate image viewer application.

Use case 1: Open images

Code:

nsxiv path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...

Motivation: The nsxiv command is used to open and view images from the command line. This is useful when you want to quickly view images without having to open a separate image viewer application.

Explanation:

• nsxiv: This is the command itself, which is used to launch the nsxiv image viewer.
• path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...: These are the paths to the images that you want to view. You can specify multiple image files to open them at the same time.

Example output: When you run the command nsxiv image1.png image2.jpg, it will open the image1.png and image2.jpg files in the nsxiv image viewer.

Use case 2: Open images from directories in image mode

Code:

nsxiv path/to/directory1 path/to/directory2 ...

Motivation: Sometimes, you may want to view all the images in a directory at once. In such cases, using the nsxiv command with a directory path allows you to open all the images in that directory for easy browsing.

Explanation:

• nsxiv: This is the command that launches the nsxiv image viewer.
• path/to/directory1 path/to/directory2 ...: These are the paths to the directories that contain the images you want to view. By providing the directory paths, nsxiv will open all the images within those directories.

Example output: When you run the command nsxiv images/, it will open all the images in the images/ directory in the nsxiv image viewer.

Use case 3: Search directories recursively for images to view

Code:

nsxiv -r path/to/directory1 path/to/directory2 ...

Motivation: Sometimes, your images may be stored in subdirectories within a directory. In such cases, using the -r option with the nsxiv command allows you to search the directories recursively and open all the images found.

Explanation:

• nsxiv: This is the command that launches the nsxiv image viewer.
• -r: This is an optional flag that stands for “recursive.” When used with nsxiv, it enables the recursive search mode.
• path/to/directory1 path/to/directory2 ...: These are the paths to the directories that you want to search for images. By providing the directory paths, nsxiv will search those directories and their subdirectories recursively.

Example output: When you run the command nsxiv -r images/, it will search the images/ directory and its subdirectories for images and open them in the nsxiv image viewer.

Use case 4: Quit nsxiv

Code:

q

Motivation: When you are done viewing images with nsxiv, you can simply quit the image viewer using this command.

Explanation:

• q: This is the command to quit or exit nsxiv. When you press the q key, it will close the nsxiv image viewer.

Example output: When you press q while viewing images in nsxiv, it will exit the image viewer and return you to the command line.

Use case 5: Switch to thumbnail mode or open selected image in image mode

Code:

Return

Motivation: When using nsxiv, you can switch between thumbnail mode and image mode. In thumbnail mode, you can see multiple images at once, and in image mode, you can view a single image in full size.

Explanation:

• Return: This command allows you to switch between thumbnail mode and image mode in nsxiv. When you press the Return key, it toggles between these two modes.

Example output: When you press Return in nsxiv, it will switch between thumbnail mode and image mode, allowing you to view images either as thumbnails or in full size.

Use case 6: Count images forward in image mode

Code:

n

Motivation: While viewing images in image mode, you can navigate through them using the n key. This is useful when you want to quickly move to the next image.

Explanation:

• n: This command allows you to count images forward in image mode. When you press the n key, it will display the next image in the sequence.

Example output: When you press n in nsxiv, it will display the next image in the sequence, allowing you to navigate forward through the images.

Use case 7: Count images backward in image mode

Code:

p

Motivation: Similar to the previous use case, you can also navigate backward through the images while in image mode. This can be useful when you want to go back to a previous image.

Explanation:

• p: This command allows you to count images backward in image mode. When you press the p key, it will display the previous image in the sequence.

Example output: When you press p in nsxiv, it will display the previous image in the sequence, allowing you to navigate backward through the images.

Conclusion:

The nsxiv command is a versatile image viewer for the command line, providing various options for opening and viewing images. With its lightweight and minimalistic design, it offers a convenient way to browse through images without the need for a separate image viewer application. Whether you want to open individual files, entire directories, or search recursively for images, nsxiv is a handy tool for quickly viewing images on the command line.