Welcome to IMatch 2023!

This new version introduces a range of new and exciting features, enhancements to existing functionality and bug fixes.
Please read this page for a quick and successful upgrade.

Things you should check or do are marked with a TODO badge.

IMatch 2023 - What's New?

If you haven't already, check out the IMatch 2023 overview page and please read the Release Notes.
The release notes list 150 new features, enhancements, changes and bug fixes.

TODONew File Name for the IMatch Executable

The name of the IMatch executable is now c:\program files\photools.com\IMatch6\IMatch2023x64.exe.
If you've added an exclusion in your virus checker for IMatch 2021, please update the exclusion to match the new file name. Otherwise the virus checker might interfere again, if it did so before.

Database Migration

In order to support the new features introduced in IMatch 2023, databases are migrated to an updated format when they are opened for the first time. This process is fully automatic and takes only a short time.

TODOBackup

Create backups of all your IMatch databases before opening them in IMatch 2023 and keep these backups for several weeks. Just to be on the safe side. Create a backup of the folder C:\ProgramData\photools.com\IMatch6 and keep it for a few weeks. This allows you to rollback to IMatch 2021 if something really unexpected happens.

Note that migrated databases are no longer compatible with older IMatch or IMatch Anywhere versions.
Make sure you install the latest version of IMatch and the latest version of IMatch Anywhere (if you use it) on all your computers.
A compatibility update for IMatch Anywhere is provided to all customers with IMatch Anywhere 2019 licenses.


TODODatabase Diagnosis

After the migration is done, IMatch will prompt you to run a database diagnosis. Please let the diagnosis run.

TODOIf You use Pack & Go...

please re-create your packages after installing IMatch 2023.
Packages created with pre-2023 versions of IMatch must not be restored to a system running IMatch 2023.

TODONew Default Metadata Panel Layouts

IMatch ships with a new set of layouts that incorporate some of the new structured tags (tag sets). These new layouts are automatically loaded for fresh installations and new databases. IMatch does not replace your existing layouts during installation!

If you didn't make any changes to the default Metadata Panel layouts (or you don't want to keep your customizations), import the new layouts from this file: "C:\ProgramData\photools.com\IMatch6\Presets\system.immdl". Click the Import Panel Layouts button in the Metadata Panel Layout Editor to import the file.

Otherwise, adding structured tags to your custom layouts requires just a few clicks. If you want them.

File.DateTime Now in UTC

Since IMatch 3, IMatch managed the global File.DateTime timestamp in local time. This worked fine in general, but had some issues e.g. with daylight saving time adjustments.

Starting with IMatch 2023, IMatch stores the global File.DateTime in UTC (Universal Coordinates Time), which makes it more versatile. It converts the time stamps extracted from metadata for create date and date subject created into UTC when indexing files and also stores the UTC offset used for this conversion.

This enables IMatch to produce File.DateTime in three formats / time zones:

New File Window Layout attributes and date & time variables have been added to IMatch 2023 to give you access to these timestamp variations.

The {File.DateTime} variable returns the File.DateTime in local format. No change to previous IMatch versions.
In addition you now have {File.DateTime.Original} and {File.DateTime.UTC} variables.

See How IMatch uses Date and Time Information for all details.

File.DateTime Migration

When IMatch 2023 opens a database created with an earlier version for the first it automatically migrates File.DateTime to UTC. This is fully automatic and you don't have to do anything.

TODOCheck Files Without Usable Timestamps or Time Zones

When IMatch detects files without a usable time stamp or files where it cannot determine the time zone offset, it assigns these files to a child category under the root category __IMATCH2023_FILE_DATETIME_UPDATE (or a category with this name translated in your language). This allows you to review these files after the database has been migrated and to set date & time in the Metadata Panel as needed.

These are normal IMatch categories.
Un-assign files you have checked / fixed from these categories. Delete these categories when you no longer need them.

Date & Time in the Metadata Panel

ChangeWhen entering values for create date and date subject created in the Metadata Panel, IMatch automatically adds the local time-zone.
This ensures well-defined time stamps.

ChangeThe Metadata Panel hides the time zone offset when it matches the current time zone offset at your place. This makes date and time easier to read. When you click into a date & time value to edit, you see the full time stamp again, including the time zone offset.

If you don't want this, you can disable it via the menu in the Metadata Panel.

TODOUpdate License Key in IMatch Settings

Don't forget to enter your new IMatch 2023 license key in Edit menu > Preferences > Application: License.
This ensures that you will be notified about new versions and that you can download them with the built-in update feature.


TODODon't forget to read the IMatch 2023 Release Notes which list all new features, enhancements, changes and bugs fixed.