ExifTool Perl launcher is downloading

[stefanjan2]

Trying to understand why I am seeing the attached messages on my laptop but not on my desktop.

I use Synology Drive Client to synchronise files in both directions between desktop, NAS and laptop.

I'm wondering whether these messsages are being triggered by Exif from imatch or Synology Drive Client. They seem to only appear when imatch is open. When imatch is not open Synology Drive Client synchronises without these messages appearing.

[Mario]

I have never seen this message and ExifTool has no built-in downloader/installer.
The text "Learn more in Settings > Automatic File Downloads" is probably a hint.

[stefanjan2]

I have never seen this message and ExifTool has no built-in downloader/installer.
The text "Learn more in Settings > Automatic File Downloads" is probably a hint.

Thanks for your confirmation. Seems strange that I think I only see this when imatch is open. Have turned off the notifications so in future download will be silent.

[Mario]

Where was this notification? In Windows? On your  NAS?
IMatch uses an ExifTool version installed in the IMatch program files folder. It launches it only from there, not using any globally installed ExifTool versions. This is for security reasons.

[stefanjan2]

Where was this notification? In Windows?

In Windows 11. I have noticed that I do get more notifications generally on my newer Lenova Yoga laptop compared to my desktop. I guess that's the way it came.

[bekesizl]

I have seen similar messages with the Windows iCloud client and Onedrive client.

It is probably caused by Exiftool accessing your files on the NAS when IMatch is doing something on those files.

Maybe this Synology client is downloading the files before IMatch/Exiftool can work on it.

[stefanjan2]

Maybe this Synology client is downloading the files before IMatch/Exiftool can work on it.

Thanks, that certainly sounds like the cause

[Mario]

ExifTool Perl Launcher is the "machinery" that runs ExifTool (it's runtime).
So, ExifTool is accessing the .CR3 file listed in the screen shot, and the cloud client on your computer is downloading the CR3 file since it is not available locally.

[stefanjan2]

I have been talking to Synology about this issue and this is their latest reply

Based on the information you provided, we have not observed any records of writing to C:\Users\Stefan\AppData\Local\Temp. However, we have noticed that nearly all temporary files bear the filename format [XXX.jpg_exiftool_tmp].

This naming convention is typical of the ExifTool-based operation, commonly found in various image processing tools, older versions of the Google Photos upload utility, or certain camera or Android phone upload functions that inherently include similar features to read or modify image metadata.

Should the issue recur, we recommend checking whether any such services are running concurrently on your PC, or alternatively, testing on a clean computer to see if the same situation arises.

I have a current scenario where my C: Drive is filling up again. This time, I have not used my laptop for a while so the files would only be moving in one direction from desktop to NAS.

I think what happened this time, is my desktop crashed while imatch was open. The next time I open imatch it seems to want to read a large number of files.

I assume the exif temp files are being created by imatch on my C Drive as that and DXO Photolab are the only programmes open at the time.

Log file attached

[stefanjan2]

Just added 23 CR3 files to imatch and I get the attached message.

Also attach a further log file

When this happens, I am unable to use imatch until all the files added which means having to do my culling in Photolab which is not ideal

[Mario]

This log shows IMatch starting up. No files are processed.
Oh, more log files attached in a second post.

A new folder is added to the database and processed. Contains MTS files. Cache files are not being generated because ffmpeg cannot read the files?

ExifTool is not used. Probably metadata was read already in previous session.
E:/Photos/9999/Import New/New Folder-5/ is this on your NAS/cloud?

When IMatch is set to process files your cloud client / NAS has not local, it will download the files. How long it retains the files depends on the client. Nothing IMatch can solve or influence. You should not have files cloud-only ever. If you lose your account, all your files are gone forever. And this can happen quickly these days.

[stefanjan2]

A new folder is added to the database and processed. Contains MTS files. Cache files are not being generated because ffmpeg cannot read the files?[\quote]
Strange I have not import mts files for months

E:/Photos/9999/Import New/New Folder-5/ is this on your NAS/cloud?

No this path is a 2TB m.2 ssd on my desktop motherboard. I only every synchronise files between desktop to NAS. And only process files on my desktop not NAS. None of my files are NAS Cloud only. And this folder is empty.

[Mario]

You can find the names of the MTS files in the second log. Just search for .MTS in Notepad.

[stefanjan2]

You can find the names of the MTS files in the second log. Just search for .MTS in Notepad.

Those MTS files have been in the imatch database forever. I wonder why imatch reprocesses them.

[Mario]

It just says it failed to create the cache file. The cache file is requested for a variety of purposes, e.g. a folder scan when IMatch finds the cache file missing (for file types which can produce cache images), when a file is viewed etc. Just ignore it.