Can selected images remain available for actions?

[Jingo]

Hi Mario (and community)...

So.. any thoughts on allowing IMatch to perform functions on previously selected and focused images even when the File Manager does not have focus?  I run into this issue all the time when I use the Quick View panel to zoom and/or move between images and try to add a rating with the keyboard shortcut (doesn't work).

I just ran into this again when trying to click on a Favorite to apply a metadata template which I thought should work but appears to be the same issue:

My Workspace:
Left monitor:
a - Main File Manager window (3/4 of screen width)
b - Keywords, Vartoy and Info&Activity docked together (top right - 1/4 of screen width)
c - Favorites and App Manger docked together  (bottom right - 1/4 of screen width)

Right Monitor:
a - Map (top left - 1/3 screen width)
b - Metadata panel (bottom left - 1/3 screen width)
c - Quick View panel (right 2/3 screen width)

Steps:

1 - Select an image from the File Manager window that has AI metadata and click the copy button in the metadata panel (MD Panel now takes focus).
2 - Select 4 other images from the File Manager window and click the paste button in the metadata panel (MD Panel still has focus).

Selected AI data is pasted into all images correctly.

3 - Click my AI to XMP Favorite in the Favorites panel (which takes the AI Keywords/Description and adds them to XMP fields) (Favorites panel should have focus the image selection is no longer known since the MD panel was clicked right before(?)).

Nothing happens.

4 - Select an Image in the File Manager window and click the AI to XMP Favorite... (Favorites panel should have focus but the selection is known to it since the FM panel was clicked right before).

The items are correctly added to the XMP fields

So.. it seems the metadata panel causes the selected images to no longer be recognized just like the Quick View panel... I would think it makes sense that selected (or focused images) should still be able to have functions done on them regardless of which panel has control?

Just curious what you/others think.....

[Mario]

Select 4 other images from the File Manager window

File Manager == File Window?

When you select files in a File Window, Windows makes it the active (focused) window as soon as you click into it.
Keyboard shortcuts are sent to the focused window, unless IMatch does some trickery at the highest level to intercept the normal keyboard handling (like, for F3 or F1).

When you click the button in the MD Panel, Windows makes it the focused window.

3 - Click my AI to XMP Favorite in the Favorites panel (which takes the AI Keywords/Description and adds them to XMP fields) (Favorites panel should have focus the image selection is no longer known since the MD panel was clicked right before(?)).

Should not happen. Favorites are special and use the active File Window to get information about the focused and selected files. Else no Favorite could work with files at all.

Just tried it and it works as it should. Use MD Panel copy, switch to another image, MD Panel Paste, then click a favorite that adds a red label to all selected files. Works as it should.

All the focus handling is part of how Windows works, how keyboard shortcuts and mouse actions are routed etc.
And Favorites use the selection of the active File Window (the one currently visible) "hard-coded" so they get a scope. If the File Window has the focus or not (when you click a Favorite, the Favorite Panel becomes the focused window anyway).

[Jingo]

Hmmm - I just closed down IMatch and reopened... tried the same steps again... same result.

Log attached though I'm not sure applying metadata templates are captured in a debug log.?

I wonder if the operation of the Favorite is the issue?  Copying the AI Keywords/Description to XMP.. maybe the system is still processing something when I click the Favorite so it doesn't have the information in the files to move to the XMP yet?

Maybe I'll try an automation favorite and add a pause in to test that....

Interestingly enough, the History Panel only shows the single event for the image (Metadata copy) and not the applied Favorite (which should have shown a 2nd Metadata Copy)....  

You cannot view this attachment.

[Mario]

Try with a favorite that e.g. sets a rating or label via a MD template.
This allows you to see immediately which files the favorite works on and to test the concept.

If this works, and it should, the issue is something your favorite does or some sort of timing. If you see the AI tags in the MD panel a metadata template is able to copy them. And so is a favorite calling that template.

[Jingo]

Try with a favorite that e.g. sets a rating or label via a MD template.
This allows you to see immediately which files the favorite works on and to test the concept.

Yes... I added the "red flag" metadata template to the list of Favorites and performed the steps again... the system immediately set the red flag after the metadata paste on the image.  

So.. it must be a timing thing... guess I need to either slow down a bit and wait for the system to process the paste fully... switch to an automation favorite and add a pause... or batch perform the metadata template at the end of a session.

Mystery solved I suppose!  Thx for your assistance!