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#81

General Discussion and Questions / Re: how did you change your Li...

Last post by RobiWan - July 17, 2024, 08:39:25 AM

And I know that iMatch and Lightroom can't be running at the same time.

Why not? I have very often both applications running and I don't see any problems.

Only the one point can be maybe important - deactivate immediately writing Metadata (XMP files) in LR. 

#82

Solved Bug Reports (for next version) / [WF] CSV Import

Last post by cg - July 17, 2024, 08:02:40 AM

The CSV import does not seem to work for filenames with the ~ character in the name.

I tried quoting the filename in the CSV file, tried escaping the ~, but I couldn't get the import to work for those files.

Otherwise, the CSV import works great, and is lightning fast, even with over 1000 files at a time.

Thanks!

#83

General Discussion and Questions / Re: Synchronize User defined C...

Last post by stefanjan2 - July 17, 2024, 06:41:31 AM

Coincidentally I logged in to ask a very similar question. Your link https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/impexp_groups.htm provides the solution.

Basically I'm travelling in Canada and all my files automatically sync via Synology Drive Client. I write labels, ratings, headlines, descriptions and occasionally keywords to the files. Up to now I haven't really used categories.

I mainly use Pack & Go one way, keeping the desktop as a master. I fear if I do two way Pack & Go, I'll lose track as to which is the latest version and get in a mess. I may be working on photos upstairs on the desktop and then perhaps in the garden on my laptop.

I now feel a need to start using categories (albums) not only for things like travel but also identifying say focus stacks, exposure bracketing, composite images using multiple images across different folders.

I plan to try using categories for the above and export / import as described in the help article.

#84

Solved Bug Reports (for next version) / Re: Face Arrangement

Last post by hluxem - July 17, 2024, 05:54:13 AM

since I cannot "fix" the "No Faces" condition as he can

Unfortunately, I fixed all my files so can't test anymore.

After deleting the Face Annotations via the Viewer (Ctrl+A, and Delete), 

If I understand this correct, you delete the face annotation in the viewer. I used right click - Face Annotation & People - Delete Faces - Delete All Faces. It's easier as you can select multiple images and it may be different than deleting the face annotation squares.
You may also want to see if you can fix the versions by temporary pausing the relation rule.

[Master]

#85

Solved Bug Reports (for next version) / Re: Face Arrangement

Last post by Tveloso - July 17, 2024, 04:27:03 AM

Can you repeat this by copying the file into a new folder outside of IMatch and then adding that folder.
If this is caused by a particular file, I have something to work with.

Unfortunately, when a folder containing a copy of the file was newly indexed, the {File.Faces.Arrangement.Type} variable returned the correct value ("Two Faces") for that file (while the original continued to show "No Faces").

Just for completeness, I report the following (but this can probably be disregarded):

When the copy of the file was first indexed, no Face Annotations were created (even though the file contained Face Regions), so the variable returned nothing.  This is because I have the Import of Face Regions turned off:

   

So for the test described in Post #9 above, the Face Annotations would not have been loaded from the file (but the Force Update operation must have caused them to be propagated again from the Master - because they were there, following the Force Update).

I turned the Import of XMP Face Regions on momentarily for the sake of this test here (then turned it off again).

My case might be a slight departure from that of hluxem, since I cannot "fix" the "No Faces" condition as he can, and probably the versioning I have in place adds another wrinkle...but it definitely seems related, so hopefully the behavior I'm seeing can give a clue as to what's happening.  I noticed something new with this, related to the Master File...

The Master of the Version File that I manipulated for the test in Post #9 became pending for WriteBack also (even though it was not touched), showing the following to be in need of WriteBack:

   

So I did that WriteBack in order to put things back the way they were, then repeated the original test (with the Version File) while the Master and Version were both in a Result Window.

The initial state was:

Master

• Contained two "normal" Face Annotations
• {File.Faces.Arrangement.Type} returned "Two Faces"
• The expected Keywords (from Person records) were present
• The File was not Pending Writeback

Version

• Contained two "normal" Face Annotations (created via propagation, not face recognition)
• {File.Faces.Arrangement.Type} returned "No Faces"
• The expected Keywords (from Person records) were present
• The File was not Pending Writeback

I deleted the two Annotations from the Version File in the Viewer, and afterwards:

Master
Unchanged

Version

• Annotations were now gone
• {File.Faces.Arrangement.Type} returned nothing
• No Keywords
• Pending Writeback for for HierarchicalSubject, dc\Subject, and PersonInImage

Following a Force Update of the Version File:

Master

• Still contained the same Annotations and Keywords
• Now pending Writeback for RegionInfo and InstanceID

Version

• Contained two "normal" Face Annotations (created via propagation, not face recognition)
• {File.Faces.Arrangement.Type} returned "No Faces"
• The expected Keywords (from Person records) were present
• The File was not Pending Writeback

So the Version returned to the initial state following the Force Update, and the Master was updated to be in need of Writeback. 

Since the option to Import XMP Face Regions was off during the Force Update of the Version, they must have been propagated again from the Master (and this somehow caused the Master to now be in need of WriteBack)

After Writing Back the Master, both files went to the original state

[I am not requesting any feature changes]

#86

General Discussion and Questions / Re: how did you change your Li...

Last post by philburton - July 17, 2024, 01:54:18 AM

I don't think you'll have to change your image developing/editing workflow in Lightroom at all.
Just let IMatch take over the DAM part (including metadata editing) and use Lr like any other RAW development software.
 (snip, snip, snip)

Let us know if you have more specific questions.

As

Mario,  Belated reply here. I hope that you can consider this reply. 

I want to be clear that I am not requesting any feature changes in this reply.  I'm just trying to describe a situation in which I can't rely on iMatch for all DAM management.  If there is a way to implement John's workflow management, which I describe below, entirely in iMatch, I would be very, very interested.  Honestly, I am an experienced Lightroom user but a total newbie for using iMatch. 

Quoting part of an earlier post in this thread:

I have created detailed workflow descriptions of my Lightroom workflow, to ensure consistency between processing sessions and do a better job of managing my entire photo library.  I use my own version of John Beardsworth's smart collection-based workflow. http://lightroomsolutions.com/articles/workflow-smart-collections/  If you are a Lightroom user, I strongly encourage you to check out John's idea, which is 100% free.  (John also sells plugins.)

John has devised a brilliant solution that uses the Lightroom catalog as a workflow management tool.  I use it quite successfully, especially in the LIBRARY and DEVELOP modules. John's approach requires that you add or subtract "process keywords" as you proceed through Lightroom, and you track the work status of any one image using Lightroom's Smart Collections to test the presence or absence of specific keywords.  To track your work progress, specific DEVELOP action or group of actions would require adding or deleting a process keyword. 

I think it would be totally impractical to constantly switch between Lightroom and iMatch every time you add or subtract a process keyword.  If I haven't explained that properly, I will be glad to expand on this explanation and provide an example.  Thus, as far as I can discern, I must still use the Lightroom DAM.  And I know that iMatch and Lightroom can't be running at the same time.

#87

General Discussion and Questions / Re: Synchronize User defined C...

Last post by Mario - July 16, 2024, 11:30:39 AM

IMatch stores categories in the database. When you copy your database to the laptop, the categories will be there.
When you're back, replace the main database with the modified database (after making a backup copy).  Copy over the new images and relocate them once so IMatch knows that the images are now on a different disk.
Easy workflow, works well.

Or do you plan to work with two separate databases?
This is not really recommended since it requires you to manually sync things like categories, metadata templates, thesaurus etc. Prone to errors and a lot of work.

When you use a separate database and you plan to add your images to your main database on return, note that just adding the images to the other database will not carry category assignments over (except for @Keywords). Since category assignments are stored in the database, not in images. You would have to export categories with assignments from the temp database and then import them into the main database. Again, extra work.

See Traveling with IMatch for more related information.

If you really, really must work with two databases, see Importing & Exporting Categories for information on how to transfer categories between databases.

#88

General Discussion and Questions / Synchronize User defined Categ...

Last post by hanswkraus - July 16, 2024, 11:08:44 AM

Hi,
is it possible to copy only the User defined Categories from one PC to another?
Background: I use my Laptop for IMatch when not at home. At home I use my Desktop. I want to copy the categories from Desktop to Laptop to be able to set the categories for newly taken images.
Regards, Hans

#89

Solved Bug Reports (for next version) / Re: Pack & Go: Database Diagno...

Last post by Mario - July 16, 2024, 10:40:53 AM

I actively promote it to the members of my fotoclub.

Thanks! Much appreciated

#90

Solved Bug Reports (for next version) / Re: Pack & Go: Database Diagno...

Last post by Mees Dekker - July 16, 2024, 09:50:45 AM

I actively promote it to the members of my fotoclub.