New Lightroom noise reduction DNGs crash IMatch

[graham1]

I have just stared using the new Lightroom noise reduction, which creates a separate DNG file from the RAW file when it is used.  This causes IMatch to crash as it attempts to read the file.

It is easy to prove that it is these DNGs which cause the crash: if I remove them from the folder and ask IMatch to rescan it when I restart it after the crash and open the same catalogue, it runs without any problem.

I can provide the full log file if it would help, but I think the final few lines say it all:

05.15 17:07:41+ 1172 [3194] 00  I>  # Process Memory Info: WSC: 837MB, WSP: 861MB (NEW PEAK), PF: 1339691
05.15 17:07:41+  16 [3194] 00  M>  <  2 [6000ms #sl] CMainFrame::LoadDatabase
05.15 17:07:41+    0 [3194] 00  M>  <  1 [11609ms #sl] CMainFrame::OnFileOpen
05.15 17:07:46+ 5141 [3A10] 01  W> Failed to create bitmap from IWICBitmapSource: hr: 2291674976 'The image is unrecognized.'  'V:\develop\IMatch5\src\ptpif\ptd2d.cpp(409)'
05.15 17:07:46+    0 [3A10] 01  W> Failed to load image with PTD2D. 0 -  'V:\develop\IMatch5\src\ptpicore\PlugIns\ptpipip\PTPIImage.cpp(466)'

I have rebooted, reinstalled IMatch, made sure that there are no other running programmes which might conflict, but always the same result.

Edit: full log file attached

Graham

[Mario]

Failed to create bitmap from IWICBitmapSource: hr: 2291674976 ' 

is an error message from the WIC DNG used by IMatch to load the DNG file.
Apparently, it does not understand the DNG file you have created.

I have toyed a bit with the "new" AI de-noising in the recent Lr and I have maybe 20 of these DNG files in my test library, indexed by IMatch. I have not noticed any problems or crashes with these DNG files.

I have noticed, however, that the official Microsoft WIC codec for DNG files fails to load the full DNG image, it can only load the preview image.
This indicates that Adobe has, again, enhanced the DNG format their applications produce, kicking other applications out and requiring them to catch up with whatever change Adobe has done to DNG this time. Sigh.
Switching to photools.com RAW processing solves this problem neatly (with the latest LibRaw version I have integrated into IMatch 2023).

Do you have maybe other DNG codecs installed, other than the one installed by Windows?
To test: select a DNG file in an IMatch File Window and run Help menu > Support > WIC diagnosis.
The log file lists all installed codecs for all formats.

If the DNG produced by Adobe Lightroom crashes the Microsoft DNG WIC codec on your system, I suggest you contact Adobe and Microsoft about this problem. There is nothing I can do. IMatch only asks Windows WIC to load the DNG file. And then waits until WIC returns the loaded file. I have no influence on either Adobe or Microsoft. DNG has just become another of those problematic and proprietary RAW formats...

[graham1]

Thanks, Mario

I have switched back to prefer Photools for RAW processing, and this time it did not crash. 

The reason I had switched away from prefer Photools for RAW processing was that this does not rotate my images correctly: portrait orientation does not work for my Canon files such as .CR3 format (even with "yes" selected in both the other RAW processing options).  In fact, I recently spent over a week of the computer running continuously forcing a full rescan of my 800k image catalogue not preferring Photools RAW processing, which fixed the orientation problem.

So using Photools for RAW processing will prevent IMatch crashing with the new DNG files, but then it is back to wrongly orientated images: I just forced a rescan of a folder and, sure enough, using Photools RAW processing, the portrait orientation images wrongly reverted to landscape orientation.

One or the other at the moment - noise DNGs or correct orientation.  Maybe IMatch 2023 will give us both (can't wait to see it to try...).  But until IMatch 2023, how can I get my images to be in the correct orientation using the Photools RAW processing preference?

Edit: setting both the rotate options to "No" with the Photools RAW processing preferred seems to solve the rotation problem as well, at least for the one folder I have forced to rescan.

Graham

[Mario]

You did not show the WIC diagnosis results. You did not answer the question if you have multiple DNG codecs installed.

If your files are not rotated correctly with LibRaw, that's a LibRaw problem. Nothing I can do.
I just ask LibRaw how the file must be rotated and then do it.
You can use a virtual transformation to rotate your proprietary RAW formats as needed.

If the Microsoft DNG codec on your system (I tried on two computers and it worked) crashes, that is an Microsoft problem. Or an Adobe problem, if they again deliberately broke the Windows WIC codec.

Feel free to send me a CR3 file which rotates wrong in LibRaw or crashes the WIC codec. I can test it here.

Since the Lr DNG files  don't fail on my systems, maybe the rotation is also correct and the problem happens only on your specific computer. Would not be the first time. At least we'll know more after I've tested your files.

That being said, ...

- dozens of proprietary and undocumented CR2 and CR3 RAW formats produced by Canon over the years
- Canon discontinuing their developer program
- Canon no longer delivering a WIC codec to their paying customers

and it boils up in an IMatch support tickets? Nope, sorry.
I can only do so much. I've implemented full support for WIC and full support for LibRaw.
If neither work for your RAW files, sorry. That's what we get from using proprietary and undocumented RAW formats.

If both does not work with the files your camera produces, maybe you should ask Canon what their problem is.
Or why they don't spend 10K$ per year for a developer to produce a WIC codec which handles their formats. I'm sure Canon can afford that.

[graham1]

Sorry, I should have sent this straight away.  This is the WIC diagnosis report.

It does look as if I have multiple DNG codecs, but I do not know how to go about uninstalling them, or which once I should uninstall.

Graham

[Mario]

I would start by uninstalling the FastPictureViewer codes.
They are many years out of date and not supported for many years.
You'll need to reboot after uninstalling them.

[Mario]

And send me a CR3 file that rotates wrong in LibRaw. I'll check it and see which orientation LibRaw returns for it.
Even even the orientation overrides don't work, the files must be really special.

[graham1]

And send me a CR3 file that rotates wrong in LibRaw.

Thanks for the suggestion about uninstalling the FastPictureViewer codecs.  That seems to have gone well.

Before sending you a CR3 file, I wanted to check whether or not the rotation problem still exists: I do not want to waste your time checking a non-problem.  I have therefore been forcing a rescan of selected portrait orientation Canon images in their various formats over the years to see if there is still a problem.  I am pleased to say that there is not: none has lost its portrait orientation on a rescan so far.  Processing with LibRaw and not checking either of the rotation options in configuration seems to be working perfectly for me now.

While I have not run any timed tests, my impression since I removed the old codec is that IMatch is responding more quickly as well, which is a bonus.

Many thanks for your help.

Graham

[Mario]

Good result!
I'll close this ticket.