Option for Metadata writeback before opening files in External Program

[abgestumpft]

Hi,

in Background Processing -> Metadata Write-back
I have disabled "Write-back changes to metadata immediately"

Now, when editing Fotos in an external Program (via Favorites->Applications), I have to make sure I manually write Metadata to files in order to have up to date Keywords, GPS Data, Faces, Star Rating,...
And this is the problem: I often forget to write the Metadata to files before editing 

It would be nice to have an additional option under (or maybe Metadata 2, not sure where it fits better):
Background Processing -> Metadata Write-back
"Write-back changes to metadata before passing files to external Applications"

With this option iMatch will then write back the metadata for the selected files before they are opened in an external Application.

[Jingo]

This can easily be accomplished by a quick app... check the selection of files for pending writeback, force a write-back, launch external program with selected images.

If you'd like me to look into writing this app for you - let me know!

[Carlo Didier]

+1 Makes total sense

[abgestumpft]

This can easily be accomplished by a quick app... check the selection of files for pending writeback, force a write-back, launch external program with selected images.

If you'd like me to look into writing this app for you - let me know!

Hi Jingo,

So instead of using the Favorite Link of the Editor I would then use the App (which writes back all pending metadata of selected files and then opens the Favorite Link)?
I was looking into writing my own app some days ago (but so far just made it to a "Hello World" state) 

Thanks a lot for your offer, maybe we shoult wait what Mario says (if its feasible that this will be included as iMatch option).

[Jingo]

This can easily be accomplished by a quick app... check the selection of files for pending writeback, force a write-back, launch external program with selected images.

If you'd like me to look into writing this app for you - let me know!

Hi Jingo,

So instead of using the Favorite Link of the Editor I would then use the App (which writes back all pending metadata of selected files and then opens the Favorite Link)?
I was looking into writing my own app some days ago (but so far just made it to a "Hello World" state) 

Thanks a lot for your offer, maybe we shoult wait what Mario says (if its feasible that this will be included as iMatch option).

Yes... simply read the pending metadata status of the selected image(s) and force a write-back... once complete, open the images in whatever program you'd like... you can even write the app so it lets you choose what app to load the images in...

Personally, I wouldn't use a setting like this because there might be reasons why I wouldn't want to write back the data for the images... and honestly - hitting Ctrl-Alt-S is pretty simple to do before launching a favorite... so, I'd go the APP route myself.  Happy to throw one together.. heck - might just do it for fun!!

[Mario]

Without judging this request, mind, some thoughts:

- This would most likely not work with drag & drop (timing issues, Windows shell would probably timeout after a few seconds).

- What if a user selects 1000 files and does a quick copy & paste to Windows Explorer?

- What if a user uses one of the "Open with..." shell commands, which are actually implemented by IMatch in form of asking Windows to link a menu into the IMatch menu. This menu is then controlled by Windows and IMatch has no idea what the user/Windows are doing(except providing the file names)

I'm sure there are other conditions and potential side effects which need to be considered.
Things are often not as easy as they look.

A purpose-built function "Open these files in this application but write-back if needed) will probably doable. And a custom app too.
But the general drag & drop, copy & paste, "Open with...", "Open with select ..." features in IMatch which work so seamlessly with the Windows shell and other applications will require more thought, checks, UX with message boxes to inform the user when something cannot work in the current situation etc.

[abgestumpft]

Thanks for your detailed reply. So implementing that option in iMatch will be more complicated than I thought...