New Computer New iMatch Version Help

[Wurz1]

Apologies if there is an easy answer but I've spent so long now I just thought I'd ask here.

I had an ancient computer with several thousand photos and version 5 iMatch on it.  So old it wouldn't run 2020 iMatch.

Just bought a new computer which will run 2020 so have purchased that version :-)

Both running Windows 10 64 bit.

Old Computer:-
Made backup of database and copied actual database (imd5) file to an external drive.
New computer:-
Copied database from external drive to c: drive.
Installed iMatch 2020.
Opened database and it seemed to convert it ok.
But, all files showing as offline.  Tried to use relocate and show it where the folder was kept (in same place / path as previous computer) but then the folder under 'Media & Folders' view just disappears.
Odd things I notice are the higher level folder now has a sort of code rather than a name (DEDD-158E).
Any suggestions? Has moving to a new computer AND moving from v 5 to 2020 been too much for it?
Attachment shows what I am seeing.  There used to be a folder called '2001 Misc' there but it is the one that has disappeared (however it is still there when I look using explorer).

[Mario]

Click in the Folder & Media tree and press <F5> once to refresh it.
Or close and re-open the database.

Let us know if this does not help.

[Wurz1]

Didn't help, sorry.

Did a relocate on the strangely named higher level folder (DEDD-158E) and it seemed to resolve that (see attachment 'Help1). But, whilst the offline symbol has gone, when I click o the file it still says file is offline. And if I go into Categories and click on any file, it also says offline.

[Mario]

The number is the unique "id" of the drive.
IMatch shows the drive id usually only when there are multiple media (aka disks) from the same drive (C:) in the database...

If this did not work, you most likely made a mistake during relocation.
Try to relocate each top-level folder to the "same" folder.

[Wurz1]

Re-installed.
Opened imd5 database.
Re-converted imd5 database.
Same thing again.
See attachments in order demonstrating that I believe I have done it right, including the 'Relocate' function.
Demonstrating 'disappearance' of folder ('2001 Misc').
Demonstrating that folder ('2001 Misc') is actually still present when using Explorer.
Noticed drive ID only appears part way through.

Also tried installing on drive d: (drive c: is SSD and drive d: is hdd - I assume that doesn't matter).
Also tried storing photos on drive d: and 'Relocating' there.
Again same result - not successful.

Now very worried that hundreds of hours adding categories over the years is lost. If you can look into this further I would be very grateful.

[Wurz1]

Slight correction/update.

Folder '2001 Misc' didn't disappear, it is visible further down but with a different drive ID.  Does that give any clues? See attached.

[Mees Dekker]

Well, try to relocate each and every folder that way. Clearly there is a different drive ID because of your new computer.

After that you might consider reorganizing your folder structure a bit.

What I did in the past is to create one folder called "Photos" and made all other folder subfolders to this parent folder. This  parent folder is added to the database, but it contains no photos itself. All photos are in the subsequent  subfolders. In that way you have to relocate only the main/parent folder ("Photos") and all subfolders are relocated as well.

[Mario]

Two different C: drives are managed in this database. The old disk and the new.
Continue with the relocation until all top-level folders have been relocated.

I'm not sure why relocating the C: disk to the C: disk does not work.
When you try that, IMatch checks the folders and tells you if it cannot find folders on the new disk.
Did that happen?

[herman]

I may be wrong, but when I look at the Windows Explorer screenshot it seems that the correct path is

C:\Users\Public\Public Pictures

Whereas the relocate location screenshot shows

C:\Users\Public\Pictures

Could this be the reason things do not work as expected?

[Wurz1]

Thanks all I appreciate the continued help.

All photos are under a single folder 'Public Photos' although that doesn't look to be obviously visible.

I have relocated all and they are now under the 'new' c: drive location. See iMatch6 jpg -repeated for each folder.
Little exclamation mark disappears when double clicking photos they still show off line. Right click and rescan solves that (iMatch7 jpg).
Also note that they all now have a date/time stamp in the file name and the letters UTC - WTF? (see iMatch8 before and after).
All now showing as online under media and folders.
All categories now completely gone - see iMatch9 jpg.

Nightmare!

[Mario]

All categories now completely gone

This indicates that you have not relocated properly.
But added the folders again to your database. And since the files are new, they have no categories.
There is no way IMatch changes file names when you relocate. Or during a rescan.

I recommend you start over.
Restore your database again.

Select one folder and relocate.
All "off-line" icons must vanish if you did it correctly.
There is no need to rescan the folder and all files must also be online again.
Else you made a mistake.

[Wurz1]

Thanks Mario - I'll try again.

The snips to me show the file names only change when performing a function using iMatch. I'm not a genius at this stuff I confess but I have worked in IT for 30 years so I'm not completely stupid either! Otherwise, I am inadvertently using some other batch rename function that I don't know about or have manually renamed 14,000 files for no reason.

I'll seek further assistance should I need it - it's not so much the money but the many hours I have spent categorising things that might need to be repeated that worries me as I am sure you will understand.

[Mario]

The snips to me show the file names only change when performing a function using iMatch.

Which function do you perform? The only functions in IMatch which rename files are <F2> and the Renamer.

Relocating just updates all files and folders in the database to point t another disk and/or file name.
This usually just works and IMatch even checks if the folder you relocate to contains all folders and files you relocate. Else you get error messages.

Make sure that the new disk actually contains what you think it contains.
Maybe the original folders exist, but the structure is different or files have been duplicated or similar things.
This could also explain why you suddenly see new files in your database which have file names containing date and time. Because the function you have used caused IMatch to rescan the folder and to find the new files...

[Wurz1]

Yes, I accept that that does sound more likely. I will try again.

[Wurz1]

I think this is to do with me using files from a Windows Backup utility rather than simply copying files to an external drive then copying from that to the new C: drive (well that's what a quick google search suggests from people who have also had time stamps added unexpectedly).

I think I'm getting nearer!

[thrinn]

I do not know which kind of backup software you used but to me it looks as if you either restored your pictures twice, causing the backup tool to add a timestamp to resolve name conflicts. Or, if the tool handles multiple backup versions, maybe it added the timestamp to make clear which version was used?

It is important the folder structure and the filenames are exactly as before. Otherwise, Relocate can not work. To be more precise: If you relocate a folder to its new position, everything "under" this folder (sub directories and filenames) must be exactly as before.

[Wurz1]

Windows utility I guess.

New PC was just a 'bare metal' box with Windows 10 installed, nothing else.

I'll play around but feeling more confident this will be the reason 😁

[herman]

My bet is that the images were originally stored in

C:\Users\Public\Pictures

but the backup utility restored them to

C:\Users\Public\Public Pictures

Note the extra Public in the path

When you let IMatch relocate to the correct folder things should be OK.
Note that in the IMatch "Relocate Folder" window you can browse to the new location of a folder.

[Wurz1]

Success!

Thanks all - what a relief.

Moved all photos to a new folder directly on C:\Photos on both old and new PCs.

Copied database across to new PC.

Did a relocate on all folders. Job done. How could I have gone so wrong! There was definitely some odd stuff going on re 'Pictures' versus 'Public Pictures' which I simply could fathom so thanks again Herman and all.

I blame Windows.

Now to play with new features 

[herman]

I am glad for you that it works now.

Have fun with all the new tools and options!