problem running exif tool

[Aubrey]

I randomly get the message "Problem running EXIF tool". (see attached jpg)
I have to install reinstall IMatch over the current version, then all is well (I don't delete the old version).

I've attached a debug log, which hopefully will help with understanding what is happening...
It happens randomly (I cannot pin down previous operations).

Aubrey.

[Mario]

IMatch logs:

Failed to determine ExifTool version. Check: exiftool.exe missing or damaged? Not allowed to run (virus-checker, software execution policy, ...)?

This looks like your virus checker is blocking access to the exiftool.exe in the IMatch program folder or even moving the executable into quarantine. Check the logs of your virus checker for more information. That it works after you re-installed IMatch (and exiftool.exe) also indicates that the executable is moved by your AV software.

[Aubrey]

Thanks for the info
I had file:
C:\Program Files\photools.com\imatch6\IMatch2020x64.exe as an exception in my AV.

I've replaced this with folder:
C:\Program Files\photools.com\imatch6.
exiftools is in this folder...

I should have posted sooner... I've been living with this intermittently for a while!

Aubrey.

[Mario]

So it was the virus checker? Which brand? Did it not inform you that it has blocked access or moved the exiftool.exe?

[Aubrey]

I'm using plain Defender.
Last evening I added C:\Program Files\photools.com\imatch6 to the exclude list.

The issue still persisted. I did not reboot as there were some background processes I wanted to finish.
Today after waking the computer from sleep (still no reboot) there has been no problem.

There has been no mention from the virus checker that it had blocked or moved the exiftool. (I regularly check the notifications tab)

Hopefully the exclude has done the trick. If not then I know things to look for and will update this thread.

Aubrey.

[Mario]

Windows Defender usually does not get in the way. I have one computer running only Defender and I don't see any problems there.
Reboot your system every couple of days. The "newer reboot, always hibernate" of Windows 10 allows a lot of 'fluff' to accumulate and to produce strange effects. After a reboot things are back to normal often.

[Aubrey]

I loaded IMatch today and the message again popped up.
log file has the message

"Failed to determine ExifTool version. Check: exiftool.exe missing or damaged? Not allowed to run (virus-checker, software execution policy, ...)?  'V:\develop\IMatch5\src\IMEngine\IMEngine5.cpp(3847)'"

I checked the program files\photools\imatch6, exiftool.exe was present. There were no messages from Defender.

I renamed imatch6 and reloaded the software (I did not uninstall) I have a new imatch6 folder. Maybe there is some issue with accessing original imatch6 folder; I had checked folder properties,  all files appeared to be read only which should be fine.

Aubrey.

[Mario]

When IMatch starts it runs exiftool.exe to determine the version number.
If this fails, the executable does not exist (unlikely), is damaged (also unlikely) or some 3rd party software / tool has blocked access to it. The typical cause for this is a virus checker.
I can only tell you that IMatch cannot run ExifTool, that's as far as remote diagnosis goes.

[Aubrey]

I found spy-bot running in background 
This was strange as I had removed the software using uninstall so it was not appearing as software installed. The folder in program files x86 had not been deleted
Sorted out spy-bot(reinstalled and uninstalled) and hopefully the messages have disappeared for good.

A.

[Mario]

Does this software still exist? Interesting. AFAIK it often gets in the way, does strange things etc. Or wastes time, as in this case.
Usually all you need is Defender and a good add-blocker (ublock) and NoScript for your browser.

[Aubrey]

Interestingly it's developed In the small village I lived in, in Ireland  about 20 miles south of Dublin when I was in my teens!

Yep I'm using only Defender and currently Opera is my browser of the month with ad blocker and VPN. New ms edge is getting good writeups!

[Mario]

New ms edge is getting good writeups!

The New Edge is basically Chrome(ium), which is also the basis for Google Chrome, Opera and others.
IMatch also uses Chromium for App Panels and App-based Views. Having now only one browser engine (and Firefox) to care for makes web development much easier.

[Aubrey]

Issue with exiftool  still exists.
If I run IMatch in administrator mode then all is OK.
Strange - still trying to work it out.
Looks like there are no access restrictions on exiftool.exe

Reinstallation (without removal) solves the issue.
I'll work it out eventually.

A.

[Mario]

Have a look at the file system permission of the folder, maybe something has messed them up.
Or, whatever software you use in the background makes an exception when you work in Admin mode (which is generally a bad idea, unless really needed).

[Aubrey]

Solution
For completeness, if someone else visits this thread at sometime...

I've finally tracked down this intermittent issue.
When I launch IMatch using package listary <crtl><crtl> then type "ima..." I was sometimes getting "problem running exif tool" I checked the source that listary was picking up (shortcut: desktop\photograpy\imatch 2020), this was correct.

When I start IMatch using the package launchy all is ok. (As of course starting it from the shortcut works fine.

I haven't been using many features of listary, so I've uninstalled and gone back to launchy.
Perhaps listary was locking exiftool?

All is now fine. Wheew! 

Aubrey.

[Mario]

I don't even know what listary or launchy are.
You did not mention any of this in your post and we could have wasted hours tracking down this issue caused by a 3rd party (?) software you use to run (?) applications in some way?
I recommend you just use the desktop shortcut Windows installer creates for IMatch. Who knows what these 3rd party tools do to your system or security.

[Jingo]

I've been using listary as a launcher for years and have never had an issue with IMatch... I think something else must be going on with your system... listary is just a launcher for whatever you type.. perhaps it is not launching the exe or lnk you think it is?  Or you have some advanced setup to include some other runtime variables?

[Aubrey]

Hi Jingo
It was following your comment about this software in another post here (https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=10527.msg74963#msg74963), that I installed the "vanilla" version - no run time variables etc. Not sure what was going on, it appeared to be picking up the correct  file to run IMatch. Anyway, as I said I wasn't really using all the features. I've found that launchy (using for about 15 years) is sufficient for my needs.

Aubrey.

[Carlo Didier]

Solution
For completeness, if someone else visits this thread at sometime...

I've finally tracked down this intermittent issue.
When I launch IMatch using package listary <crtl><crtl> then type "ima..." I was sometimes getting "problem running exif tool" I checked the source that listary was picking up (shortcut: desktop\photograpy\imatch 2020), this was correct.

When I start IMatch using the package launchy all is ok. (As of course starting it from the shortcut works fine.

I haven't been using many features of listary, so I've uninstalled and gone back to launchy.
Perhaps listary was locking exiftool?

All is now fine. Wheew! 

Aubrey.

Just out of curiosity. Why do you use a launcher? I simply pinned iMatch to the task bar. Or you can hit the Windows-Key and type iMatch ... What is the advantage of another launcher doing apparently the same thing?

[Aubrey]

Alt space bar type "im" enter imatch running
Alt space bar type "ex" excel launched
Alt space bar type "al" launches all way sync
Alt space bar type "ul" ultredit launched
Etc.
Even get to point single letter will launch...

I wouldn't be without launchy. No looking for right icon to click

Aubrey

[Jingo]

Solution
For completeness, if someone else visits this thread at sometime...

I've finally tracked down this intermittent issue.
When I launch IMatch using package listary <crtl><crtl> then type "ima..." I was sometimes getting "problem running exif tool" I checked the source that listary was picking up (shortcut: desktop\photograpy\imatch 2020), this was correct.

When I start IMatch using the package launchy all is ok. (As of course starting it from the shortcut works fine.

I haven't been using many features of listary, so I've uninstalled and gone back to launchy.
Perhaps listary was locking exiftool?

All is now fine. Wheew! 

Aubrey.

Just out of curiosity. Why do you use a launcher? I simply pinned iMatch to the task bar. Or you can hit the Windows-Key and type iMatch ... What is the advantage of another launcher doing apparently the same thing?

A launcher allows me to quickly - well.. "launch" stuff with the click of a button.  I have a ton of shortcuts set up to open multiple things at a time.   For example, I hit "scroll Lock" and type ANG and it can do the following:
  1) open Visual Studio Code
  2) Open a commend window and start my angular server
  3) Open a commend window and setup my git project session
  4) Open a firefox browser and connect to a coursera training I am auditing
  5) Launch a DisplayFusion profile for Angular development I created... this splits my two monitors into 7 virtual monitors and auto places each of the programs into a dedicated spot!

So.. with one command, I have my development environment available.  I can do the same with Imatch... and one for my Indesign.

[Carlo Didier]

Solution
For completeness, if someone else visits this thread at sometime...

I've finally tracked down this intermittent issue.
When I launch IMatch using package listary <crtl><crtl> then type "ima..." I was sometimes getting "problem running exif tool" I checked the source that listary was picking up (shortcut: desktop\photograpy\imatch 2020), this was correct.

When I start IMatch using the package launchy all is ok. (As of course starting it from the shortcut works fine.

I haven't been using many features of listary, so I've uninstalled and gone back to launchy.
Perhaps listary was locking exiftool?

All is now fine. Wheew! 

Aubrey.

Just out of curiosity. Why do you use a launcher? I simply pinned iMatch to the task bar. Or you can hit the Windows-Key and type iMatch ... What is the advantage of another launcher doing apparently the same thing?

A launcher allows me to quickly - well.. "launch" stuff with the click of a button.  I have a ton of shortcuts set up to open multiple things at a time.   For example, I hit "scroll Lock" and type ANG and it can do the following:
  1) open Visual Studio Code
  2) Open a commend window and start my angular server
  3) Open a commend window and setup my git project session
  4) Open a firefox browser and connect to a coursera training I am auditing
  5) Launch a DisplayFusion profile for Angular development I created... this splits my two monitors into 7 virtual monitors and auto places each of the programs into a dedicated spot!

So.. with one command, I have my development environment available.  I can do the same with Imatch... and one for my Indesign.

Ah, well, in such a scenario, it makes perfect sense. As I never need such things, I couldn't see the use for a launcher.

[Jingo]

Well... it is very useful if you run a variety of programs on your machine... but handy for the everyday launch as well. 

For example, I hit Scroll Lock (and the Listary box opens on my screen), type "IND" + Enter and it launches Indesign for me.  Same with opening an command window (CMD+Enter) or Browser (CHR+Enter) to launch chrome.  No need for desktop shortcuts which use system resources and slow down your system and you can keep a clean windows menu as well.  Highly recommend using one!

[JohnZeman]

Just to throw my 2 cents worth in on launching programs in Windows what I like to do is to create subfolders in my

C:\Users\John\Favorites\Links

Folder which puts those folders on my Windows taskbar.

Inside each of those folders are shortcuts to the primary programs/commands I use.

As an aside you don't see IMatch in my attached screenshot because I have the IMatch shortcut directly on the taskbar since I use it all the time.

[Jingo]

Neat approach as well John... many ways to get the job done!