iMatch with multiple PC - NAS and Onedrive

[PierreC]

Hello
I am trying the following architecture :
-my main computer for using iMatch is a desktop, let us call it Computer 1, with only one DBB
-I want to be able to use (read only) the same DBB on a laptop, let us call it Computer 2, wven if computer 1 is off
-The iMatch database is on a home NAS
-The photos are all in onedrive, and the DBB has been built considering the onedrive "locally" (let us say on computer 1 D:\onedrive\Photos) on computer 1 (but which is then the same as the one in MS Cloud)
-Computer 2 is also connected to the same onedrive, and so the photos are, on computer 2, on C:\Onedrive

Can I use the relocate function with the portability options to make this work? If so, how?

Thanks

Pierre

[Mario]

What is the problem you are trying to solve?

I'm sure accessing the database on the NAS from both computers work?
This is the slowest possible solution though, and NAS boxes are sometimes prone to 'issues' relating high-frequency data access like IMatch needs when the database is on a network.
I recommend using Pack & Go to copy the database to both PCs and back.

If both PCs access the files on your disk under different drive letters or folder names, you must use relocate.
You can use the Portability Options to make this automatic. Just relocate as needed on each PC once.

[PierreC]

Mario, let me clarify
-Yes I have only one instance of the DBB and it is on the NAS since few days now (I was on computer 1 before). I understand the risk you are highlighting and I will think about going for the multiple instances (will make the laptop = copmputer iMatch DBB read only via the preferences).
-So remains the photos - In order to ensure an automatic back up, they are one my onedrive :
-Computer 1is connected to it, with all the files locally synched  = available even when offline from Onedrive - On this computer, it is D:\Onedrive\Photos
-Computer 2 is also connected to it, with the files available only when I am online (nb : if needed I could make them also available when offline) - On this computer it is C:\Onedrive\Photos

Now, what I try to achieve : have the laptop = Computer 2 able to access (only access) to the photos up to date thru iMatch DBB up to date, without having to manage multiple actions of copies on regular basis
The master system is the Desktop = Computer 1 - I am using it to import the new photos, categorize, face reco, geo tagging, ...

If there is a better way to reach my objective, I am all for it!
Thx

[Mario]

I'm still not sure that I understand the problem.

It sounds like you only have to relocate from D:\Onedrive\Photos to C:\Onedrive\Photos to when you open the DB on PC 1 and vice-versa?
Does this not work? You can to that automatically via the Portability options (link to the help topic in my post above).
Folders and files not synched by OD yet will just show as off-line in IMatch.

[PierreC]

Mario I gave it another look tonight
I may get it wrong but :
The photos are all on onedrive in the cloud
-On the master Computer, Computer 1, the Onedrive local folder is D:\photos - As all the Database is maintained on this computer, the iMatch root folder for the photos is Computer 1 D:\Photos
-On secondary computer, Computer 2, the Onedrive local folder is C:\Photos
-in the Portability Options, after I select Computer 2 as computer, when I add a new rule, whether it is for folders or for disk, when I click on the 3 dots for Source or for Target, it shows me only the D:\Photos (on Computer 1) and C:\test on Computer 1. I cannot select anything else.

It looks like if I had to add to this iMatch database the folder C:\Photo of computer 2, before I can do the Portability Options settings. But if I do so, then all the 50 K photos will be added again to the iMatch database, aren't they?
Where do I get it wrong?
Thanks for your lights

[Mario]

You cannot select a folder in the folder browser when this folder does not exist (because it is on another computer). This dialog is a built-in Windows dialog and it does not know about folders on another computer 

Just type in C:\Photos by hand. IMatch believes what you type, whether or not the folder exists on the current computer.

[PierreC]

Thx Mario, very interesting test

As a summary,
-the iMatch DBB files are on a home NAS
-all the photos are on OneDrive, with all files synchonized on computer 1 (the master), Folder D:\Onedrive\Photos
-All works perfect from Computer 1

On computer 2, I start with iMatch installed, and connected to the same Onedrive, but all the photos are only online, the onedrive local folder for the photos being there C:\Onedrive\Photos
-I open the DBB on the NAS
-It takes some time, and it then opens. All the folder, in the media and folders view, show offline (the "!" in the yellow triangle")
-I apply the Portability relocate settings as per Mario's directions (For Computer 2, source = D:\Onedrive\Photos / Target = C:\Onedrive\Photos). I stop iMatch, I restart it, and it shows all the folders now as online and as within C:\Onedrive\Photos.
-If I click on a picture, it actually downloads the local copy to Computer 2, and then displays it (which is great and optimized for me)

Now I go back to computer 1 - I open the iMatch DBB from the NAS. All the folders show as in C:\Onedrive\Photos and show as offline
-I apply the relocate settings (For Computer 1, source = C:\Onedrive\Photos / Target = D:\Onedrive\Photos). I stop I Match and I restart it and it shows all folders as online and as within D:\Onedrive\Photos

I do a last check on computer 2, and all is still fine.

So at this point, beside the time it takes to open the DBB thru the the home network, the architecture / solution works great, and it does not require my duplicating any file.

As a next step, I will set computer 2 to open IMatch databases in "Read only" mode
And if on the long run, performance is a pain, I will then go for having the master files of the iMatch DBB on Computer 1, and use Pack and Go for copying it on the second one or on the NAS.

I love this software!

[Mario]

Doing the relocation should be enough, IMatch will bring the folders on-line afterwards. Maybe click in the Media & Folders tree and press <F5> to force an immediate refresh.
If manual relocation works, add it to the Portability options to it can work automatically.
Making the database read-only will not allow IMatch to do relocation (which must update the database).

IMatch Anywhere™ is often a good solution to browse and work with IMatch databases over a network.

[PierreC]

Ok, let me recap a corrected version


-the iMatch DBB files are on a home NAS
-all the photos are on OneDrive, with all files synchonized on computer 1 (the master), Folder D:\Onedrive\Photos
-All works perfect from Computer 1

On computer 2, I start with iMatch installed, and connected to the same Onedrive, but all the photos are only online, the onedrive local folder for the photos being there C:\Onedrive\Photos
-I open the DBB on the NAS
-It takes some time, and it then opens. All the folder, in the media and folders view, show offline (the "!" in the yellow triangle")
-I apply the Portability Options /  relocate settings as per Mario's directions (For Computer 2, source = D:\Onedrive\Photos / Target = C:\Onedrive\Photos).
-I go on the media & folders tree and type F5 to refresh - If not enough, I stop iMatch, I restart it ==> Now it shows all the folders now as online and as within C:\Onedrive\Photos.
-If I click on a picture, it actually downloads the local copy to Computer 2, and then displays it (which is great and optimized for me)

- I go back to computer 1 - I open the iMatch DBB from the NAS. All the folders show as in C:\Onedrive\Photos and show as offline
-I apply the Portability Options /relocate settings (For Computer 1, source = C:\Onedrive\Photos / Target = D:\Onedrive\Photos).
-I go on the media & folders tree and type F5 to refresh - If not enough, I stop iMatch, I restart it ==>Now it shows all folders as online and as within D:\Onedrive\Photos

I do a last check on computer 2, and all is still fine.

So at this point, beside the time it takes to open the DBB thru the the home network, the architecture / solution works great, and it does not require my duplicating any file.
NB : With this set up, I must avoid to set the DBB Open Read Only Mode on the Computer 2, as it will prevent the auto relocation to work


Mario, I quickly looked at Anywhere, but what I see now as very cool usages are the search by Face and the search from the map panels, which I believe are not in Anywhere

[Mario]

Mario, I quickly looked at Anywhere, but what I see now as very cool usages are the search by Face and the search from the map panels, which I believe are not in Anywhere

Both features may be included in a future version of IMatch Anywhere. But there is not really much demand so far.
IMatch Anywhere users use the IMatch Anywhere WebViewer very different from how they use IMatch (if they use IMatch at all).
For the many institutional and corporate users things like face recognition or mapping are not very important (mapping is included in WebViewer).
Accessing their files quickly from a tablet, Linux machine or smart phone is what counts - and IMatch Anywhere allows them to do that efficiently.