write back speedup

[hannes_hab]

How can I speed up the write back process - working with Imatch seems to be ok for me (thought I have to learn a lot) but write back is very slow.
Which settings can speed up the performance?

[Mario]

It would help a lot if you could provide a minimum of information.

Like:

Which file formats do you write?
File size? 10 MB JPEG, 50 MB RAW, 500 MB PSD, ...
First or additional write-back?
Are the files on the local SSD  or a remote NAS connected via network / Wi-Fi
What kind of computer do you use?
Do you write back individual files (click on the pen and then wait) or do you use the Write-back commands from the Commands > Write-back menu?
How long does ExifTool take to write-back files - this info is contained in the log file

IMatch writes back to standard 50 MP RAW files in about 1 - 2 seconds, and it does this for multiple files in parallel - unless you use the pen icon to write-back individual files, which is a synchronous (you wait) operation.

[hannes_hab]

Normaly JPG and Raw about 10 and 25 MB sometimes larger 16 bit tiffs.
They are on a NAS (with fast Eternet). The computer is a new, strong one with lots of memory.
Yes I often use the pen with individual files.

A additional question: in the help there is an option for writing xmp - this is not available here (maybe because I have disabled automatic background write-back):
Would this be the better and faster way working with raw-files?

[Mario]

NAS is of course the worst case, performance-wise.
I recommend you finish your files (and write-back) your files on your local SSD/disk before moving them to the long-term archival NAS. NAS boxes are designed for streaming use and backup, not for highly interactive processes like IMatch performs during write back. See also Configuring Process Control for Slow Media (CD-ROM, DVD, NAS, ...) for some background info.

A additional question: in the help there is an option for writing xmp

I don't understand. To write back use one of the write-back commands available in the Commands menu.
IMatch then writes back multiple files in parallel, which is a great performance improvement.
Maybe reduce the number of write-back threads when your  NAS performs not too well under these conditions, see Process Control (Advanced Setting)

The commands to write XMP only are for very special purposes. I don't know which one you mean. Where in the help did you find this?
Writing only XMP is not the same as write-back!

[hannes_hab]

https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/#rmh_config_metadata2.htm

"XMP Export
Allow to create XMP files
This option allows you to prevent creation of XMP sidecar files. You may find this useful if you don't want to clutter your hard disk with XMP sidecar files.

For example, you have configured IMatch to use XMP files for RAW formats. You change the rating for 500 files in your database. IMatch now would have to create and write 500 XMP files. Unless you need the XMP files to exchange the metadata with other applications you can prevent this by enabling this option.
IMatch will only create the files when metadata is written. If you disable automatic background write-back IMatch will not create XMP files either way."

I do some things like first sorting, deleting, rating, reverse Geotagging (things I cannot do in AftershotPro) for the (raw-)files in Imatch - then I switch to ASP where these things should be shown and do further Metadata things there (because its faster there, especially copy and paste of metadata) and then do photo editing and then develop the photos to the final .jpgs

[Carlo Didier]

...then I switch to ASP where these things should be shown and do further Metadata things there (because its faster there, especially copy and paste of metadata) ...

Have you looked at versioning and metadata propagation in iMatch?

[Mario]

https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/#rmh_config_metadata2.htm

This has nothing to do with write-back. This is a special option for very specific purposes. DO NOT change these options until you really know what you are doing and what problems may arise from that.
Changing this setting will break your metadata and will not change a thing with performance.

I pretty much doubt that writing the XMP file takes any time at all.
It's the synchronization with other metadata in the image that takes most of the time, but is also very important.
If your NAS or network is so slow that this is really an issue, follow my advise from above. Problem solved.

Again, DO NOT change metadata options unless you know exactly what they do. I support only the standard metadata settings in IMatch.