Database problem?

[Robvog]

I use Imatch to 2021_18_4_x64 on a Windows 10 (ltest update) system. 
Since yesterday my database seems to have problems, I don't understand what is going on. I tried "Database Diagnostics" and "Comact and Optimize", without any result. The problem is: Imatch starts immediately after opening to update all my files and that takes a very lot of time. But update to what? The day earlier the database was without any problem and nothing on my system changed since then. 
After finishing this data-update the View-window shows all jpeg-photos as small photo's (as it  it would do if they were raw-photo's). Do yoy understand what is going on en what I can do now?   

[Mario]

Please attach the IMatch log file (see log file) so we can see what IMatch is doing.

Just in case: Did you open the right database? If you accidentally opened an "old" database, IMatch may need to rescan all images to bring the old database up-to-date.

[Robvog]

Yes, I opened the same database  as the day earlier. In fact I save all backups (of older databases too) on another HDD and only the database in use directly available.
I send a copy of the logfile.  

[Mario]

This log file shows an IMatch start (09:15) and some cache images being loaded (09:20).
(Some of your application favorites are invalid because the linked apps cannot be found anymore).

Then nothing happens until 11:00, when you run a database diagnosis successfully.
Then some cache images are loaded and the log ends at 11:02.

I see no traces of IMatch scanning the file system, ingesting new or updated files or anything.
This does not match with your experience of IMatch updating all files. This would leave corresponding info in the log file.
IMatch would log entries like "AddOrUpdateFolder" or "AddOrUpdateFile" when it detects new or updated files in the file system...

Do you still experience the problem?

[Robvog]

I made a mistake and send you the wrong log-file (while I was using another version of the database). Now I sent you the log of the database-version in wich the problem exists.    

[Mario]

This log file shows IMatch loading metadata from a handful of files (13:09:32)
For all files, ExifTool reports a minor error: [minor] Bad IDC_IFD SubDirectory start
The log ends at 13:09:59.

I assume IMatch has already placed all files found as new or modified into the background processing queue. You can see the number of entries in the Info & Active panel or the Dashboard.

IMatch will only place files into the queue when the "modified on disk" timestamp reported by Windows differs from the timestamp recorded for the file in the database.

I cannot tell why IMatch has found the files modified. Do you store your images on a NAS perhaps? Time-zone issue? NAS reporting wrong timestamps (has all happened before).

[Robvog]

No, I do not use a NAS, only an intern HDD. I can not reason what is going on, nothing happened af far as I know.
Anyway thanks for helping en looking for the reasis for the update-activity. As you perhaps know another advise, please let me know.   

[Carlo Didier]

Maybe the same thing I stumbled over: iMatch may refresh the cache images as those expire after a certain time.

[Mario]

Cache images don't expire.
They expire (are re-created) when the source images is re-scanned due to an update. Or when IMatch purged old cache images because of cache limits set by the user. Then cache images are re-created on-demand.

[Carlo Didier]

...when IMatch purged old cache images because of cache limits set by the user. Then cache images are re-created on-demand.

That's what I meant 

[Mario]

...when IMatch purged old cache images because of cache limits set by the user. Then cache images are re-created on-demand.

That's what I meant 

Cache images are re-created when you look at them in the Viewer, the Quick View Panel or when IMatch needs them, e.g. in the Batch Processor or Design & Print.

This does not match with the problem description, which I understand as IMatch, for some reason, re-ingesting all files in the database.

[Mario]

No, I do not use a NAS, only an intern HDD. I can not reason what is going on, nothing happened af far as I know.
Anyway thanks for helping en looking for the reasis for the update-activity. As you perhaps know another advise, please let me know. 

IMatch should have processed all files by now, is this the case?
When this happens again, secure the log file as the first thing (copy it in Windows Explorer).
The log will show why IMatch has considered the file as changed, e.g. because the "last modified on disk" timestamp has changed or because Windows sent a "file modified" message to IMatch.

Impossible to tell without a log file from the IMatch session in which IMatch "found" modified folders or files and added them to the background processing queue.

If IMatch is still processing files and you are very, very sure that none of the files has changed, you can force IMatch to clear the processing queue and stop processing files. See Clear Processing Queues
Then close and re-open the database. If the problem happens again, make a copy of the log file and attach it to a reply.