Editing metadata in category view

[KimAbel]

Hello

A little difiicult to explain, but I will give it a try :-)

When I am editing metadata (keywords) in the category view the focus image jumps to the start of the category after I have done some editing. This happens when I push the "save changes" button and the image disappear from the active collection. It would have been nice if the next image in the category would be selected instead of the first one in the category. That way I dont have to scroll my way back to the place I was before I pushed the save changes button. This is annoying when I have a category with a lot of photos in it.

Regards
Kim Abel

[Mario]

Are you by change working "inside" the @Keywords category hierarchy?
This data-driven category has to be re-calculated every time you change a keyword, which might explain the effect you are seeing.

[KimAbel]

Yes, I have selected one category in the  category tree and are editing metadata from there. Im trying to work my way through pictures in a category, but have to scroll back each time I save changes.

So it would be nice if the next focused image would be the next image instead of the first image.

Kim

[Mario]

The problem is that the entire @Keywords category hierarchy is completely re-calculated every time you change a keyword. It is very had to track all this and to keep the currently selected file in the file window, because the file window is completely re-loaded every time you assign a keyword. You are basically pull out the ground under your own feet every time you change a keyword while looking at a @Keywords category. I would not wait for a quick solution for this. Better change your workflow and edit the keywords for your files while you are not looking at a @Keywords category. Use a folder, collection, or any other category...

[ChrisMatch]

Wouldn't it be possible to provide a 'freeze' option that pauses the recalculation?

[Mario]

Sure. But there are so many dependencies that I'm currently not even inclined to think about all the consequences - from the color bar display in the file window to several panels, filters, scripting, Apps, variables, ...

[Ferdinand]

While IMatch does its best to adapt to your workflow, there are times when you're going to have to adapt your workflow to what is reasonably possible in IMatch.  This seems to be one of those occasions.

[ubacher]

I have been extremely bothered by this repainting which happens also when new files are added and which makes it impossible to work.

Here an idea I have only tried once so far: I set a RED pin on all files in the window and then display these files in Collections view.
This way my display stays stable and I can work with it. Give this a try. ( But make sure nothing adds RED pins in the background!)

If this method works out as it should I will just write a small script which copies the existing window into a result window and save myself the use
of pins.

[Mario]

I have been extremely bothered by this repainting which happens also when new files are added and which makes it impossible to work.

As I said above, as soon as you not work in a data-driven category which has to completely be re-calculated with every change you do, the screen will remain static.

[Mario]

Yes, I have selected one category in the  category tree and are editing metadata from there. Im trying to work my way through pictures in a category, but have to scroll back each time I save changes.
So it would be nice if the next focused image would be the next image instead of the first image.

Can you please explain in detail what you are doing? E.g. how you change the keywords (Keyword Panel? Category Panel? Dragging and Dropping files around? Copy/Paste Attributes)? Which file window settings, sort preset, hierarchy mode etc. do you use?

When I select the @Keyword category "beach" on my system it has 100 files. I scroll about to the middle to that list and select a file. I add keywords to this file in the Keyword Panel. The file remains selected, no scrolling. I add keywords to the file via the Category Panel. File window remains static. Also when I remove keywords via the Keywords Panel or the Category Panel, the file window does not flicker.

[KimAbel]

Sorry for not replying, but have some busy days 

I see that this is the behaviour if one keeps the keyword in the file, and thats good. In my excample I have created a category named "?". Thats for species I havent identified yet. When I work my way through this list I add the correct species name (and synonyms) and then delete the "?". This is in the keyword panel. Then the file disappears from the category and the focus image shifts to the first image. I would prefer the focus image to be the next picture in line instead of the first.

This is also something that happens in the folder view when I am working with metadata in pictures. The focus image suddenly shifts to the first one even though I have another file selected. Im not quite sure what the precise cause of this, but I will keep you informed when I see this the next time. I think it has something to do with IM reading metadata from the files.

Kim

[KimAbel]

Here an idea I have only tried once so far: I set a RED pin on all files in the window and then display these files in Collections view.
This way my display stays stable and I can work with it. Give this a try. ( But make sure nothing adds RED pins in the background!)

Good idea, and I will try it :-) But the best would be if this extra step was not needed. I can see that this causes some headace to Mario, so I am totally happy with keeping this as a feature request for some rainy days some time after the public version have been released ;-)

Kim

[sinus]

While IMatch does its best to adapt to your workflow, there are times when you're going to have to adapt your workflow to what is reasonably possible in IMatch.  This seems to be one of those occasions.

I agree fully. As Mario pointed out and also mentioned ubacher an idea, I am sure, you could find a good solution for this problem. In IM3 I created for such things for example bookmarks or created temporary categories and so on. IM5, with its armado of different collections you can hopefully find a system, what fits your desire.

[Mario]

and then delete the "?". This is in the keyword panel.

I'm still not entirely sure that I understand how you work.

1. The ? is not a keyword category. It's a normal category, right?
2. You show the contents of ? in the file window and then add keywords via the Keyword Panel?
3. Finally you remove the file from the ? category by pressing <U>?

[Mario]

I've made a small change and added a tad more 'intelligence' for the case of restoring the state of a file window after the previously focused file has been deleted / un-assigned. Please check out once the 5.0.126 is out and let me know if it works better.

[KimAbel]

All my editing is in the keyword panel. I dont add or delete categories. I just use the categories to select the pictures I want to see or work with. Since I am dependent of synonyms in my workflow I prefer "normal" keywords.

For all my "species" pictures that I dont know the species name of I add the keyword "?" in the keyword panel (not as category). This is automatically imported into categories under "Keywords".

So when I have selected the "?" category in the category view I work my way through the pictures by adding the correct species name as a keyword in the keyword panel, and then delete the "?" keyword in the same panel. After each save the pictures disappears from the category as it should, but then the focused image jumps to the first image and not the next in line.

Kim

[KimAbel]

I've made a small change and added a tad more 'intelligence' for the case of restoring the state of a file window after the previously focused file has been deleted / un-assigned. Please check out once the 5.0.126 is out and let me know if it works better.

Great. I will check:-)

[KimAbel]

The problem with working in the category view is solved in the build 126 :-)

I havent gotten the time to check if it is solved in the folder view, but I will inform you when I get the chance.

Kim