Error messages in log file

[graham1]

IMatch is fully updated (23.1.14).  I have been running it for days, to update unwritten metadata and to get rid of some 500,000+ pending metadata write-back images with a yellow pencil in a catalogue of 810,000 mainly RAW files, mainly Canon images of various vintages.

My log file shows many, many entries along the following lines (this is just an extract where the end of one set of error massages/warnings merges into the beginning of the next):

Can't find table Image::ExifTool::Nikon::Main
Attempt to reload Image/ExifTool/Nikon.pm aborted.
Compilation failed in require at (eval 50772) line 2.
Can't find table Image::ExifTool::Nikon::ShotInfoD80
Attempt to reload Image/ExifTool/Nikon.pm aborted.
Compilation failed in require at (eval 50773) line 2.
Can't find table Image::ExifTool::Nikon::Main
  'V:\develop\IMatch5\src\IMEngine\PTETWrapper.cpp(2441)'
07.01 17:59:05+4964906 [4814] 01  W> ETWARN:Warning: Possibly corrupted CanonCustom2 data - F:\@Images_16 (2018)\2018\2018 Misc\IMG_9516.CR2
Warning: Possibly corrupted CanonCustom2 data - F:/@Images_16 (2018)/2018/2018 Misc/IMG_9516.CR2
  'V:\develop\IMatch5\src\IMEngine\PTETWrapper.cpp(3694)'
07.01 17:59:06+ 1188 [2634] 01  W> ETWARN:Warning: Possibly corrupted CanonCustom2 data - F:\@Images_16 (2018)\2018\2018 Misc\IMG_9517.CR2
Warning: Possibly corrupted CanonCustom2 data - F:/@Images_16 (2018)/2018/2018 Misc/IMG_9517.CR2
  'V:\develop\IMatch5\src\IMEngine\PTETWrapper.cpp(3694)'

These happen to refer to Nikon, but I get similar for other camera makes, and I am worried that IMatch seems to think that there is a lot of "possibly corrupted" Canon custom data.

I assume that the reference to the V: drive is just something that IMatch creates as a reference for itself, because my actual V: drive contains none of these paths.

I have carried out a full database diagnosis on this catalogue and it passes all tests.

Is anything here something I should be worrying about, or is there anything I can do to make sure that ExifTool can properly read all the requisite camera profiles?  If there is anything I can do that would make it update metadata more quickly, and update Categories (data driven Categories have pretty much ground to a halt), it would be good to know.

Graham

[Mario]

This looks like ExifTool is struggling badly on your machine.
Frankly, I have never seen such errors before.

Apparently, something on your computer (anti-virus?) is interfering badly with ExifTool, preventing it from accessing/compiling important parts of itself.

Unless you sort this out, IMatch will most likely be unable to process metadata in any useful way.
See IMPORTANT: Virus Checkers and contact the vendor of your anti-virus for assistance.

[graham1]

Thank you.  I only have the standard Windows 10 anti-virus package running at any one time.  I have other on-demand checkers, such as Malwarebytes, but I use these for one-off checks sometimes, never always running.  I turn off real time anti-virus protection when IMatch is scanning, although after a few hours it turns itself back on again.

Any other suggestions for how to sort this out?  It does seem likely to be an ExifTool issue, since I have no problems with either Lightroom or Photo Mechanic reading metadata.

Graham

[Mario]

As I said, I have never seen these errors before.
ExifTool "unpacks" itself into the TEMP folder on your system on the first run. This seems to have failed, and the ExifTool installation is incomplete / damaged. A typical case of a virus checker causing problems, AFAIK.

Since Lightroom and PM don't use ExifTool it is normal that these applications don't have problems reading your metadata.
Both application don't offer nearly as much metadata quality as ExifTool offers.

Do this:

1. Close IMatch

2. Open the TEMP folder in Windows Explorer
Just type %TEMP% into the Windows Explorer address bar and press <Enter>.

3. Delete the folder starting with par-
This folder contains the ExifTool runtime files that have been corrupted.

4. Now start IMatch again and try to read metadata for a file.
Select the file in a File Window, press <Shift>+<Ctrl>+<F5> and select the "Reload Metadata" command

If the problem comes back, something installed on your system is blocking/damaging the ExifTool installation.
Windows Defender does not do this, so this must be something else.