Multiple Users Work on Single DB?

[pixeldroid.000]

I am going to hire an assistant to help organize my library. That person will need to add/tag/organize files.
Looking at IMA, it doesn't appear to be built for that purpose - is that correct?

My images are on Dropbox, so I'm thinking someone else could work on the same db as long we aren't working on it at the same time. Is that correct?

Any other way to accomplish this?
Thanks.

[Mario]

Start with Sharing IMatch Databases
IMatch Anywhere allows multiple users to work with the same database, viewing files, searching files, inputting keywords and categories etc.

[pixeldroid.000]

I understand that IMatch Anywhere sets up a server on my computer and my team would access it via web browser.
Unless I'm missing something, the workflow might not be practical. If my assistant downloads 2000 images from Midjourney and applies keywords via a browser, wouldn't it require a lot of bandwidth each time the keywords are written or are you able to perform the update using the cpus on the server (my computer)?

Alternately, when using Dropbox, where everyone has synced copies of all the files, the full path will be different on all computers where it is installed. Is it possible to setup the IM database to user a relative address? For example, if the full path to the files is
D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Art\Mitch Art
and the full path to the DB is
D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Art\imdb
can I tell IM to use .\Mitch Art as the root for the collection?

Thanks for any clarification you can provide.

[pixeldroid.000]

Or perhaps mapping DBox to a virtual drive would work? E.g:
https://cloudmounter.net/mount-cloud-drive-win.html

[Mario]

applies keywords via a browser, wouldn't it require a lot of bandwidth each time the keywords are written or are you able to perform the update using the cpus on the server (my computer)?

The keywords are written to the database, like when you add keywords in IMatch itself. Very fast, low bandwidth etc.
Only when you later write-back in IMatch, the image files are modified by adding the new metadata and DropBox will sync the modified files into cloud, and from there to the other people's computers (for files you have shared). See Metadata Write-back

Alternately, when using Dropbox, where everyone has synced copies of all the files, the full path will be different on all computers

The only relevant path is the path on the computer running IMatch Anywhere WebServices.
The database needs to know where the images are and it will write back them to that drive too. When you write back, DB will sync the files back into the cloud and from there to the individual DB folders on the other persons computers.

From IMatch's perspective, it does not know or care that you index files from the DB folder on the PC running IMatch Anywhere. You index the folder in the database using IMatch and then "publish" this database via IMA folder other persons to use. The changes they make keywords and other metadata is stored back to the database IMA has opened. When you want to write back the metadata to the actual image files, you need to use IMatch again (or set IMatch to write-back immediately, see Edit menu > Preferences > Background Processing).

[pixeldroid.000]

Can the remote clients make folders, move files, etc on the server?

[Mario]

Can the remote clients make folders, move files, etc on the server?

No, that's outside the scope of IMatch Anywhere WebViewer. This front-end is designed to be simple, quick to learn and use for users don't knowing anything about IMatch or DAM. The feature set is intentionally reduced for that very reason. Potentially dangerous functions like moving, renaming or deleting files are not implemented.

[pixeldroid.000]

So if I want to setup a multi-user workflow using IMatch on DBox, is it possible to setup the IM database to user a relative address? For example, if the full path to the files is
D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Art\Mitch Art
and the full path to the DB is
D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Art\imdb
can I tell IM to use .\Mitch Art as the root for the collection?

I realize we would need to be very careful about only having one user working in IM at a time, but I'm only using IM to write the data into the files (ie. no critical custom metadata in the db), so if I need to rebuild the DB due to a mistake, it is not a critical issue.

[Mario]

What do you mean by root for the collection?

IMatch does not virtualize folders. You can add folders from a drive "c:\images" or from an UNC network share "\\server\\share\images".

When I understand you correctly, you are trying something like

a) using one database
b) distribute this database to multiple users (?)
c) On your system the images are stored in the folder "D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Art\Mitch Art" and on another computer the images may be stored in "D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Art\Susan Art"?

As I wrote above, you can use the Windows subst command or Windows Drive Manager to create a virtual drive that points at the Dropbox folder on the computer. E.g.

subst I: "D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Art\Mitch Art"

Now you have a I: drive that contains the contents of that folder. You will want to run the subst command when Windows starts via the Registry of course.

This way all participating users would have images stored, e.g. on drive "I:", but pointing at whatever their actual Dropbox folder name is.

You add the images on your PC from drive I:\
When the database is used by another person, I:\ will still exist, but may point at a different physical Dropbox folder.

Another solution is to automatically relocate folders in your database when you open the database on a different PC with a different folder layout. This is supported by the Editing Auto Relocate Rules in IMatch.

You basically tell that the folder "D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Art\Mitch Art" on PC HBM001 is "D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Art\Susan Art" on the PC with the name HBM1918.

I realize we would need to be very careful about only having one user working in IM

"Very careful" has a separate chapter in my book "How to mess things up". Never really works.

Anyway, only one user can open an IMatch in writable mode at a time. This is explained in Sharing IMatch Databases, which I linked to in my first reply above.

[pixeldroid.000]

Thanks much Mario, this will get me started.

I realize we would need to be very careful about only having one user working in IM.

 --- "Very careful" has a separate chapter in my book "How to mess things up". Never really works

34 years in computer graphics production says I'll make it work...