Parallels Anyone? - Solved

[J.D. McDowell]

As a guy who works on PCs and Macs I've tried using iMatch on both an XP and a Win 7 virtual machine with Parallels on a Mac without success. I get all kinds of incorrect date and time metadata and cross linked preview files. Dragging the set of database and files back to a PC and rescanning fixes the previews, though the dates and times are permanently shot. Clearly it's a Parallels thing.

I didn't list this as a bug since technically running on a Mac isn't supported (no kidding.)

I do prefer editing my photos on a Mac ( and no please, I'm not trying to start the PC vs. Mac debate  ) I've never had any issues with any software under Parallels ever, though I admit this is the first database application I've tried.

Anyway, there are a lot of creative types working on a Mac. Just thought I'd ask.

[Mario]

f incorrect date and time metadata

What's the problem, exactly? ExifTool extracting no, invalid, "off" date and time?
When you look at one of the files in the Metadata Panel, Browser Mode, does the data make sense?

cross linked preview files.

What's a cross-linked preview file? Do you mean IMatch shows the wrong image for an image?

I don't use Macs so I cannot tell if a true Windows running in Parallels is any different. I regularly test IMatch in Windows software running virtualized in VMWare and VirtualBox, and there are no issues with that. But Apple is always special.

[dcb]

I find that Parallels works one day. Doesn't work the next three. I try each new version then quite quickly delete it. I don't think it will be a fast enough solution for IMatch. Better off using Pack and Go and Bootcamp.

[Mario]

Or a real Windows 7/8 in VMWare or Virtual Box.

[J.D. McDowell]

Or a real Windows 7/8 in VMWare or Virtual Box.

Well yeah, but your program is the only reason for me personally to do any creative work in Windows.

The screen shot below gives an indication as to the type of time issues I'm having. It shows 12 versions since I have another 11 different shots that all display this date and time.

>>What's a cross-linked preview file? Do you mean IMatch shows the wrong image for an image?

Yes, exactly, both the thumbnail and the image in quick view and the viewer. As I said, copying the entire database back to a Windows machine, relocating to find the image folders, then doing a "Force Update" rescan fixes the thumbnail, but the times are still pooched.

I've tried this with the database on a Mac drive and on the virtual drive with the same results. Putting the images on the virtual drive doesn't make sense, plus I don't know that it would help anyway.

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[J.D. McDowell]

Or a real Windows 7/8 in VMWare or Virtual Box.

Interestingly I tried this with VMWare Fusion 6 with precisely the same results (the same files giving me trouble.) Curious problem.

[J.D. McDowell]

I seem to have this all sorted out now. As this is no longer "a request" I'll post my findings later in the General Discussions area, in case they are helpful to anyone else.

[Erik]

Or a real Windows 7/8 in VMWare or Virtual Box.

Interestingly I tried this with VMWare Fusion 6 with precisely the same results (the same files giving me trouble.) Curious problem.

Have you tried looking at the metadata for the files that are giving you problems outside of IM?  For instance using EXIFTools? 

Over the years I've had issues here and there with file metadata, and it usually ends up being something that is corrupt or duplicated in the Metadata that is not easily accessible or misread by EXIFTool.  Cleaning up and fixing the metadata (how you do this depends on what the problem is) has usually fixed all the errors I've had.