Database Conversion Blues

[mulomulo]

For the last three days, I've been trying to convert my 170,00 images database from the iMatch3 (.imd4) format to the new iMatch5 (.imd5) format. Here's what I encountered. Maybe this post (if anyone reads it) will provide some pointers to those wishing to do convert their database, but more importantly, maybe the developers might get thinking about some of the issues. Yes, I call them issues. There may be very many good reason why things are as they are, but as a User, I am not concerned with 'what the software does and how it does it' (no matter how amazing that may be) but I am concerned with the 'expected outcome'.

1) The option to import an old database seems to flash up after the first install of iMatch5 - never to be seen again. (I installed the demo version)
2) After locating the 'Database Tools', the option 'Database Converter' simply does nothing. An error message would be nice.
3) I figure out that maybe I can only convert databases if I BUY the thing first. As a loyal and happy iMatch user for years, I just buy it.
4) Bought it. And now what? It said somewhere that you can convert your demo version to the full version. Nowhere to apply your licence key that I can find. Ok. Never mind, download again and re-install.
5) The database converter runs! But hang on, why do you have to make a new DB first? Odd. Ok. Never mind.
6) Make new database and it runs! Great. Green bars. Overall process reaches 20% after a few minutes. Then I wait. And wait. My i7 wails. All night long. 10 hours so far, only 7 hours to go in the morning! Wow. That's quite some task!
7) Come back from work, and there it is: imd5!! It's about three times the size it used to be... Never mind. That's progress!
Works. But.... hang on, where are all my star ratings? GONE!
9) Ahh, yes, I am old enough to remember software that came with whole cupboard full of documentation folders. Neatly arranged in their ringbinders in a dedicated room... One always used to have to read for a few hours before doing ANYTHING with software. Silly me, why did I think that this can't possibly be true for 2014 software? Ok. Read more. AHA! Need to export some stuff in iMatch3. But why, oh why? The database KNOWS my ratings, surely! So a 'database converter' should be able to do what it says and 'convert' that information into the new format, right? OK. Never mind. There is a warning that it might take a long time. Actually, it only took about 20 minutes for 170,000 files. Great Stuff!
10) Run the database converter again. 16 hours in, it suddenly stops with 'User interrupted'. I assure you, I did not. I wasn't even in the room. I was in the house, though, and know that there wasn't a power cut.
11) Try again this morning before going to work. Do some searching using my favourite search engine. Maybe there are alternatives?
12) Seriously. This is ridiculous. Maybe the XYZXYZ Spoftware is usable after all (it certainly wasn't a few years ago). Never heard of DEFDEF. This particular alternative image database system sounds very interesting! Let's have a look!
13) Conclusion: if I don't have a proper imd5 database when I come home from work tonight, I will either stick with the old version of iMatch (and save myself hours of 'fun' trying to get all my old scripts to run in the new version) or maybe I should move into the 21st century altogether? Will *any* alternative be as good? Will it have all the great features that iMatch has? I don't know. But I will seriously look into this. But maybe there will be a working imd5 database waiting for me when I get home and I will be a happy customer again!

[sinus]

Funny to read.

Well, that is the real life and that is the world, where Computers and Windows and programm changes and in a way, they all are linked together. If someone (Microsoft or Adobe or...) changes something, every program has to change and I guess, very, very often the user MUST do something and he/she must read some stuff.

Do you have lateley buyed a new mobile? And wanted your carefully adresses convert from the old to the new handy and/or to the computer, maybe even Outlook?
Well, I did and it was a mess and I had to read a lot ... and it works not still, I had to add (almost) all adresses new.

Or photoshop or Lightroom or Word or InDesign and so on ...  the badest thing is then, when the soft says "all converted, all is ok" and after some days or weeks you see, that a lot of the information is gone.

If you have a Nikon and Nikon software ... you buy a new one ... and suddenly all has changed and sometimes even old images does not load into new soft.

If you say ratings, I do not know anything, but I know, this is related to the (still new) xmp-stuff an this gives troubles and troubles, not only with IM 5, also with other soft. I guess, some of the real problems does come from the big player on the market.

And yes, included me, sometimes also from the user.

I do not know your problems, I hope, you end up with a proper new IM 5 - database.
Your step (convert from 3.6 to IM 5 my almost 200'000 images - db. I did made first some test with a fraction of this working db, to see, how it works.

Until now, it works well, but who knows, when I convert my whole db? At least, I used only categories, properties and iptc, so I see not real problems for me.
And scripts, yes, I could not convert my (complicated) script from 3.6 to IM 5 - but I found out, it is simply not more necessary, because that, what the script did, does IM 5 natively. 

Good luck.

[Richard]

One always used to have to read for a few hours before doing ANYTHING with software. Silly me, why did I think that this can't possibly be true for 2014 software? Ok.

I have been using computers for over 30 years and

RTFM

still applies for any complex application.

[Mario]

4) Bought it. And now what? It said somewhere that you can convert your demo version to the full version. Nowhere to apply your licence key that I can find. Ok. Never mind, download again and re-install.

When you buy IMatch, shareit sends you an email with instructions on how to download the licensed version. It also shows this info on their web site, when your purchase has been processed. Was this information unclear? What did you suggest to change?

5) The database converter runs! But hang on, why do you have to make a new DB first? Odd. Ok. Never mind.

Did you read the help for the converter? If explains what to do before the conversion, which steps to take etc. Just press <F1> in the database converter or click on the Help button.

7) Come back from work, and there it is: imd5!! It's about three times the size it used to be... Never mind. That's progress!
Works. But.... hang on, where are all my star ratings? GONE!

See above. You did not ensure that all unwritten XMP data has been written by IMatch 3. Why this is required, when it is not required, is explained in the database converter help topic.

10) Run the database converter again. 16 hours in, it suddenly stops with 'User interrupted'. I assure you, I did not. I wasn't even in the room. I was in the house, though, and know that there wasn't a power cut.

The help file explains the built-in logging and debugging capabilities of the database converter. Which log files are created and should be included when you report a problem in the database converter. These log files help me in diagnosing problems, performance issues etc. This should allow me to give you some tips.

For example, if you only want to carry over rating and label but no other XMP data, you can do it with a few simple steps, without the need to process pending XMP updates. Your report sounds to me as if you have never actually updated the XMP data in your files, so there may be thousands if not tens of thousands of files to update...

[Erik]

One always used to have to read for a few hours before doing ANYTHING with software. Silly me, why did I think that this can't possibly be true for 2014 software? Ok.

I have been using computers for over 30 years and

RTFM

still applies for any complex application.

You know this is true, but you must also realize that a lot of software doesn't even bother providing a manual.  In many cases, they don't even provide decent help files.

I know that is not the case with IM5.  In fact, the help file in IM5 may be the best help file/manual I've seen in years, and it still has some shortcomings as far as I can see.

However, in a computing world that seems to have made help files and manuals a secondary thought, we can't get too upset when users don't use them (or don't think to use them).  Perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks to Windows and Macs operating systems is that most software works basically the same way further promoting ignorance among users.

Perhaps the best thing that Mario could do in updates for IM5 is to put something up front in very large text to read the manual when problems arise.  In something like the database converter, it might even be beneficial to open the help file concurrently or incorporate some features into the dialog so that a user is reminded immediately to look at the help or complete their actions in IM3 before running the convert.

Anyway, it is interesting that the number one problem we're seeing so far are only problems because people don't read the help. Although to be fair I see it in all forums for software, so there may be nothing to do.

Last, it might be valuable to put a sticky thread at the top of a few of the boards encouraging users to look at the help file up front with perhaps minor direction in places like the scripting forum directing towards specific topics.  I will admit that I'be been guilty of many of the above myself, even when I've used the help file.

Finding stuff in the help file isn't always easy, even when one tries.  The searches often bring up multiple topics, and knowing what to search for isn't as intuitive as one my think.  Providing feedback on the help topic can be challenging, too.  It's tough to suggest fixes for topics that you don't know how they should be fixed. 

Never-the-less, I still believe that the help file is the best I've seen in a while.  Compare it to some of the useless info you get with MS or Adobe products where you can find more using google than you can using the help or manuals.

[Richard]

Providing feedback on the help topic can be challenging, too.  It's tough to suggest fixes for topics that you don't know how they should be fixed.

If you just tell Mario what your problem is with the existing Help, he will find a way to make the topic more understandable.