WIC Codec Required Warning

[BanjoTom]

Every few days as I work with IMatch I get a message popping up that says I need to update a WIC Codec.   

This is puzzling to me since I don't use any RAW formats at all that I'm aware of -- mostly just JPGs and occasional PNG, BMP, GIF, and other common formats.   And while I have brought many images into my IMatch database that may have originated on different camera makes and models, the WIC Codec warning doesn't tell me WHICH manufacturer's images are producing the warning messages.   How can I tell what sorts of images are producing this warning?  If I have inadvertently ingested some sort of RAW image, then I can try IMatch's WIC Diagnostics.  But what should I look for, or how should I proceed when this warning message pops up again?

[Menace]

Same here. I installed again my fastpictureviewercodec-Pack, but the warning is still popping up.

[ianrr]

Similar here but I do use RAW a lot.  Would be helpful if the message had the file type that is giving the message.

[Mario]

I have implemented this feature as follows:

If a file format is marked as 'uses WIC' in the IMatch plug-in configuration file, but no WIC codec for that format was found during the startup-check IMatch performs, the warning is displayed to the user once per session.

I will now add a new log file entry with the prefix "WIC Codec missing" and the name of the file. This should help you to diagnose this when the next IMatch version comes out.

May take a few weeks for the next update, because after four updates in four weeks my batteries are a bit low and the 5.3.14 is really stable.

[Menace]

No hurry need. Take your time. 

[BanjoTom]

Thanks for your quick and helpful response, Mario!   No rush, but this will be a welcome tweak when you get around to it . . .   

[Mario]

The next version mentions the file name for which the missing WIC codec was encountered in the message and the log file.
And you can use the "Don't show again" in the message box anyway so you don't see it again. Looking at your original message.

Just to make sure we're talking about the same thing: IMatch displays a message

WIC codec required
You are managing image files in your database for which IMatch requires a WIC codec to be installed. ...

This does not mention updating WIC codecs or anything. Some WIC codecs contain integrated update checks, and maybe your WIC codec is asking you to update when it finds a newer version?

[BanjoTom]

Yes, Mario, the message I'm getting does not actually ask for an "update" -- the message I'm referring to is the one you identified:

WIC codec required
You are managing image files in your database for which IMatch requires a WIC codec to be installed. ...

[meyersoft]

If a file format is marked as 'uses WIC' in the IMatch plug-in configuration file, but no WIC codec for that format was found during the startup-check IMatch performs, the warning is displayed to the user once per session.

Maybe a silly question, but is this "mark as 'uses WIC' in the IMatch plug-in configuration file" something that is done automatically by imatch or does the user configure this?

[Mario]

This is not user-configurable. I maintain an XML file which defines all file formats supported by IMatch, and for each file format a number of settings and options. One of them is if a file format is using WIC or not. For example, I explicitly define that IMatch does not use WIC for JPEG files, even if a WIC codec is installed. IMatch handles JPEG files with the built-in JPEG decoder much faster.

During startup, IMatch asks Windows for all installed WIC codecs and the file extensions they support. From that list, IMatch removes all file formats with an explicit "WIC disabled" flag. If IMatch now encounters, for example, a NEF file (which is marked as requiring WIC) but no WIC codec is installed that handles the .NEF extension, IMatch displays the message. But only once per session. And you can disable it as well.

[meyersoft]

Ah, okay, thanks for the clarification.