WIC Issue when scanning .NEF files

[kiwilink]

I am getting a message that pops up stating I must download the latest WIC for my camera (Nikon) when I import a directory into IMATCH that has a .NEF raw file.  However, I did download the latest WIC.

I ran the IMATCH WIC Diag and I have attached the output.  It says "GetThumbnail failed" and mentions an unknown error.  However, I see the thumbnails.  Is there something I should do to fix this?

Thanks!

Mike

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

If IMatch displays this message, it could not find a WIC codec for the NEF file (or another file, see the log file for details). The next IMatch version will mention the file for which the error was reported in the dialog. You can also see it in the log file already.

See also the related recent discussion: https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=4311.msg29078#msg29078

[Ferdinand]

As I read his screen grab, he has a Nikon codec for NEF, but the WIC diagnostics indicate that it's not working for that file.  He says he has the latest codec.  Is this a known issue with NEF?  What do you recommend?  Should he just get the FPV codec pack?

[Mario]

WIC codecs don't need to support thumbnail extraction or preview extraction. This is no error, IMatch just falls back to using the preview or even the full-raw, whatever the codec returns. This is not the reason for the missing WIC message. This message is issued when IMatch tries to load a file format which is marked as "uses WIC" but no WIC codec is available. As I explained in the post I linked above, IMatch enumerates all WIC codecs installed on the system when it starts, and then knows for which file formats a codec is available.

[kiwilink]

Hi Mario and Ferdinand:

Thanks for the replies.  I did download the latest Nikon WIC Codec so I'm not sure I understand the issue.  Is there something I did wrong?  I have attached a screencapture of the log and the message I received from IMATCH.

Let me know what I should do.  IMATCH is creating the thumbnails.

Thanks again!

Mike



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

Maybe this is not caused by NEF files, but by some other files in that folder?
As I said, IMatch 5.4.2 (next release) will display the file name, so we should just wait instead of guessing.

[kiwilink]

Mario:

OK, thanks.   I will wait!

Mike

[loweskid]

I've just had this message.

I downloaded 178 NEF files (D300), batch converted them with Adobe ACR 16 bit tiffs into a subfolder, then imported them into IMatch.

I got this message while it was updating the metadata and it displayed the file name.

However, everything appears to be normal - thumbnail appears fine in IMatch, and it displays okay in the slide show.

So nothing to worry about as far as I'm concerned but I would be happy to send you the file if you wish to look into it further.

Vince

Edit - just to note, it was a NEF file that displayed the error.

[Mario]

The IMatch log file would have provided additional info (from that session).

The D300 is about the last Nikon body for which IMatch has native support, albeit not for all variants. Apparently you have not installed a WIC codec for NEF files and hence IMatch reported this correctly. If you had newer Nikon cameras, IMatch would fail to load the files, or would only be able to extract a thumbnail.

To check: Select one of the NEF files, and then run Help menu > Support > WIC Diagnosis.
This tells you if you have a WIC codec installed, it it handles the NEF format variant etc.

[kiwilink]

Hi Mario:

As you had mentioned to me in one of your previous posts, the recent IMATCH update now tells me exactly what file was causing the problem (see attachment).  I didn't even know I had that file in one of my Image directories so thanks for the update that pinpointed the problem file. 

Michael

[attachment deleted by admin]

[loweskid]

To check: Select one of the NEF files, and then run Help menu > Support > WIC Diagnosis.
This tells you if you have a WIC codec installed, it it handles the NEF format variant etc.

Ahh right, this is what it says.....

List of installed codecs:
   Codec 'BMP Decoder' for extensions .bmp,.dib,.rle
   Codec 'GIF Decoder' for extensions .gif
   Codec 'ICO Decoder' for extensions .ico,.icon
   Codec 'JPEG Decoder' for extensions .jpeg,.jpe,.jpg,.jfif,.exif
   Codec 'PNG Decoder' for extensions .png
   Codec 'TIFF Decoder' for extensions .tiff,.tif
   Codec 'WMPhoto Decoder' for extensions .wdp,.jxr


Testing file 'E:\2015\Apr\09 Apr Man\_DSC5498.NEF'
   Thumbnail: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (88982F61 Unknown error 0x88982F61).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.
   Preview: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (88982F61 Unknown error 0x88982F61).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.
   Full resolution: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (88982F61 Unknown error 0x88982F61).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.


I'll install the codec.

Just seemed a bit odd that this is the first time I've had this message with over 41,000 images in the database, most of them NEFs...!

[Mario]

This message was added as a reminder for users in 5.3.8 when I'm not mistaken. See the release notes in the IMatch help for details.

IMatch requires a WIC codec for most RAW formats. See this article in the IMatch Knowledge Base for more info.

[WebEngel]

Just to let you know: This happens as well with Sony ARW files.  Same situation, the codec is installed, Imatch complains about a file while Windows explorer displays the same raw file fine.  When I simply duplicate the file in Explorer, Imatch does import the copy without complaining.  It happens once every 100 files or so.

[Mario]

IMatch displays this message when the WIC subsystem returns "no codec installed" for a file. Probably just update your WIC codecs. IMatch cannot look further than the "no codec installed" error return code.

[WebEngel]

That cannot be the case.  As I said, Imatch imports a duplicate of the file.  So neither the specific file nor the codec can be the root cause.

[Mario]

Well, it may help if you could provide the log file from that session.

The logic is:

a) A file is found for which IMatch has the "needs WIC codec" flag set.
b) At startup, no WIC codec was found which reports the file extension as "Handled".

The list of file extensions is written to the log fie.

[Mario]

I don't understand. This topic is about the "No WIC codec found" warning message.
Why do you add a post about a filter? How are these topics related?

[Yakwin]

Yesterday I had a similar issue with WIC Codecs.

After some troubles with the Microsoft Codec I bought the FastPictureViewer Codec, which is much better. This was working for over a year now.
After upgrading to Windows 10, IMatch had problems with newly added pictures. I didn't get correct thumbs and previews. Searching for the error I discovered, that Microsoft activated his own codec. So I installed FastPictureViewer Codec again and now everything is working fine again.

Greetings Yakwin.

[Mario]

Yesterday I had a similar issue with WIC Codecs.

After some troubles with the Microsoft Codec I bought the FastPictureViewer Codec, which is much better. This was working for over a year now.
After upgrading to Windows 10, IMatch had problems with newly added pictures. I didn't get correct thumbs and previews. Searching for the error I discovered, that Microsoft activated his own codec. So I installed FastPictureViewer Codec again and now everything is working fine again.

Greetings Yakwin.

Useful to know, thanks for sharing.

[Aubrey]

I hit some issues today. I'm using windows 10. Nikon NEF files.
I had installed the FastPictureViewer Codec and the Adobe DNG codec installed. Some images loaded OK, some did not into Imatch.
I deleted both codecs and did a CRTL SHIFT F5, now all appear to be ok. I checked with Help Support WIC diagnostics. It seems that automatically installed is Microsoft Camera Raw Decoder codec.

Does it matter what codec is used, FastPictureViewer codec or Microsoft. I would prefer to use FPV codec, but then I need to disable Microsoft. I don't see a way to disable the Microsoft codec.

Aubrey.

[Mario]

I'm a bit fuzzy about how Windows selects a coded to load a specific format, if multiple codecs are installed for the same format.
I know that, when I use DirectX directly (which I don't in on this level) I can specify a preferred vendor for a codec. But most camera vendors who produce codecs just leave this field blank, making it impossible to select the,

I suggest you install the FPV codecs and then run a WIC diagnosis to see which codec is used by IMatch. So far the FPV codecs were superior to the MS codecs, but MS learns. And the codecs of the camera vendors are usually best (they know their cameras best, after all). But not all camera vendors seem to be able/willing to support all their own camera models with WIC codecs. Which is a shame, really. Would I buy a camera for which the vendor does not deliver a WIC codec? Nooo-oh!

[Aubrey]

I have now reinstalled FPV 3.8, and rebooted machine. I did a CRTL SHIFT F5 on the recent files/folder where I had an issue. All have reloaded fine. Checked with Help|Support|WIC diagnostics, it appears that FPV is being used. There is no mention of Windows 10 photo codec. I did not find any information as to how to disable it.

Aubrey.

[Ferdinand]

And the codecs of the camera vendors are usually best (they know their cameras best, after all).

I'm not so sure about this.  I've had trouble with Sony codecs.  Fuji don't seem to make one.  Camera vendors may know their cameras best, but they're usually not very good software companies, as Nikon demonstrates over and over again.  FPV is the best, in terms of actually working, although its Fuji codec leaves a lot to be desire in terms of image quality, if you ask it to process the RAW and not just return the embedded preview. WIC Codecs may be a large step forward compared to DLLs that vendors used to ship, and good old polyimagepro.dll, but we still haven't reached the promised land IMHO.

[Mario]

That ball is definitely in the camera vendors half.
And in the users, who let them get through with it. If users would say "I would buy your camera. But you don't offer a WIC codec and hence I cannot use the RAW files in independent software and so I won't give you my money..." I'm sure we would soon see proper WIC codecs, with regular updates and excellent quality.

If a company like Nikon is unable to produce a WIC codec for their very own proprietary RAW format, it's a shame. If they cannot do it themselves, they can contract an external vendor. Or provide Microsoft with all necessary information so Microsoft can improve their own codecs.

[WebEngel]

Here is the log file of a session where Imatch failed to import a raw file (DSC06307.ARW).  Again, all other raw files from the same camera were successfully imported in the same session.  Also remember that Imatch will import a copy of that file.

As stated before, I cannot imagine that a problem with the WIC driver is the root cause for the import failure.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[WebEngel]

5 min after the error from my last post, I imported more files.  The same error occurred, this time Olympus ORF (P9040006.ORF).

Attached the log file.

Could the problem be related to pressing "Dismiss" in the import progress dialog?

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

IMatch reports "WIC Codec missing: ...\2015-08-23\DSC06307.ARW".  It logs the last found file with a missing codec to the log file for debugging purposes.
This message is logged when a codec is missing.

During startup, IMatch checks the configuration file for all file formats with the "needs WIC" option. It then compares the extensions of these files with the file extensions for which Windows can supply a codec. It does this by enumerating all installed WIC codecs, then retrieving the file extensions they support, and then comparing this with the file extensions from the IMatch configuration file. If there is no WIC codec for .ARW, IMatch flags the file format. If later an .ARW file is encountered, IMatch displays the "missing WIC codec" message.

Did you run a WIC diagnosis? Select the file in question in a file window and then run a(Help > Support > WIC diagnosis.
Does it report a WIC codec for ARW files?
Please attach the report.

[WebEngel]

List of installed codecs:
   Codec 'BMP Decoder' for extensions .bmp,.dib,.rle
   Codec 'GIF Decoder' for extensions .gif
   Codec 'ICO Decoder' for extensions .ico,.icon
   Codec 'JPEG Decoder' for extensions .jpeg,.jpe,.jpg,.jfif,.exif
   Codec 'PNG Decoder' for extensions .png
   Codec 'TIFF Decoder' for extensions .tiff,.tif
   Codec 'WMPhoto Decoder' for extensions .wdp,.jxr


Testing file 'D:\Fotoalbum\2015\09\05_Foto_Playground_Sony\20150905-120251-033.ARW'
   Thumbnail: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (88982F61 Unknown error 0x88982F61).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.
   Preview: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (88982F61 Unknown error 0x88982F61).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.
   Full resolution: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (88982F61 Unknown error 0x88982F61).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.

[Mario]

As you can see, you don't have a WIC codec installed for either ARW or ORF. IMatch is right.
You should install at least the Microsoft codec pack or the better FastPictureViewer codec pack. Or the codecs provided by your camera vendor(s).

http://www.photools.com/1167/wic-support-codec-availability/

[WebEngel]

No.  I did have the driver installed.  I even reinstalled it before posting this error report here.

Control Panel reports that it is installed.

Windows Photo Viewer does display the raw files properly.

[Mario]

What driver do you mean?
The diagnosis shows no installed WIC codec. I don't know which driver you mean...

[WebEngel]

The WIC codec or driver or whatever.  Imatch says it is not installed.  Windows says it is installed.  Windows Photo Viewer does not only say it is installed, it uses it!

[Mario]

Where does Windows say it is installed?
Did you check for installed WIC codecs in the Control Panel?
The functions used by IMatch to detect installed WIC codecs are official Windows functions. I have never seen them fail to detect and report codecs.
Which codec pack do you have installed? Microsoft? FastPictureViewer? Camera Vendor?

[WebEngel]

I installed the Sony codec/driver off the same page that you list in your WIC page (http://www.photools.com/1167/wic-support-codec-availability/), it is a Sony page, and it says it has codecs for Windows.  It says:

Sony RAW Driver is a program to display Sony RAW data (ARW/SR2/SRF files) on Windows Vista® ⁄  Windows® 7 ⁄  Windows® 8 ⁄  Windows® 8.1.

By installing this program, you can display the RAW data on Explorer or Photo Gallery in Windows Vista® in the same way as JPEG files.

Yes, Control Panel says that "Sony Raw Driver" is installed.

And again, Windows Photo Viewer displays the Raw files, so unless Microsoft has other ways to display Raw files, it must be using the WIC.

[Mario]

And again, Windows Photo Viewer displays the Raw files, so unless Microsoft has other ways to display Raw files, it must be using the WIC.

I don't know anything about this application. But if a proper RAW codec is installed, it will be listed. And it seems not to be listed. I had never such a problem since the initial Beta of IMatch 2 years ago and I cannot help you there, sorry. Must be something specific to your computer. I can only ask Windows to enumrate all WIC codecs, I have no control over what this function returns. And it seems to work well for all other users.

The error code reported by WIC when you run the diagnosis is WINCODEC_ERR_BADHEADER, according to this Microsoft page: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ee719669%28v=vs.85%29.aspx. No further explanation for this error code is available, but by the name of it I would think that the image file is corrupted.

[WebEngel]

And again, Windows Photo Viewer displays the Raw files, so unless Microsoft has other ways to display Raw files, it must be using the WIC.

I don't know anything about this application.

Well, this is the photo viewer that ships with Windows 7; it is the default viewer for all Windows 7 users.

And it seems to work well for all other users.

Anybody here who is able to display Sony Raw files in Imatch?  If yes, let me know; I would like to ask about the driver you are using.

No further explanation for this error code is available, but by the name of it I would think that the image file is corrupted.

Well, Windows Photo Viewer (with the WIC codec) and Lightroom (with own codec of course) are able to display the file.

[Mario]

I actually took the time to download and install the Sony WIC codecs (Sony calls them 'drivers').
The machine is Windows 7 and I used IMatch 5.4.18 for testing.

I've added some A7 and S6000, some NEX and old SR2 images for testing.
All files were loaded correctly using the installed Sony codec. WIC diagnosis for a A7 sample file shows:

List of installed codecs:
   Codec 'BMP Decoder' for extensions .bmp,.dib,.rle
   Codec 'GIF Decoder' for extensions .gif
   Codec 'ICO Decoder' for extensions .ico,.icon
   Codec 'JPEG Decoder' for extensions .jpeg,.jpe,.jpg,.jfif,.exif
   Codec 'PNG Decoder' for extensions .png
   Codec 'TIFF Decoder' for extensions .tiff,.tif
   Codec 'WMPhoto Decoder' for extensions .wdp,.jxr
   Codec 'Sony Raw Decoder' for extensions .srf,.sr2,.arw

Testing file 'F:\Images\RAW\SONY-A7-YDSC00014.ARW'
   Thumbnail: Codec 'Sony Raw Decoder'
      () 1616x1080 pixel in 140 ms.
   Preview: Codec 'Sony Raw Decoder'
      () 1616x1080 pixel in 172 ms.
   Full resolution: Codec 'Sony Raw Decoder'
      () 6000x4000 pixel in 157 ms.

RESULT: A codec for this file format is installed and it looks like it fully supports the format.


As I said, this has to be something with your installation. Try to reboot, re-install the Sony codec etc.

[WebEngel]

OK, I uninstalled the Sony codec, rebooted, reinstalled it, and rebootet.  I even followed the instruction to remove all floppies before rebooting (seriously, that's what the installer said!).

Afterwards, same situation as before.  Windows recognizes and uses the codec and displays all files nicely.  Imatch does not and reports that the codec is not installed.

What next?  Since the codec works with Windows and Windows Photo Viewer, I tend to blame Imatch for it and not Sony.  I mean, what would Sony say if I report the problem?  "Works with Windows, so codec works.  Contact your photo software vendor."  Same response would come from Microsoft.

[Mario]

I had never a situation where a WIC codec was not visible to IMatch, so I cannot give advice. I can only test it here, and it works immediately. I cannot give you any advice in this matter.
IMatch uses WIC codecs since about 2008 and so far I never had such an issue. And since the codec works here, and there are no similar reports, there is a very good chance that this problem only happens on your machine, unfortunately.

It's really simple from a programming point. IMatch calls a WIC function with a file name, asking it to deliver the corresponding codec. If this function returns an error, IMatch cannot use the codec. This is what seems to happen on your machine.

Is the codec not even list in the WIC diagnosis? Here IMatch asks Windows for all installed codecs, and then iterates over them and prints their names (at the start of the WIC diagnosis log file). If the Sony codec is not listed, something is broken.

How do you know that the Sony codec is used by the other software you mention? Just that the image is displayed does not mean anything. They may just extract the embedded preview (but IMatch does that too, under normal conditions, as a falback if a WIC codec fails and if at least one of the commercial image libraries I use can extract a preview from the RAW file if no WIC codec is available).

[joel23]

Anybody here who is able to display Sony Raw files in Imatch?  If yes, let me know; I would like to ask about the driver you are using.

I couldn't see ARW on my 2nd PC, so I installed the Sony codec:
Testing file 'F:\PNG\DSC00437.ARW'
   Thumbnail: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (88982F61 Unknown error 0x88982F61).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.

After installing Microsofts Codec:
Testing file 'F:\PNG\DSC00437.ARW'
   Thumbnail: Codec 'Microsoft Camera Codec Pack'
      () 160x120 pixel in 16 ms.

On the other machine FPV-Codec works:
Testing file 'M:\_Bearbeiten\DSC00437.ARW'
   Thumbnail: Codec 'Sony Raw Decoder (FastPictureViewer Codec Pack)'
      () 160x104 pixel in 15 ms.

[Mario]

Please attach the WIC Diagnosis log. I cannot even tell if only the GetThumbnail failed or if all 3 methods failed. Or if you have been successful in your attempt...

[joel23]

Please attach the WIC Diagnosis log. I cannot even tell if only the GetThumbnail failed or if all 3 methods failed. Or if you have been successful in your attempt...

Okay, I thought a "failed" is clear.
Only the Sony Codec failed.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

The Sony codec is not listed, so it cannot work.
Did you install it correctly, with the proper Bit-ness for your system?
Which Windows version?

I used W7 for my test, and the codec worked immediately and also showed up in the WIC diagnosis.

[joel23]

The Sony codec is not listed, so it cannot work.
Did you install it correctly, with the proper Bit-ness for your system?
Which Windows version?

I used W7 for my test, and the codec worked immediately and also showed up in the WIC diagnosis.

I installed it two times. And there is no choice when downloading the installer from Sonys' site. W7 64bit enterprise.

[Mario]

Sounds like a conundrum then.
There is only one WIC function call "List all installed codecs". Nothing even I could get wrong... The MS and FPV codecs list just fine.

[Yakwin]

I had a lot of troubles with the Sony codec too, when I bought my Sony DSC two years ago.
As I remember, the WIC codec wasn't recognized too. In the Microsoft codec, my camera wasn't listed. That was the reason to buy the FPV codec and that is my advice for you too.

[WebEngel]

How do you know that the Sony codec is used by the other software you mention? Just that the image is displayed does not mean anything. They may just extract the embedded preview (but IMatch does that too, under normal conditions, as a falback if a WIC codec fails and if at least one of the commercial image libraries I use can extract a preview from the RAW file if no WIC codec is available).

The "other software" is Windows Photo Viewer, so the application that ships with Windows.  It displays ARW files with full res once the driver is installed.  It did not display the raw file at all between the uninstall and the install yesterday.  So it does use the installed codec.

A question to Yakwin and Joel: Can you display Sony ARW files with Windows Photo Viewer with just the Sony codec?  To Joel: Did the Microsoft codec work?  Where did you get it?

I understand that the FPV codec is quite expensive, so I am not going to purchase it just to display my raw files in Imatch.

Mario, we should remove this part of the thread from the "Using .NEF" thread and move it to a new "Problem with Sony ARW and Sony Codec" thread.

[Mario]

The Microsoft codecs can be downloaded from the link listed in the IMatch Knowledge Base:

http://www.photools.com/1167/wic-support-codec-availability/

The FPV codecs pack costs about 15 US$: http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/ but they are worth it.

You can check first if your camera model is supported by the Microsoft codec pack - not all models are. Sonly has many different RAW format variants in use...

[Ferdinand]

I had the exact same experience as Yakwin.

The codecs are not expensive.  $10-$15.  FPV itself costs more, but the codecs are cheaper.

[joel23]

A question to Yakwin and Joel: Can you display Sony ARW files with Windows Photo Viewer with just the Sony codec?

Yes.

To Joel: Did the Microsoft codec work?  Where did you get it?

The Microsoft codec worked - Mario already told where to get it.