Can't see thumbnails

[nyoni-pete]

I've recently added a folder to my database but most of the images are not visible as thumbnails (but two recently modified ones ARE visible) - see my attachment.  I've tried toggling the "Protected" switch [Shift+P] on and off, I've tried re-loading the folder but nothing seems to make the images visible.  I tied the "Help" screen but couldn't find anything useful.  Other folders are still showing their images as thumbnails, so how can I get the thumbnails back in this folder??

[attachment deleted by admin]

[sinus]

I've recently added a folder to my database but most of the images are not visible as thumbnails (but two recently modified ones ARE visible) - see my attachment.  I've tried toggling the "Protected" switch [Shift+P] on and off, I've tried re-loading the folder but nothing seems to make the images visible.  I tied the "Help" screen but couldn't find anything useful.  Other folders are still showing their images as thumbnails, so how can I get the thumbnails back in this folder??

Have you tried select all (Ctrl A) and then Shift Ctlr F5, and in the box then choose "Force update"?

[Mario]

When IMatch shows only the icon, it could not read the image file.
Please try a forced rescan using <Shift>+<Ctrl>+<F5> as sinus suggested. If this does not help, attach the IMatch log file from that session. This will allow us to see if and which error message was returned by the image library.

JPEG files usually make never problems, except they are damaged.

[Ted]

I too have had the problem on numerous occasions, including now.  Didn't use to be that way.  Just got back from a vacation and loaded 3732 photos onto my main computer and did a Shift-F5.  Less than half have thumbnails.  Photos are a mixture of NEF and JPG files.  Did a diagnostics (no errors); did an optimize; re-did the Shift-F5 and have 1941 photos that were processed, but no new thumbnails.  Repeated the Shift-F5 and still got 1941 photos processed.  Switched to highlighting photos and doing a Cltr-Shift-F5 and the thumbnails get build ... for a while.  When they stop being built, I have to re-optimize the database, exit the program and start over - it then seems to process a few hundred more thumbnails.  Buggy code somewhere.

[jch2103]

Actually, I've noticed this problem also in the last month or so. In my case, when I add new folders with NEF images, some have failed to display thumbnails. The Windows Explorer view of these folders shows all thumbnails present. I should have kept a copy of the log when this has happened, but I was too busy at the time. Force Update of the images has usually resolved the issue, although I think in a few instances I had to do this more than once (again, sorry, but no logs).

One additional note: When I last noticed this behavior, I ran WIC Diagnostics on a problem image and discovered that the Windows Codec was handling my NEF files, despite having previously  installed the FastPictureViewer Codec (perhaps this occurred because of some Windows Update??). I reinstalled FastPictureViewer; I don't think I've had the problem since, although I've found a few previously added NEF files that I've had to rescan (see attached screen shot). I'm not at all sure this was the cause, but I'll keep a closer watch in the future in case the problem happens again. I've attached an IMatch log and WIC Diagnostics from today in case it's helpful.

[Ted]

Attached is a log file while trying to create thumbnails for 1800+ photos.

[Mario]

This log file contains numerous warnings. Your system is running very low on memory.
90% of the memory is in use, but IMatch is using only 280 MB at that time (and about 800 MB in Peak).
This severely cripples memory management in IMatch.
This can also affect the ability of WIC / IMatch / DirectX to process your files.

Please close some other applications to give Windows some breathing space.
Then retry to your tests. Try to keep the memory usage under 70% for optimal performance.


ExifTool emits some warnings, e.g.

ETWARN:Warning: Maker notes could not be parsed - .... 20160502_102255-0567.DNG

This means that your files contain probably damaged or yet unsupported metadata. Please provide Phil Harvey with a sample image so he can have a look.

[Ted]

Okay, I found a work around for me, and may have found the problem. 

I have a second Windows 10 PC that I use from time to time and I found that it had processed all 3700+ photos with no problems.  I checked the WIC and found that it was using 'Microsoft Camera Raw Decoder' for NEF and that the Nikon WIC was not even installed on this PC.  So, I tried to make my primary PC look like it.  I tried finding and downloading the M$ WIC but it wouldn't install on Windows 10 (not sure how it got installed on the 2nd PC).  I found the following work-around for installing it on Windows 10 under 'http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3897672', as follows:

• There is a relatively easy work around to install the Windows 8 camera codec into W10 so that you can view raw files in explorer and photo viewer.
  
  If you try and install the latest MS raw codec http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26829 it wont install because it will tell you that it is not compatible with W10. So the work around that works is...
  
  1) Download the latest Windows camera codec (an msi file) from the link above
  2) Download this msi editor - orca - http://www.brentnorris.net/blog/archives/319 - 2.2mb
  3) Open the msi file in the editor and delete the line 'launch condition'. Save the file.
  4) Now launch the msi file by double clicking on it. This will install the camera codecs and your will be able to view your raw files in explorer and photo viewer

I then removed the Nikon WIC and did a Ctrl-Shft-F5 and about half of the 'problem' photos had thumbnails now. 

I checked and found that I had an 'old' copy of the FastStone TRIAL WIC installed (this may have been the problem - even the cause of the memory usage) and uninstalled it; did a Ctrl-Shft-F5 and I now have thumbnails for all my images.

I'm not recommending that anyone do this as it installs an unsupported version of M$ WIC on Windows 10, but it worked for me.  I will be more careful next time about leaving expired trial software installed.  I will try to find a supported version the M$ WIC.

[Mario]

As mentioned quite often here: The 10 US$ FastPictureViewer codec pack is worth the money. If the Nikon or Microsoft codecs fail, it delivers.
I also think that Windows 10 comes with the Microsoft WIC codecs pre-installed.