Unable to Save Ratings

[AlanS]

I am unable to save ratings anymore.  I saved some ratings on November 24th, but can't now. This is with NEF files only, I can still successfully save ratings in TIF's.

I have the Metadata preferences all set to the defaults. I have checked this and done the reset command.

I can choose any number of stars, they show up fine. When I click the Metadata write back command, the stars disappear during the reading Metadata step. I do not have a problem saving labels though. 

If I change the ratings in PhotoMechanic they show up in IMatch. I can not modify or remove them in IMatch, but I can in PhotoMechanic.

I looked at the XMP sidecar files and they appeared to show the rating changes made in IMatch and PhotoMechanic if I understand what I was looking at. (i'm guessing <xmp:Rating>1</xmp:Rating> would mean 1 star.)

I was trying the ON1 Photo Raw beta and possibly it's indexing routine interfered in someway. I've uninstalled it. I've also uninstalled IMatch and reinstalled it. There was no change in the behavior.

Any idea what I should try next?

[Mario]

Look at one of your NEF files in the IMatch ExifTool Command Processor.
Does the NEF file contain an XMP record with a rating?
Mabye the ON1 software created an XMP record inside your NEF files, thus overriding the rating in the sidecar file.

[AlanS]

There is a XMP rating of 0 in a NEF that has a rating of 2 in the XMP file.

I don't know how this happened but the ON1 beta software appears to be the most likely culprit. I will be finding out how they actually deal with metadata.

I do get results I'd expect when I set the NEF Metadata options to favor XMP sidecar, though reading the help I understand this may not be the most ideal long term setting.

[jch2103]

There is a XMP rating of 0 in a NEF that has a rating of 2 in the XMP file.

Be aware that some Nikon models do this, but not others. For example, my Nikon 1 V1 and V3 do, but my D-600 doesn't. For those that do, I have to clear the internal XMP rating before I can successfully add ratings in IMatch. I don't know if this applies to your situation, but something to know about for reference.

[Mario]

Nikon always insisted on embedding XMP metadata in their Capture product line. This caused a huge amount of problems, because all other software out there expected XMP data in external sidecar files - most notably Adobe of course.

When Nikon dropped Capture and instead started shipping a re-branded SilkyPix software, they dropped support for embedded XMP, because SilkyPix used XMP in sidecar files. Of course they did not bother to provide a migration software for their customer base who created NEF files with embedded XMP data. At least that's what I know.

Now the started the same game again with some of their camera bodies. Some bodies embed XMP metadata inside the NEF file. Bad idea. What makes things even worse, they embed a rating of "0" hard-coded in the NEF file, unless your explicitly rate the file in-camera.

Nikon owners notice this nonsense usually for the first time when they try to work with their files in other software, or in a proper DAM like IMatch.

Recommendation: I suggest you remove the embedded XMP data from your NEF files using the ExifTool Command Processor (there is a preset for that). Managing XMP in the sidecar alone makes your files compatible with all major applications out there.

[AlanS]

Thanks for the information. The files I was working with were from a D800e; I've tried D200 & D300 files with the same results. The odd thing is that I could save ratings to files from all these cameras (and a couple others) in the past.  My only guess is the on1 beta software did something. I'll follow up with ON1 shortly.

Before I run Delete XMP Metadata shouldn't I run Create XMP Files? I have some NEF files that have XMP files, it appears I might loose the XMP info in the sidecar files if I run the Create XMP files preset on these. I suspect most of the XMP info is in the files, at least most of it. I may be able to sort out the files with XMP files. I'm looking for some advise on what steps I should take and what might happen.  BTW at this moment I have 71385 NEF files.

Cheers

[Mario]

The "delete xmp data" runs on the selected files, and affects only the image file itself, not the data in the sidecar file.
Try with a copy of some files so you get a feel for the process and see if anything gets lost.

[AlanS]

I first ran  Create XMP Files on my older NEF's that didn't have XMP sidecars before I ran Delete XMP Metadata on all the NEF.

Since I did this IM is adding and updating files and Reading Metadata.

At some point, usually several hours this process of updated files freezes during adding and updating files. Rebooting generally fixes the problem but IM crashes when I close it. the log file from the most resent crash is attached. the dump file is 23MB.

I've tried running the fix program routine in the installer and I've reset all my preferences.

Unsure what to try next.

[Mario]

1.  You don't need to manually create XMP files.
IMatch will automatically create XMP files when you write back metadata for the first time.
Creating non-needed XMP files only fills your hard disk with tons or small files you don't really need. Creating XMP files on demand is usually what you want to do.

2.   From your description it is unclear when IMatch crashes. Does it crash when you start it? Or when it ran for hours producing unneeded XMP files?
Maybe just ExifTool gave in or IMatch hit a file with badly corrupted metadata...

The log file shows a normal start and a normal shut-down of IMatch. This is not a log file from a crash.
Remember to secure the log file before you restart from a crash.

3.  Don't do anything rash like "fixing" an IMatch installation (or whatever you mean with "fixing program routine"?). Or resetting all your settings.
Let us first check what the problem is.

The DUMP file is very small. This indicates that the DUMP file was produced by Windows, not IMatch. Did you see the IMatch message box about a crash, with instructions about the log file and DUMP file? If you only saw the Windows crash message, this indicates that the crash has happened outside of IMatch, e.g., in ExifTool or an image library, WIC codec etc. In that case the DUMP file is probably useless.

Anyway, upload it to your cloud space and send me a link. I will check it out.

[AlanS]

Here is a link to the dump file:

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArPdJ1LHRjQHh-oY7Lk8enGgx3ZSmw

I've attached 2 snippets of messages I get when closing IM. 1st the dump message, 2nd Photools support helper.

at this time I am getting this type of crash now every time I close IMatch.

I was a long time Nikon Capture then Capture NX user. I had many NEF files that had XMP data embedded in them. The tests I ran showed that I'd loose that embedded XMP data if I ran the delete xmp preset without having run the make sidecar preset first. I had over 60000 NEF's without sidecars.

[Mario]

The tests I ran showed that I'd loose that embedded XMP data if I ran the delete xmp preset without having run the make sidecar preset first

Of course. That's a totally different situation.
What you apparently want is to move the XMP data out of your NEF files.

Your initial post was

I am unable to save ratings anymore.

But I don't see how you can lose XMP data.

IMatch imports the XMP data from your NEF files. If there is embedded metadata or a sidecar, no difference. Then the data is is the database, is it not?
If you now trigger mark the data as updated (e.g. set a rating or label), IMatch will write an XMP file. Does it?
If so, you can now delete the XMP data from the image file using the ECP and the preset I mentioned.

Please create a separate bug report about your crash and link to this topic.
It will take a week or two before I can look at it and I only monitor the bug report board for bug reports. Best to separate your bug report from your original question.