Reconfiguration of iMatch setup after Computer Changes

[GKent]

Reconfiguration of iMatch setup after Computer Changes

BEFORE: I had all photos and database on a SSD USB 3 drive attached to my wife's computer.  The iMatch database and photos were in separate folders.  I connected to the database and photos over our Ethernet gigabyte speed network.  We were running Windows 8.1 on both machines; we later upgraded to Windows 10 Pro.

CHANGES and GOAL: We upgraded the drives on both computers by cloning the smaller SSD drives to much larger SSD drives.  We now plan to have the IMatch database and photos resident on my wife's computer.  I will still connect over the network.  I understand that we need two IMatch licenses.

CHANGE STEPS and QUESTIONS

I will put the IMatch database in a root folder on my wife's C: drive and I will give the folder write privileges for later access of that database from my computer, and I will exclude that folder in my anti-virus software. 

QUESTION #1: Can I use Windows File Explorer and just move the database?  Is there anything special I need to do before or afterwards?

QUESTION #2: What is the best location for my files (photos)?  (I'm sure this is in HELP, but I cannot find it, sorry.)  I was thinking of putting them in one of my Windows 10 created "pictures" folders.  Is that okay?  I will then use the relocation feature in IMatch so that IMatch notes the move. 
I will NOT put the photos in OneDrive for IMatch to access them there, as I understand that this can be risky.  But I do want to back up the photos in a OneDrive that both of our computers share. 

QUESTION #3: Does anyone have a recommendation for how I can easily automate this backup?

QUESTION #4: I assume that I also need to open our files (photos) on my wife's computer from my computer via a mapped drive or UNC share and also give that folder write privileges.  (Again, I'm sure this is in HELP somewhere, but couldn't find it.)

Thanks in advance for the help,

Greg

[Mario]

#1

Don' put the database in the root folder. Create a sub-folder, e.g. c:\imdb and use that. This makes everything easier, from backup to access privileges to virus checker exclusions.
You can just copy the database (the *.imdb5 file).

#2

Tip: Before you start to relocate folders: Make a backup of your database. In case you relocate wrong or make a mess by accident, you can just restore the database and start fresh.

Use any folder you like. You can also use OD for your photos. There is no risk in involved. Only if you keep the database in OD that could mean problems.
This way your photos are backed up automatically.

#3

To backup your database, just include the folder containing it in your regular daily backup. If you have no regular daily backup, sit down and think about it. Use the built-in Windows backup or get some dedicated software like Macrium Reflect or TrueImage. But can do automatic backups and even do them into OD. Search this community for backup to find several related topics.

#4
If you want to access photos in an IMatch database from different computers, either make sure that all computers have the same drive letter mapped to the folder containing the photos preferably use UNC paths in the form \\MY-WIFES-PC\photos   ...

IN SHORT:

+ Move your photos to OD on your wifes PC. This way they are automatically backed up in the cloud.
+ Use one root folder and put all photo folders below that.
+ Share this folder using the Windows share functions. This way you can access it from anywhere using the UNC.

+ Create an imdb folder in the root of C: on your wifes PC.
+ Share t via Windows Sharing. All users must have read/write/modify access to this folder.
+ Exclude it from virus scanner.

On your wife's PC start IMatch. Relocate all folders to the new photo folder, but use the UNC share.

On your PC, open the database on your wife's PC (via the UNC share for the c:\imdb folder)

You should now be able to work with IMatch (slower than using a database on your local PC of course). All photos should be there etc.

TIP: If you work with RAW files, view files for the first time on your wife's PC. This way IMatch can create the cache images locally and does not have to move all the data over your network.

Consider IMatch Anywhere™. This would make things easier. You would install IMA on your wife's PC and you can browse your IMatch database from all your computers - no need to install IMatch.


In the IMatch help, search via the Index tab for:

Sharing Databases => Find all info about networking, UNC shares, File System Privileges etc.
Backup => Tips on backup
UNC =>  Also leads to Sharing Databases

[GKent]

Thanks, Mario.  I follow all of what you have said, except one thing that follows.  I am most happy that I can put the photos in OneDrive and work with them there.  But, you wrote, "Use one root folder and put all photo folders below that."  My wife's OneDrive "pictures" folder is here: C:\Users\Chris\OneDrive - our name\Pictures." 

QUESTION #1: Would it be best if I were to relocate where that OneDrive folder is and put it directly under C:? 

Also, I have already copied the photos into the OneDrive pictures folder on my wife's computer.  I can redo this if need be.  As I did this, OneDrive did not accept a number of photos that have the '#' sign in the name.  I had to delete the '#'.  Also, some of the photos had path lengths that were too long, so I had to change them. 

QUESTION #2: Since not all of the files match exactly what iMatch thinks should be there, should I delete everything and begin again?

I posted some of this last bit elsewhere, but it is probably best to have everything together here.

Thanks for all of the details.  Making all of these changes makes me a little nervous. 

Greg

[Mario]

Choose whatever folder you like. OneDrive can only manage folders below one "root" so you should keep your photos below that.
If you have moved or renamed files or folders outside of IMatch you have use the relocate command on the folder. Right-click the folder to open the menu.

If you have renamed a file outside of IMatch (by removing the #) you can use the relocate command for that file in the context menu in the file window. Right-click the file to open the menu, then Additional Functions > Relocate.

[GKent]

Something went wrong and I am not sure when or exactly what, and it probably has nothing to do with IMatch.  IMatch told me that there was an error file, but I'm not sure we need to look at it, but rather start over.  After the failure, I noticed that some of my picture folders in the new location are empty.  I think this could have happened before I worked on the IMatch relocation.  I had had some issues where I did a System Restore, using the last checkpoint. 

I'm thankful that I've got backups of my IMatch database and all my pictures.

So, I'm going to start again and here are my steps (I think):

1. I'll recopy my IMatch database that I know is good from my external drive to this folder using File Explorer: C:\IMatch Database

2. And I'll recopy all of my pictures also from my external drive to the folder here, also using File Explorer: C:\Users\Chris\OneDrive - Name(1)\Pictures\

3. In IMatch I'll use the commands, Database>Open Database to open the database in its new location.  The next step is where I'm uncertain.

4. Then I'll select the top pictures folder, which will be in the old location, right click on it, and choose the "Relocate" command.  The folder to relocate will be already selected in the top of the relocation screen; in the bottom I'll browse to the new location of the pictures, and then click "ok."

Are the above steps right, or, am I to NOT move my pictures to the new location using File Explorer (step 3 above), but rather have nothing in the new location and IMatch will move the pictures from the old location to the new location? 

My confusion is in regard to the use of the word, "relocate."  Does "relocate" mean actually moving or copying the files to the new location (IMatch doing that), or does it mean that all of the IMatch metadata that my wife created in IMatch is getting relocated and associated with the files in the new location that I have moved there using File Explorer?

I know that there are other steps about making a virus check exclusion, also about sharing the folder, giving full permissions, creating a mapped drive or UNC share, etc.  I understand what to do about those things.

Thanks in advance for the continued help.

Greg

[Mario]

Relocate is the command that allows you to tell IMatch that a folder has moved or has been renamed outside of IMatch.

If you use the Relocate command on a folder (e.g. you relocate from c:\old to c:\new) IMatch checks if c:\new is plausible (contains all files and sub-folders) and then updates all references in the database pointing at c:\old to point at c:\new. IMatch does not physically copy or move files, during a Relocate, it just updates the database to match your file system.

After you have restored your database and copied your files to C:\Users\Chris\OneDrive - Name(1)\Pictures\ IMatch will show the original folders as off-line (yellow icon) because it cannot find them anymore.

You need to tell IMatch that the Original folder (you did not include that name in your post) is now at C:\Users\Chris\OneDrive - Name(1)\Pictures\. This is done by Relocate.

If the original folder was at c:\users\chris\my pictures you would

+ select that folder in the Media & Folders View,
+ choose Relocate from the right-click context menu
+ select  C:\Users\Chris\OneDrive - Name(1)\Pictures\ in the dialog and click OK.

Note: Make a copy of the database file before you open it. If you make a mistake during the relocate you can replace the database with that copy and start over.

If these explanations are not clear, please make a few screen shots <Alt>+<PrintSn> of the Media & Folders View in IMatch (before the Relocate) and Windows Explorer so we can see the new location of your files. Then attach these screen shots. Seeing is better than reading