Where are my old scripts from IMatch 5!?

[leifel]

Hi, after browsing through your "whats new" page for IMatch 2017, and reading there that the upgrade from v5 will be simple, I finally decided to upgrade. Payed my EUR 65,- and downloaded IMatch 2017. Installed. Run. First thing to test is to see that my numerous number of IMatch scripts still works (this was a huge problem when upgrading from v3 to v5 a few years ago and I then had to spend many days to get all my scripts to work). My surprise was therefore very big when I did not find my old scripts at all. Instead I found those "samples apps" in the panel that used to contain my valuable scripts!? I hade to search a lot on IMatch forums until I found that you have in fact retired the Basic Scripting Engine of IMatch 5 for good!!?? And this was not mentioned in your "whats new" page! The only thing I saw there was that you have added a new way of scripting. But removing support for the old scripts!? How can you do that? I do not have the time to spend on learning a completely new scripting language and environment. And my scripts are the main reason I stick to IMatch.

So the conclusion by now is that I can not use IMatch 2017 at all.

Is it a way to reset my purchase of IMatch 2017 and have my money back?

[Mario]

Your existing scripts will run fine in IMatch 5. And you can install IMatch 5 and IMatch 2017 on the same machine.

For the past six months we've discussed in many threads here the why and what's of the new scripting system introduced in IMatch 2017. Why the old BASIC scripting had to go, what the changes are, if and how scripts can be converted into apps. There is even a dedicated board for this: https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?board=128.0 and I mention this on the What's New page as well.

I have removed the old BASIC (WinWrap) scripting engine from IMatch 2017 after almost 10 years of continuous support. I have not prolonged the license and I don't pay annual royalties for this component anymore. Existing versions of IMatch (IMatch 3 and 5) can still use BASIC scripts, but current and future versions of IMatch will use the modern scripting system based on IMatch WebServices^TM.

Did you visit IMatch Developer Center yet?
It explains all about the awesome new scripting capabilities in IMatch. IMatch 2017 also ships with over 30 apps in documented source code to get you started.
If you have specific questions, feel free to post in the appropriate board.

Is it a way to reset my purchase of IMatch 2017 and have my money back?

Since photools.com is offering non-tangible irrevocable goods we do not issue refunds after the purchase is made, which you are responsible for understanding upon placing the order. You have agreed to that when purchasing IMatch.

I provide free 30-day TRIAL versions of all my products, and I also provide support for the TRIAL versions. This allows users to try out IMatch 2017 (in this case) before they spend money. I actually dedicated more than a week for developing code and routines which explicitly allow users to use IMatch 5 and IMatch 2017 on the same computer, for a hassle free trial experience.

You can force a charge-back via your credit card company, though. My distributor will receive notice, roll back your purchase, charge me with the cost and I will remove you from the customer database.

[leifel]

Your existing scripts will run fine in IMatch 5. And you can install IMatch 5 and IMatch 2017 on the same machine.

True, but I can not run them at once, and v5 and v2017 can not use the same database file. In other words, I can not use my old scripts on the new database.

You are probably right that I should have known about the new scripting environment and that the old one was gone, but only if I actively did follow the discussions here. But I have not done so in the past as my life has been too complicated by other things and my IMatch 5 dependent workflow has been smooth enough. In other words, I have had no reasons to come here and monitor your online discussions.

A few days ago I recieved a commersial mail from you, to upgrade to v2017, and in that mail you wrote: "Upgrading to IMatch 2017 is easy. No special upgrade procedure required. Just download and install. IMatch 2017 installs side-by-side with IMatch 5.5. You can run both versions on the same computer, if you like. This allows you to try out IMatch 2017 and to move  to the current version at your own pace."

I think that statement is not fair. I was fooled.

I also think you should be more clear about the fact that old v5 scripts are not usable in v2017, in you "whats changed" page. As I can see when seaching around both here in the IMatch forums and on Internet in general, there are more people than me that has inadvertently come into this problem when upgrading to v2017.

Anyway, no big deal. I will keep my IMatch 2017 license but stick with using IMatch 5 in my daily image workflows. Maybe some day I get the time and inspiration to migrate my scripts to the new scripting environment and start using IMatch 2017.

Thanks for your quick and brutally honest reply.

[ubacher]

To leifel.
I am currently running IM2017 in test mode to rewrite all my essential scripts.
And if you struggled with the IM3 to IM5 rewrite then you will find this is an order of magnitude harder.
In addition IM2017 currently does not yet have replacements for some functions (In particular for: delete file, rename file, move file, rescan folder)
so that I can not yet produce all replacement scripts.
I am hopeful that by the time I have most scripts converted, these missing functions will have been added by Mario.

On the other hand I could see that with the new scripting we have the potential to produce some neat new (interactive) scripts which
will enhance Im greatly. (At least for the one making the script).

I am planning to post some "getting going" instructions soon on the forum so that I can pass on my learning.

[DavidOfMA]

To leifel.
I am currently running IM2017 in test mode to rewrite all my essential scripts.
And if you struggled with the IM3 to IM5 rewrite then you will find this is an order of magnitude harder.
In addition IM2017 currently does not yet have replacements for some functions (In particular for: delete file, rename file, move file, rescan folder)
so that I can not yet produce all replacement scripts.
I am hopeful that by the time I have most scripts converted, these missing functions will have been added by Mario.

On the other hand I could see that with the new scripting we have the potential to produce some neat new (interactive) scripts which
will enhance Im greatly. (At least for the one making the script).

I am planning to post some "getting going" instructions soon on the forum so that I can pass on my learning.

ubacher,

Thanks in advance for sharing your efforts. Like leifel, I spent a very long time figuring out how to convert (most of) my IMatch 3 scripts to IMatch 5, and I can see that this conversion will be much more difficult and time-consuming for us non-programmers.

Long ago, I worked as a tech writer at Digital Equipment Corporation and we had to switch formatting "languages." I was able to use a combination of scripts and editor macros, and an existing conversion program, to do about 90% of the work. I wonder if someone has figured out, already, how to convert a BASIC program to something that will run in the current environment, so that the only parts that will need correction are the IMatch-specific methods and functions. If I were to search for something like that, what would I be looking to convert BASIC to?

Thanks,
David

[ubacher]

You are certainly not able to find a method to convert basic scripts to javascript scripts.
The new scripting environment is all server based - you get/set all info from Imatch by calls to a (web) server.
And these calls are asynchronous - meaning the script continues and when the reply comes back it the executes
the associated code. Needs a complete re-thinking. (For the scripts we had in Im5 the current asynchronous environment is
a (very?) bad match. The current environment is more geared to writing screen based, interactive interfaces.)

Then there is the possible confusion between scripts which will run in IM2017 vs scripts which can run with IM Anywhere/ IM web server.
Mario is trying to provide calls which will work also with IM Anywhere - which is (because of the need to handle multiple users concurrently)  much more difficult.
This slows the process down for us IM2017 only users.

Also, javascript has no variable typing: that too is difficult to get used to. Useful once you are thinking that way - but still
a source of (programmer introduced) errors.

Then there is a new programming/debugging environment to learn about. I see no other way as to learn it in parallel i.e. as I go.
A further difficulty is the distributed documentation. Where to look for what?

But don't despair! Together we can do it! The more we share our experiences and our scripts the easier it will get.