Some News on IMatch 2017

[Mario]

Hi, users

a few updates for you:

1. IMatch 6 will be named IMatch 2017.

I switch the version schema to match the Year/Month/Release schema I use for IMatch Anywhere. Better that way.

Progress is really good, and I think we'll see IMatch 2017 within the next couple of months. This will be a fee-based upgrade (unless you've bought IMatch 5.5 within the grace period). Remember that your upgrade fees are what drives the development and support of IMatch.


2. Yes, you will be able to run IMatch 5.* and IMatch 2017 on the same computer.

This will make it easier for users who want to try IMatch 2017 before buying it (Boo!) and for users who plan to migrate old Basic scripts into the advanced scripting environment offered by IMatch 2017.  IMatch 2017 uses separate folders to store settings, presets etc. The installer will perform some magic to copy/convert the settings from IMatch 5* to the 2017 format. Automatically.


3. You cannot use the same database for IMatch 5* and IMatch 2017.

When a database is opened for the first time in IMatch 2017, it will be upgraded automatically (you see a warning).
IMatch 2017 includes some cool new features which require additions and changes to the database.
An upgraded database is not longer compatible with the IMatch 5* versions. IMatch is always upwards (old to new) compatible, but not the other way round.

If you plan to use IMatch 5* and IMatch 2017 side-by-side, just make a copy of your database before you open it in IMatch 2017.


4. Scripting and Apps

This is a massive enhancement for IMatch. We can now use the same programming languages and tools to implement applications for IMatch Anywhere^TM and IMatch. Instead of the now really ancient Basic programming language, we can use modern JavaScript and HTML to write apps and scripts.
I expect a lot of cool new functionality from that. Yeah!

The built-in IMatch WebServices in IMatch 2017 allows access only from IMatch itself (App Panel, App View).
This is a security feature. It also prevents users from trying to use IMatch as a "server" product instead of using IMatch Anywhere.

IMatch makes exceptions to allow users who write scripts and apps to use the debugging tools available in all modern web browsers (and thus run IMatch scripts in their web browsers instead of 'inside' IMatch). This is an invaluable scripting and debugging help. The built-in developer tools in web browsers beat the old debugger in IMatch 5 scripting by a long way.


5. Videos

Yes, it's true. IMatch 2017 offers improved support for video files, including animated previews. Indexing video files and metadata processing was already part of IMatch 5, but IMatch 2017 brings proper previews for a much wider range of formats.


6. New 'Category' Implementation

Same functionality, but a lot less memory consumption.
The IMatch category system was designed for speed, not for low memory usage. But databases grow to hundreds of thousands of files, and users often have tens of thousands of categories. This means stretching things a lot. The new category system in IMatch 2017 has the same features and performance as the IMatch 5 version, but can save up to 90% of RAM. This means a lot, because IMatch can now easily handle much, much larger databases.


So. IMatch 2017 will be awesome. I hope you are looking forward. And upgrade once its released!

[jch2103]

Sounds excellent!

1. IMatch 6 will be named IMatch 2017.
--> Makes sense to me.

2. Yes, you will be able to run IMatch 5.* and IMatch 2017 on the same computer.
--> Won't affect me much if at all, but I know there are users needing to do things like script migration who will be pleased.

3. You cannot use the same database for IMatch 5* and IMatch 2017.
--> Makes sense and necessary considering planned improvements in the database structure.

4. Scripting and Apps
--> Interesting times! Good to see you're already working on new versions of existing scripts to ensure continued functionality.

5. Videos
--> Excellet.

6. New 'Category' Implementation
--> Should be helpful. May even benefit my 'small' (~60,000 file) database.

[Panther]

2. Yes, you will be able to run IMatch 5.* and IMatch 2017 on the same computer.

This will make it easier for users who want to try IMatch 2017 before buying it (Boo!) and for users who plan to migrate old Basic scripts into the advanced scripting environment offered by IMatch 2017.  IMatch 2017 uses separate folders to store settings, presets etc. The installer will perform some magic to copy/convert the settings from IMatch 5* to the 2017 format. Automatically.

Mario - thanks soooo much for listening to the requests for this.  Since I don't ever plan to go anywhere near IMatch Anywhere (as cool as it sounds for a lot of folks, I never even connect my database to my PC until I've unhooked my PC from the network), I've really been on the fence as to whether it made sense to upgrade to IMatch 6, and not being able to run both 5 and 6 on the same PC was going to be a real roadblock for me as far as upgrading.  Now, though, I'm sure I'll be giving IMatch 2017 a shot to check out some of those other improvements you mentioned.

[Mario]

(...) Since I don't ever plan to go anywhere near IMatch Anywhere (as cool as it sounds for a lot of folks, I never even connect my database to my PC until I've unhooked my PC from the network),
(...) Now, though, I'm sure I'll be giving IMatch 2017 a shot to check out some of those other improvements you mentioned.

IMatch Anywhere and IMatch 2017 are separate products.
You don't need IMatch Anywhere to use IMatch 2017. And IMatch Anywhere will evolve over time to become independent from IMatch for Windows.

IMatch Anywhere is the product for users who want to access their IMatch database remotely, who need multi-user access or efficient and fast access over a network. IMatch Anywhere is a server product.

IMatch Anywhere technology will be included in IMatch 2017 solely for the purpose of getting rid of the ancient BASIC programming environment. With IMWS I and other users can write better scripts and apps faster, utilizing modern development tools and techniques. I will implement several of the new features planned for IMatch in 2017 as apps.

[Menace]

I must admit, that I'm not a big fan of named by year. Will be than a every year fee-based upgrade?
If yes: Why?
If no: sound 2018 or 2019 IMatch 2017 not very old?

Edit: Will be there (some day) a 64-Bit IMatch?

[Mario]

I must admit, that I'm not a big fan of named by year. Will be than a every year fee-based upgrade?

Not necessarily.

If yes: Why?

1. Because I spend thousands of hours each year with developing and supporting IMatch.
2. I'm sure you work for free.
3. But I won't.
4. I have to pay for tools, licenses, hardware, royalties every year. Whether or not I make any money from IMatch. And when I don't make any money from IMatch, I cannot cover the costs.
And why should I pay from my own money so you can use a pro-grade DAM like IMatch for free?
5. IMatch is dirt cheap, compared to other pro-grade DAM products.

If no: sound 2018 or 2019 IMatch 2017 not very old?

Why?

The actual name will be 2017 and the version number will look like 2017.6, 2017.8, 2017.10, 2017.12, (New Year!) 2018.2, ...
Easy to understand, easy to remember. And you immediately know when you are using an old IMatch version - probably even outside the 6 month support period.

Edit: Will be there (some day) a 64-Bit IMatch?

Porting IMatch to 64 bits will be a major hassle - not because of my code but because of open source libraries and 3rd party toolkits I use.
Porting IMatch Anywhere (and the IMatch engine) will be much easier, though.

But there is no real need to port IMatch to 64 bits.

IMatch can use 3.5 GB of RAM.
Thanks to the much improved category storage system in IMatch 2017 it can load a ~350,000 (!) files database with ~25,000 categories now in less then 800 MB RAM (0.8 GB).
This leaves 2.7 GB of free RAM for everything else. And that is already an extreme example.

The only features in IMatch which really "need" RAM are viewing images and maybe the Design & Print module while it is displaying many pages at once.
All other IMatch features are very memory efficient.

[sinus]

1. IMatch 6 will be named IMatch 2017.

Great. Some years ago I asked for an easier name-version-system, now it will come.

[Menace]

1. Because I spend thousands of hours each year with developing and supporting IMatch.
2. I'm sure you work for free.
3. But I won't.
4. I have to pay for tools, licenses, hardware, royalties every year. Whether or not I make any money from IMatch. And when I don't make any money from IMatch, I cannot cover the costs.
And why should I pay from my own money so you can use a pro-grade DAM like IMatch for free?
5. IMatch is dirt cheap, compared to other pro-grade DAM products.

I get bored with this assumption, that I won't pay for a great product. I always payed and I always will do and I never demand a free product.  But I prefer to name things, like they are. 

I payed for IMatch 3.5 and worked with it for years, like I did with IMatch 5 and 5.5! I also did it with Adobe CS2,4,6. But with this monthly/yearly rent stuff, like adobe or the yearly "upgrade" like Capture One I did stop buying this software. 
That's why I asked, if there will be a yearly fee-based upgrade? Not necessarily sounds like this could be happen. I have no problem with this, because I also can stay with IMatch 5.5 for a long time.

[Mario]

There was a fee-based upgrade for IMatch in June 2014 (IMatch 5) and another one in December 2015 (IMatch 5.5) 18 months later.
I shipped, when I remember correctly, over 40 free updates between these two upgrades.
Not only bug fixes, but also enhancements, implemented feature requests and general improvements.

Many other software vendors ship only tiny enhancements and keep new features on hold for the next paid upgrade.
Or they force you into a basically life-long monthly subscription. Their software stops working when you don't pay anymore.

I could do the same.
Instead I ship updates every six to eight weeks with new features and enhancements. Because this is better for my users.

I have no problem with this, because I also can stay with IMatch 5.5 for a long time.

Sure. IMatch does not stop working when you don't upgrade. No subscription. I don't force you.

But I trust in my users that they understand the massive amount of work that goes into IMatch and the support And that they purchase the upgrade.
IMatch upgrades cost less than ~ 10 cups of coffee at *bucks or a family diner at McD.

[Menace]

Mario, it is not the problem of how many IMatch cost. It is about when and why there is a payed upgrade. There are software, which get every year a "upgrade" (for example Magix Video 2014,2015,2016 ...) with a lot of "enhancements" (better, faster, stronger, ...). But I often see, this enhancements are not really worth it, and for me the year numbers make the software less serious, because I already think that this is just a "trick".

I have no problem with an IMatch 6 and IMatch 7 after a 11 month, if the improvements are great for me.

I understand your need, to earn money with such a great product and that's why it is necessary to hold really new features back until a new version; same if the UI has a big change. And maybe you should really think about a monthly subscription for business-users (Phase One (C1) make both). But I don't know how often IMatch has been sold and how big is the base of IMatch Users.

And I even like to buy new software, when I know, that there a plenty of new stuff or smarter ui.

BTW: I stopped buying all software, which is just based on "subscription", even if it would be cheaper for me. It seems, that I am very conservative.

[Frank]

Menace,
subscription is something Mario should not do.
I am willing to pay each year for a new version but if I do not have the money on time I can still work with imatch today. This does not work with subscription.

Frank

[ben]

Yes, you will be able to run IMatch 5.* and IMatch 2017 on the same computer.

Yeah, thanks again for listening.
That will make the move from iMatch 5.x to iMatch 2017 much easier.
My kids don't "always allow me to work with my computer" -> so it'll take time 

Ben

[DigPeter]

Menace,
subscription is something Mario should not do.
I am willing to pay each year for a new version but if I do not have the money on time I can still work with imatch today. This does not work with subscription.

Frank

Mario has often implied in the past his objection to the subscription model of Adobe, so I sure he has no intention of adopting it for IMatch.

[Mario]

so I sure he has no intention of adopting it for IMatch.

No. I have no intention to switch to a subscription-based model for IMatch.

I fully understand why Adobe is doing this (constant cash flow, reliably revenue streams, customer lock-in).
I lack the market force of Adobe of course. Adobe can basically do whatever they want - because there is no real competition.
Although I use Affinity Designer a lot recently. I do all the graphics, icons, banners and stuff for IMatch Anywhere and IMatch 2017 in Affinity Designer. 40$, perpetual license. Annual fee-based updates.

I may, at some point, offer a Saas product (software as a service) and then I will consider alternative payment options for that product.

[sinus]

...and for me the year numbers make the software less serious, because I already think that this is just a "trick".

I work still with Microsoft Office Word 2003! 
And MS Outlook 2003. 

[Mario]

You know that you get the current Office 365 for five users + 5 TB cloud storage for 65€ per year, right? 

[sinus]

You know that you get the current Office 365 for five users + 5 TB cloud storage for 65€ per year, right? 

Really? 
No, I did not know this.

But one reason for me is also often, if I get a "new" program, an update, then things have changed and some stuff does not more work.
Well, not alwways, but mostly.

But of course we have to update from time to time.

Thanks for the input, I will really check this in the next time, because this is really an interesting prize!

[Mario]

This is for the Office subscription (one year). You get it usually cheapest directly at Amazon. I just saw that it's now 73€, not 65.

[sinus]

Thanks, Mario,

really appreciated, your inputs, even on such small things. 

[lnh]

Mario,

Will there be an upgrade from IMatch 5? If a customer upgrades to 5.5 now will that count as a purchase enabling a free upgrade to IMatch 2017 (assuming it's within 6 months) or do upgrades not count? Back when I was an active customer of Adobe (still using Photoshop CS5) for many years, I'd always upgrade every other time like clockwork and only stopped because of the subscription model.

FWIW - I really don't care about naming. IMatch 6, IMatch 2017, etc make no difference to me. I assume it's a better marketing move which is a good enough reason.

[Mario]

My fair update and upgrade policy is still in place, unchanged for 10 years or so.

I offer discounts for users with a license to the previous major version (IMatch 5.5 and later) when IMatch 2017 is released.
No standard discounts will be available for users with licenses for older versions (IMatch 5 or IMatch 3).

(assuming it's within 6 months)

Don't assume this 
If I fall out of my bed and break both hands, it may take longer than six months to finish IMatch 2017. I don't hope so, though.

Back when I was an active customer of Adobe (still using Photoshop CS5) for many years, I'd always upgrade every other time like clockwork and only stopped because of the subscription model.

This is precisely why Adobe (and many others) have switched to a subscription-based only model.
No more skipping versions (because the new version has just some cosmetic changes).
Better revenue flow control plus an integrated customer lock-in mechanisms. No more payment, software stops working...

I find my perpetual model better for the user.
But this also means that I can only hope that enough users purchase the upgrade to support to future development of IMatch.

[cthomas]

Mario I just seen that Imatch 5 has an updat on the way. Look at my post here: https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=6445.0. Would now be a good time to move to IMatch 2017? I know I will want IMatch 2017.

Any idea what it will cost for IMatch 2017?

[Mario]

Yes, IMatch 2017 is on the way. Still a bit of work to do but it will come soon.
No prices yet.

I usually offer a 40% discount to the full license cost for users with a license to the previous version.

[jelvers]

Interesting how intense a "fee" discussion can get  .

I am more interested in understanding whether the upgrade from the 5 Version to the 2017 version will really run fully automatically? If I understand it correctly the new database structure will be somewhat different and my experience with system changes is that data transfer is often the key challenge. Is there anything we as the users should already consider now in order to make the upgrade as smooth as possible? I remember that we had some issue with the German "Umlaut" during 3 to 5 upgrade and that you also recommended to use "one word" file names (e.g. instead of "Oahu Pacific" rather "Oahu_pacific").

You mentioned also improved scripting. I haven't really used the feature so far. But I am getting interested although my Java knowledge comes close to zero. Although I like IMatch HELP system a lot it is not really a "learning" tool for me, but rather a great reference work and that's absolutely fine with me. But will there be a kind of intro for dummies on the scripting side in the new version?

Anyway, I am looking very much forward to the new version. So far I was always positively impressed about the new features in the new versions, and happy to pay the price for hard work!

Good luck with further development of the new version!

Juergen

[mastodon]

Yes, the changes were horrible with accented characters (I got ? for every accent charaters, or even worse: empty field/not legible string), but that was because the inconsistensy of IPTC and the softwares using character coding. Not really an IMatch problem AND Mario made a really good solution to repair the data.

[Mario]

Interesting how intense a "fee" discussion can get  .

What do you mean?

I am more interested in understanding whether the upgrade from the 5 Version to the 2017 version will really run fully automatically?

The data structure is not changed. IMatch 2017 just has some new things to store in the database in order to support new features. The migration is automatic when you first open the database, as usual. Almost every version of IMatch (including the regular updates) introduces changes to the database. I bet you have never noticed that.

I remember that we had some issue with the German "Umlaut" during 3 to 5 upgrade

There was never such a thing. If you had ever problems with German umlauts in metadata (?) it is because whatever application created that data did not set the character set encoding right. Or EXIF data in non-ASCII encoding. I don't know if you refer to a problem in IMatch you had discovered years ago, or what. Surely there was nothing like this because of the 3 to 5 or 5 to 5.5 migration.

Although I like IMatch HELP system a lot it is not really a "learning" tool for me, but rather a great reference work and that's absolutely fine with me.
But will there be a kind of intro for dummies on the scripting side in the new version?

Do you speak about learning programming?

Then I don't see why the help system of a DAM software should provide that.
There are probably one million tutorials out there, vast sections of YouTube do nothing else as to teach people how to program. Google alone has produced hundreds of hours of tutorial videos for all kinds of programming languages and topics. Mozilla as well. And so have sites like w3schools and others.

I'm sure you have already looked at all the tutorial and tools links I have provided in the IMatch Developer section at www.photools.com?

IMatch Anywhere Developer Center

This is the first stop for all people who want to know more about IMWS and IMatch programming. I don't write all that stuff just for fun  I want people to read it.
If you start there, you should find good info to start. There are even several documents and a bunch of examples for IMatch Anywhere already available.

[lnh]

Interesting how intense a "fee" discussion can get  . 

You mentioned also improved scripting. I haven't really used the feature so far. But I am getting interested although my Java knowledge comes close to zero.

Juergen

Although somewhat counter intuitive, Java and JavaScript are largely unrelated and completely different programming languages. As Mario has said the good news is there are lots of on-line resources to learn JavaScript with several good free script editors/IDEs. Another approach I might explore for fun down the road is the language Kotlin developed by JetBrains which can target Java Virtual Machines, Android and JavaScript. For better or worse, Kotlin is considered one of the "modern" programming languages out there (along with Go Language, Rust, Swift and others).

[jelvers]

I'm sure you have already looked at all the tutorial and tools links I have provided in the IMatch Developer section at www.photools.com?

Yes indeed I did and from that I understood that much more JS knowledge is required than I certainly have in order to appreciate the examples and the power of scripting within IM.
And it was also the origin for my "learning" questions. Because of the sheer amount of JS intros on the Internet it is sometimes helpful to get some advice, isn't it?

Juergen

[Mario]

Programming is 50% doing and 50% googling these days.
The intro tutorials I've linked to in the developer center should cover most things.

Best to get yourself a decent editor and start simple. You can learn about HTML and JavaScript independently from IMatch and IMWS.

[Erik]

Late to the discussion but curious about the version numbering.

You mentioned earlier that the releases would be 2017.# then 2018.# when it changes to the next year?

I ask because the one thing I always think of in my thought process is that when one changes the year number in a software, it implies the next major version.  This is probably more due to MS Office than anything, e.g. Office went from 2003 to 2007 to 2010 to 2013 and now 2016, with the years being the major version.  I think I would be confused if the version numbers in IMatch changed because the year changed although the underlying software is still the 2017 (ver. "6") IMatch. 

I know that is silly, but when one uses many programs or is shopping for programs, appearances and "Standards" can mean everything.     

[Mario]

Since I like to keep things simple, I decided to switch IMatch to the same version numbering schema I use for IMatch Anywhere,
Both are using an agile development model with constant changes and improvements, no "big bang" version numbers needed.
The first version released in 2018 will be numbered 2018.1 or so.

When I think that users have got enough for their payments, I will announce a fee-based upgrade. No extra version number needed.

Maybe I invent a name like "Jellyfish" or "Donnerhall" to make it sound more important 

[sinus]

Maybe I invent a name like "Jellyfish" or "Donnerhall" to make it sound more important 

I do not know, is you emoji for real or ironic. 

I wrote this once in the last years here as a proposal to use better remembering names instead of 7.2.1 ...
Since I am a visual human, I can simply better remember for example a car named "Picasso" as "x35a" or better "Jellyfish" then "2018.3.".
Or "Aspirin" instead of "Ax-Sp2". 

Just my visual opinion. 

[Mario]

you mentioned something similar two years ago...

I ship updates for IMatch about every 6 - 8 weeks. It makes absolutely no sense to invent a new name for each release.
You can always tell which version you have from the About menu, and if your version number is lower than the 'current' version, you use an old version.

Its easier to tell that 2017.9 is older than 2018.6 than to tell that "Jellyfish" is older than "Donnerhall".

Or maybe you would prefer "IMatch Donnerhall 2"?  Or "IMatch Jellyfish Edition 2018"?
I don't think so.

IMatch 2017, IMatch 2018 etc. will be good.

[sinus]

Maybe I invent a name like "Jellyfish" or "Donnerhall" to make it sound more important 

I do not know, is you emoji for real or ironic. 

So your emoji was ironic. 
Of course no problem for me, finally you are all in one person: program-ideas, programer, support-chief, complaint-section-chief, market-office-responsible and finally sales and marketing-boss, including name assignement. 
Mario is responsible for all this and more. 

[sinus]

you mentioned something similar two years ago...

And you surpising me again, you have a really really good memory. Almost not to believe. 
I wished I had it also.

[DigPeter]

Maybe I invent a name like "Jellyfish" or "Donnerhall" to make it sound more important 

No thank you

[cthomas]

IMatch 2017, IMatch 2018 etc. will be good.

I think so to. 

When will the big day happen? I'm anxiously waiting.

[sinus]

You know that you get the current Office 365 for five users + 5 TB cloud storage for 65€ per year, right? 

Thanks, Mairo, I did this now (office 365) and this is really, I think also, a good thing to do.
And even all my scripts, what I have for IM5 together with MS Word, are running perfectly with Word 2016. Really cool.

This gives me enough time, to convert my scripts into/for JS to use them with IMatch 2017 (of course with help of others here on the forum like Andy and Thorsten and others.
Great forum too. 

[Mario]

This gives me enough time, to convert my scripts into/for JS to use them with IMatch 2017 (of course with help of others here on the forum like Andy and Thorsten and others.
Great forum too. 

Please consider revising the way you write scripts. When all you want is to automate Word (get data from IMatch into Word) it is probably much easier to write a Word script in VBA (which runs in Word) and which loads data from IMatch via IMWS. VBA has been designed to automate Office products, and loading some data from a web service (like IMatch) is very easy.

[sinus]

This gives me enough time, to convert my scripts into/for JS to use them with IMatch 2017 (of course with help of others here on the forum like Andy and Thorsten and others.
Great forum too. 

Please consider revising the way you write scripts. When all you want is to automate Word (get data from IMatch into Word) it is probably much easier to write a Word script in VBA (which runs in Word) and which loads data from IMatch via IMWS. VBA has been designed to automate Office products, and loading some data from a web service (like IMatch) is very easy.

Thanks, Mario, I will think about this.
The most important script is for me the "attribute-calculatior" - script, and here Thorsten helped me a a lot, specialy he gave me a (very good) starting. He has done all with some attributes-fields, and hence I think (knock on wood), I am able to add more fields, what I must have.

If my datas are once in the attributes, with help of this script, then you talked also once about one possibility: simply export these datas as csv-file and import it into Word or maybe even Excel.
This is also an approach, what I found a very good hint of you.

And this, what you wrote above, is also a way, what I have never thought about and could be also a very good solution, hmm... maybe even a better approach than the csv-thing.

Thanks, I will look further in all directions. 

[Mario]

Yep. For example, look here:

https://waidner-itsolutions.de/wordpress/2012/11/03/webservices-mit-vba-ansprechen/

Google for

access REST web service from VBA

to find many examples for Excel and Word.
Maybe I write an example when I have some time (around 2030...)

[sinus]

Yep. For example, look here:

https://waidner-itsolutions.de/wordpress/2012/11/03/webservices-mit-vba-ansprechen/

Google for

access REST web service from VBA

to find many examples for Excel and Word.
Maybe I write an example when I have some time (around 2030...)

Oh, very, very cool.
Thanks a lot for this.
I will read and try and read and try! 

When I (naively) think, I could start Word or Excel and have access via VB to some images in IMatch, who, how cool would this be? Simply very cool.
For me I could imagine a lot of things, using Word with IMatch.

Phew, this could help me a lot. Thanks for this, you are correct, maybe this could be mutch better than the csv-approach.

[sinus]

Maybe I write an example when I have some time (around 2030...)

I have quickly checked my calendar, see attachement.

[Mario]

When I (naively) think, I could start Word or Excel and have access via VB to some images in IMatch, who, how cool would this be? Simply very cool.

That's the beauty of the new IMatch 2017 scripting system. It allows you to access your IMatch database from all modern programming languages.
And if you want to access an IMatch database over a network or even over the internet, use IMatch Anywhere. Scripts and apps which use IMWS will work with both.