Pending Metadata write back

[nordkapp]

is there a way to reset/discard all pending metadata write-backs?

Until now I use the write back only in special cases, can't remember when I used it the last time. But unfortunaly I used the rating in IMatch for selecting my images. If I first go through a bunch of images I rate images that I want to select further with 1 star. After the first selection I move the rated files to another folder leaving the nonselected in the old destination. Then I go to the folder where the selected images are in, mark all images and rate them wit 0 stars and begin selection again. If I have thousand images to select I sometimes do it a third time.

now I looked in the metadata write back collection and discovered that I have more than 12.000 images for writing back. All images show only the rating changed. I don't want all my raw files getting an xmp sidecar (I don't use lightroom) and the jpg-files also should not be updated.

Can I empty the collection without writing the meta data back?

[JohnZeman]

is there a way to reset/discard all pending metadata write-backs?

Yes there is.
Go to Menu > Database > Database Tools > Clear Processing Queues > Clear metadata writeback queue

[Mario]

I DON'T recommend this.
If you use this command you are breaking the metadata link between your database and your files.

The IMatch database holds a rating for your file that does not match the metadata in the file on disk. But IMatch also does not longer know that the metadata is out-of-sync (and no only the rating is pending but also timestamp metadata and digests which are updated during the write-back).

The next time IMatch rescans the files for whatever reason, your ratings may vanish from the database. Depending on the protection settings you have selected.

If you then report that metadata is vanishing from your database as a bug here in the community, please remember to include the info that you have deliberately broken the links between the IMatch database and your files.

XMP Ratings are designed to be stored in the file!

IMatch gives you so many other options, from collections to categories to organize your files. None of these requires changes to metadata in your files. Why don't you use rating categories or one of the flat, pin, dot or bookmark collections?

[nordkapp]

IMatch gives you so many other options, from collections to categories to organize your files. None of these requires changes to metadata in your files. Why don't you use rating categories or one of the flat, pin, dot or bookmark collections?

I know the question is comming;-) It happens during my Switch from 3.6 to 5.0 some years ago. I tried flags or Pins (don't know anymore) and the reaction to the Keyboard shortcuts that time where little slower and maybe I had to press more than one key. I will test it now with IM2018

For me it was ok to use the Ratings, because I only trust the Information in IMatch not in other Programms. In the future I plan to use and embed Ratings in the file.

I don't use Keywords so there should be no other metadata to write back.

If you then report that metadata is vanishing from your database as a bug here in the community, please remember to include the info that you have deliberately broken the links between the IMatch database and your files.

I would like not to bring me trouble in IMatch later nor want I a change of my raw files.

The decision not to write the metadata inside raw files was made years ago, maybe nowadays it is safe to do it with IMatch/ExifTool?

If I write back the metadata will my raw files be affected? I use the Standard Settings for all filetypes except .CR2. There I have chosen to prefer sidecar files (I think it was also years ago because I don't want any changes to the raw file itself)

[Mario]

maybe nowadays it is safe to do it with IMatch/ExifTool?

ExifTool is a very safe application. But there can never be a guarantee.
Probably billions of files are updated with ExifTool every year. No user has ever reported that a file was damaged. I have modified my own 200,000 RAW files several times.

Maybe your virus checker is blocking IMatch / ExifTool in the middle?
Maybe there is a driver bug? A disk problem? Maybe your images are on a network and there is a failure during writing?
Maybe there is a power failure or Windows reboot?

XMP files for RAW files is stored in sidecar files. Although some camera vendors now store a rudimentary (and often invalid) XMP record also in the RAW.
RAW files are undocumented by intention. Camera vendors can change them with each camera model or firmware (and often do) and they may stop support for older RAW formats (which Canon did several times). If you base your long-term archive on RAW files alone you may face some problems in 10 or 20 years.

Fiddling with the default IMatch metadata options for reasons like "I want to make it safer" or "I don't want it to update my image files, despite it is required standard" is calling for trouble. And has all kinds of side effects.

I'm really tired of reports like "My metadata is missing or vanishes or does not work or..." and then, after several posts / emails and often hours of my time wasted, to find out that the use has randomly set or removed metadata options and shot himself in the foot big time.