Categories lost from a database

[Mserjeantson]

I have several databases, one of which contains many thousands of photos. The others are much smaller. The small ones are fine. The large one has lost about 99% of the categories attached to the images. I have run both the diagnostic and repair systmes. Both says that all is well - but it isn't. All of the attributes attached to each image are fine and the images are still linked to their thumbnails.

I have managed to overwrite backups for some time with flawed varsions so would have to gpo back to the start of the year to run an accurate backup.

Deos anyone have any suggestions or do I have to re-categorize a few thousand images?

Thanks

Meyricke

[Mario]

I have never heard of a case where IMatch lost categories.
Which type of categories were lost? Manually created categories with manually assigned files? Data-driven categories?

IMatch has no features to 'automatically' remove categories. Only the user-triggered command to delete categories in the Category View and Category Panel.
An exception is the special feature to automatically remove files from categories under the same parent when the user assigns a category - but that is rarely used and has to be configured explicitly.

I have frankly no idea how a single category category can get lost, or multiple.
Do you manage the same files in all databases? Then you can export the categories and import them again.
Or restore an old backup of your database, open it in IMatch, export the categories and then import them again into your latest database.

[Mserjeantson]

When I say "the categories have been lost" I mean that they are no longer assigned to the files. The list of categories is just as it should be.

They were manually assigned categories and the links to about 47,000 files have been stripped. Almost 47,000 files are now marked as "unassigned files". If it were all of them, I could understand it but a tiny percentage - about 1% - of the images still have categories assigned.

My other main database, one containing about 100 recipes, which has been maintained in exactly the same way as the photographic database, still seems to be perfectly intact.

I think I'll have to reload an old backup and just re-categorize the last 6 months worth of images.

Thanks

Meyricke

[Mario]

When I say "the categories have been lost" I mean that they are no longer assigned to the files. The list of categories is just as it should be.

So the assignments were lost...

Did you by chance move folders around on your hard disk and, instead of using the relocate command, you have added the folders again to your database? And then maybe removed the old folders, which were marked as off-line. This would all files new to your database, and the category assignments would be lost of course.

Doing this kind of folder add/remove is the only known way to strip file assignments from categories.

[Mserjeantson]

I haven't knowingly done that - I always use "relocate". If I had done it, surely the attributes - ie the free text descriptions assigned to the images - would have "vanished" as well.

Thanks

Meyricke

[Mserjeantson]

A little more research has shown:

1) The Timeline has also been unassigned from these images - ie they now have neither categories nor a timeline but their attributes are perfectly OK.
2) The files I added on Sept 19 are OK. Almost everything before that is faulty.

Very strange

Meyricke

[Mario]

Unassigned from the timeline... Mhm. The timeline is built from the Date and Time (File Date and Time) IMatch extracts from your files.
The timeline is only updated when you add new files to your database or you change the date and time of a file. Even if the file has no metadata, the timeline uses the "last modified" date and time, which always exists.

There is definitely something really strange going on on your system. I have never heard about such a case before. I wouldn't even know how do to this if I would want to try it.
Check other applications you are running, virus checkers etc.

You can rebuild the timeline via Database > Tools.

[Mserjeantson]

I've restored the timelines. Many thanks.

I'll now revert to a backup & re-enter the attributes & categories to the images that I have added since the backup. I take if for granted that I can't do a restore without wiping the attributes from the new images.

Thanks

Meyricke

[WzeroMN]

I have purchased the 2021 and had to do a relocate on my database. I have MANY categories BUT ZERO files associzted with them. My categories are lost but the data and images are still there and can be viewed. I spent a lot of time and some of these are over 16 years old. I fear that I am out of luck and have to start over but that is nearly impossible. It will be hard to categorize 18-year-old files. Is there any hope? Luckily the timeline is still good and I think all images are still there.

[Mario]

I have purchased the 2021 and had to do a relocate on my database. I have MANY categories BUT ZERO files associzted with them. My categories are lost but the data and images are still there and can be viewed. I spent a lot of time and some of these are over 16 years old. I fear that I am out of luck and have to start over but that is nearly impossible. It will be hard to categorize 18-year-old files. Is there any hope? Luckily the timeline is still good and I think all images are still there.

Categories are stored in your database. They cannot get lost just like that. The only way to lose categories is by deleting them.
You said that you "had to relocate". Relocation is needed when you have moved/renamed folders outside of IMatch, or you have moved your files to another disk.
Relocation keeps all data associated with the folders and files, including categories and unwritten metadata.

If you have lost categories, this sounds like you did not relocate but instead added the folders again after moving them. This brings in the folders as "new" folders, without categories.
Maybe you have relocated only after you had already added the folders as new folders to your database? Not enough details about what you did in your posts.

Solution: Restore your last daily database backup before you had to relocate. Relocate all folders marked as off-line to their new location on your system.
See Off-line Folders and Files for detailed information.

[WzeroMN]

Well, perhaps I did this. I a SMAD but I guess I am out of luck. As the other poster above said they are gone. This is one thing I hate about the program for a single user. so easy to mess up. I make regular image backups but probably do have oe old enough to fix this. SADLY, I have a lot of work to do and likely will never get accurate categorization back. For sure I will be keeping separate database backups. Replacing a new database with an old that still has categories is not going to be a reasonable step as that will mess up others since the old database. Oh well, ASI ES LA VIDA. (that is the way life is).

You have given a hint though. If I can find a backup that still has categories and just export old and import to new I may get sojm recovery. Problem is the old is likely the older version format. Not sure if this would work or not.

Wish me luck, I will need it. :-)

[Mario]

This is one thing I hate about the program for a single user. so easy to mess up.

I don't think so. There are only so many precautions and warnings a system can use to prevent the user from making mistakes.

When you move folders outside of IMatch, IMatch just marks them as off-line, with a yellow warning icon. The folder tooltip explains what the problem is:



IMatch also displays a warning banner in the Notification Area, telling you that one or more folders are off-line, and what this means.

No harm is done at this stage. All unwritten metadata and categories are in the database, linked to the off-line folders files.

Now it depends on what the user does. Does he read the info, looks up what "Relocate" means in the help? Is he aware that renaming/moving folders/files outside of IMatch is not smart, but can be resolved afterwards with relocate?

Or does the user rescan all folders he has renamed/moved and thus brings them in as "new" folders? Without categories?
Even then, no harm is done yet. Removing the newly added copies using the "Remove from Database" command and then relocating the folders in the database re-establishes the link between the folders in the database and the physical folders. All fixed.

But when the user removes the off-line folders, ignoring the warnings, IMatch must comply.

Even then, no harm is done if the user does the sensible thing and creates daily backup of all his files.
He then can just restore the database and is back on place 1. He can now just relocate the folders and all is well.

If the user does not pay attention to what IMatch has to say, ignores all warnings and has no database backup, IMatch (and I) are at an end.
There is only so much we can do.

[WzeroMN]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ALL
I went to other computer and categories were still there, mostly all of them if not all. Did the EXPORT, went to the new computer, did the IMPORT and they are back.   

I must say that support was fast and accurate ad that I am warned!