Unassigned files update

[lucio]

I'm assigning keywords and categories to my files, but as soon as i assign a category, at the moment Imatch updates the thumbnails window, the images I'm working on disappear without giving me the opportunity to assign further categories.
Is there any way to increase the refreshing delay or to convert it to a manual update via a keyboard shortcut?

Thanks.

[JohnZeman]

I'm not aware of a way to increase the delay.

So what I do in this situation is to first bookmark the unassigned files, then I'll go to Collections > Bookmarks and assign categories.  When I'm done I'll remove the files from the Bookmarks collection.

[lucio]

So what I do in this situation is to first bookmark the unassigned files, then I'll go to Collections > Bookmarks and assign categories.  When I'm done I'll remove the files from the Bookmarks collection.

Mmmh, sounds like a nice workaround, i'll give it a try.

Thank you.

[Mario]

It is not clear, but this sounds as if you are working in the category view and you are modifying the contents of the category you are currently looking at. This will of course not really work well, especially if you remove files from the category you are working with. IMatch will update the category (as you have requested) and the files will be removed from the current scope. This is the way this has to work. Else you would see invalid data in the file window.

There are many ways to work better. One just described by John above.
You could also just assign the files to a (temporary) category and use that.

Tip: There is a button for this in the Categories Panel, see Creating a Category from All Selected Files

[Jingo]

It is not clear, but this sounds as if you are working in the category view and you are modifying the contents of the category you are currently looking at. This will of course not really work well, especially if you remove files from the category you are working with. IMatch will update the category (as you have requested) and the files will be removed from the current scope. This is the way this has to work. Else you would see invalid data in the file window.

There are many ways to work better. One just described by John above.
You could also just assign the files to a (temporary) category and use that.

Tip: There is a button for this in the Categories Panel, see Creating a Category from All Selected Files

I run into this same issue withe the "no keywords" category (which I am slowly making my way though...).  I will often select say 20 images and assign a keyword to them... but, some of those 20 should have additional keywords and they disappear from the display as soon as the first is assigned.  Sooo.....

I work around this by selecting the subset of the images and load them into a result window (Ctrl-G,R).  I can then add the as many keywords to each image per my normal workflow and close the result window... the images are automatically removed from the No Keywords category... and I then just make a new selection of images and rinse/repeat.

Hope this work flow offers another option! - Andy.

[sinus]

Yep, this is/was also a problem for me.
Of course I have also a workflow to prevent this.

But IMatch is simply too fast. 
If I am in a category with a formula, with bookmarks and flags, and I remove bookmarks ... wush, the files are gone and I have to search again for the same files.

Some monthes ago I wished I could say IMatch, "hey, if I remove or change stuff in this category, what affects you, wait 1 minute until you do it really". 

If there would be something like this (A button to delay the execution of Imatch in this category by 1-5 minutes) I would use this for sure often.
Like I use often, say, show or hide stacked files.

[Mario]

If there would be something like this (A button to delay the execution of Imatch in this category by 1-5 minutes) I would use this for sure often.
Like I use often, say, show or hide stacked files.

1. When you look at the Bookmarks collection and you remove a bookmark from one file, the file must vanish. Else you would see wrong data, commands you run would try to work on files no longer there etc.

2. It is generally a bad idea to manipulate the collection/category you are currently viewing.

3. When I see 10 files with bookmarks and I remove the bookmarks from 5 of these files, I expect to see only 5 files afterwards. Not 10, and then a minute later 5 files suddenly vanish.
What happens if I remove the bookmark of 5 files and then press <Ctrl>+<A> to select all and <1> to rate them. I would later wonder why only 5 files (not the 10 I saw at the time) have a rating of 1!

4. I bookmark files to they show up in the bookmarks collection and I can use it for filtering.
When I remove a bookmark from a file, I want it to vanish from bookmarks. Immediately. Not some variable time span later.

5. The same is true for categories. When I tell IMatch to remove these 10 files from a category, I want the files to be removed now. Not at some later time. There may also be formulas, sort sequences, filters depending on that.

6. If you find yourself regularly in a situation where you have to manipulate the folder / category / collection you are currently viewing in the File Window, you may want to rethink your workflow.

If you switch to the Bookmarks collection to see all files with bookmarks and you remove the bookmark from some files, be prepared that these files are no longer part of the bookmarked files. And thus vanish from the File Window when you are currently look at the bookmarks collection.

If this irritates you, select all files and assign them to a temporary category. Or another collection. Or open the selected files in a result window with a keyboard shortcut Ctrl+G,R.
Then you can manipulate bookmarks or whatever without pulling the files out under your feet, so to speak.

IMatch offers so many options to deal with such things - there is surely no "Wait one minute before removing these files from the File Window" option needed. Which, if implemented, could cause all sorts of problems, from invalid formulas to incorrect variables to unwanted side-effects when applying commands.

[ubacher]

Or open the selected files in a result window with a keyboard shortcut Ctrl+G,R.

This is what I do - but only if I remember/if I am aware that changes I make will make files disappear from the window.

I suppose one can press UNDO if a thumbnail/file disappears and then switch to a result window.

[Mario]

There are many ways to deal with situations where you have to manipulate the file set you are actively working with in the File Window.
I have to say I never experience the issues described above.

For example, I bookmark files to process them later.
I switch to the Bookmarks collection, perform the operations I want to operate and when done, I remove the files from bookmarks.
I don't remove them from bookmarks before I have completed work on them and I don't expect the files to remain visible (for some time) in the Bookmarks collection after I have removed their bookmarks...

It's like you move a file from folder A to B but you expect the file to remain visible (for some time) in folder A...

The OP works with the unassigned files category. This category contains all files not yet assigned to a category. As soon as you assign a file to a category it no longer belongs into this category and has to be removed.

[sinus]

As I wrote, for me this is not a problem.
IMatch offers enough solutions.

2. It is generally a bad idea to manipulate the collection/category you are currently viewing.

I don't agree on this one.
I work almost only with categories, with a very good category-workflow, and this works very good since years.
And I am quite sure, a lot of people do for example some work in the bookmark, what is surely not bad.

[Mario]

I don't agree on this one.
I work almost only with categories, with a very good category-workflow, and this works very good since years.
And I am quite sure, a lot of people do for example some work in the bookmark, what is surely not bad.

And your point is?
I work with bookmarks all the time myself. But I don't expect files without bookmarks to show up in the bookmarks collection...!?
Just remember to remove the bookmark when you are done with the file. Not before.

[Jingo]

I don't agree on this one.
I work almost only with categories, with a very good category-workflow, and this works very good since years.
And I am quite sure, a lot of people do for example some work in the bookmark, what is surely not bad.

And your point is?
I work with bookmarks all the time myself. But I don't expect files without bookmarks to show up in the bookmarks collection...!?
Just remember to remove the bookmark when you are done with the file. Not before.

I think the issue is - users are generally doing more than a single thing on images from these categories... and once you do the thing that the category is built upon - poof... the item is gone. 

As mentioned above, I work around this by selecting images from the category (even ALL the images) and building a new Result Window... to me, this is easiest way to ensure the images from that category do not disappear until I close the window (or remove the images from the result window).  The images will automatically be removed from the original automated category as desired... but you can work on the images and do as many things to them as you wish without them dropping off the display in the result window.

Result windows are one of the most underappreciated features in IM..... great addition!!!!

[ubacher]

Result windows are one of the most underappreciated features in IM..... great addition!!!!

I fully agree. Early on I made myself a script to show selected files in a result window. I called the script
"Freeze it" which I think very well explains what it does. <Ctrl>G,R does this now but in my mind it still
"freezes it".

[sinus]

Result windows are one of the most underappreciated features in IM..... great addition!!!!

I fully agree. Early on I made myself a script to show selected files in a result window. I called the script
"Freeze it" which I think very well explains what it does. <Ctrl>G,R does this now but in my mind it still
"freezes it".

I do also agree with you both.
Hmm, freeze it would mean for me "freeze it in ice" and you can store it, but not do anything with it.

Hence "play it" or "work with it" or  something would be also an option.
Because you can change collections and whatever you want, but the files are still here.

I like it also, work with it, close the result window, go back to the source (like categories) and the changes will be reflected there.

Result windows are really cool, that is also one reason, why I like the search apps "File Finder" from Mario and "Fancy Search" from Andy. They both opens the result in a result Window.

[Jingo]

I try to employ the result window in many of my APPs because it provides a fixed way to isolate images... without touching the original selection...  nifty stuff!

[jch2103]

Result windows are one of the most underappreciated features in IM..... great addition!!!!

OK, it seems I've been missing out on result windows all this time... But Ctrl+G,R isn't working for me: either I'm doing it wrong or there's some other issue. (Select files in File Window, hit Control-G and the R...) The Keyboard Cheat Sheet only lists 'Open Stack in Result Window' in a search for 'result'.

[JohnZeman]

Hold CTRL down and press G then release CTRL and press R

Works for me.

[Mario]

For details of how to work with IMatch keyboard shortcuts and the multikey shortcuts, see Keyboard Cheat Sheet
There should be an entry for Ctrl+G,R.

You can also trigger this command via the context menu in the File Window: Advanced Commands > Open selection in Result Window.

[Jingo]

For details of how to work with IMatch keyboard shortcuts and the multikey shortcuts, see Keyboard Cheat Sheet
There should be an entry for Ctrl+G,R.

You can also trigger this command via the context menu in the File Window: Advanced Commands > Open selection in Result Window.

Also, Right clicking and using the command to "Open Selection in a Result Window" works too!

[loweskid]

But Ctrl+G,R isn't working for me: either I'm doing it wrong or there's some other issue.

You have to hit the R within one second of releasing the other keys.

[jch2103]

But Ctrl+G,R isn't working for me: either I'm doing it wrong or there's some other issue.

You have to hit the R within one second of releasing the other keys.

Thanks! It was just a timing issue on my end. 

For details of how to work with IMatch keyboard shortcuts and the multikey shortcuts, see Keyboard Cheat Sheet
There should be an entry for Ctrl+G,R.

You can also trigger this command via the context menu in the File Window: Advanced Commands > Open selection in Result Window.

I looked on the cheat sheet, but that combination isn't there, as I mentioned above. (Three other Ctrl+G combinations are listed.)

[Mario]

Strange. I can see it in the cheat sheet. I've just searched for Open selection in...maybe some browser cache issue or something?

[jch2103]

Strange. I can see it in the cheat sheet. I've just searched for Open selection in...maybe some browser cache issue or something?

Indeed. I cleared my browser cache, and then I found it. Glad that's cleared up.