IMatch 2023.1.22 (64-bit) Crashes every time I create a new database.

[GrantRobertson]

Yup, I have tried it several times. Every time I simply create a new database, it crashes just before actually opening that database.

I choose Database / Create a new database...

I get the first dialog and fill it out like so:


It grinds away for a bit then I get the second dialog, which I fill out like so:


It waits a couple of seconds and looks as if it is about to open...  but then it just quits. The screen and the process are just gone.

Here are the files that are left in my database folder after it crashes:


I can then restart IMatch, and it shows me this dialog:


I click "Continue" and it reopens my Main database. These are the files in my Databases folder while my Main database is open:


I can then choose Database / Open Database... and choose the newly created database and it opens just fine. When I exit IMatch, all the temporary files have been deleted, as per normal.

I will put the log files in the first comment. The forum software wouldn't let me put in more than five attachments.

OH, I am on Windows 10 Pro, Version 22H2, OS Build 19045.3324.

[GrantRobertson]

Here is log files. I just zipped up all the log files that looked pertinent at all. 

I have even zipped up the newly created database files as they sat in my Databases folder after the crash (before I reopened IMatch). If you need them, e-mail me and I will send them to you. I hesitate to just post them publicly, because I don't know just how much of my personal info may be in there.

[Mario]

Does IMatch create a DUMP file (See The Debug Dump File)?
If so, please send it to me.

The log files are clean, IMatch is not noticing anything unusual.

If IMatch does not create a DUMP file, the problem is caused by something external.
Which virus checker do you use?

[GrantRobertson]

Does IMatch create a DUMP file (See The Debug Dump File)?
If so, please send it to me.

The log files are clean, IMatch is not noticing anything unusual.

If IMatch does not create a DUMP file, the problem is caused by something external.
Which virus checker do you use?

I do not get any of the error messages shown on the "The Debug Dump File" page. As I described, above, the program just exits without any other activity. I just looked for any files in my Temp folder that start with "im5" and could not find any. When I create another new database, I will check for that file before doing anything else, and I'll let you know what I find. 

I just use the Microsoft Defender antivirus, because research has shown that there is little difference in the protection ability of all the different anti-virus products, and that Microsoft Defender is just as good as anything that one would pay for. However, I have already set the exclusions so that Microsoft Defender does not scan any of the folders that IMatch uses. Not the database folder, nor the C:\ProgramData\photools.com or C:\users\<me>\AppData\Roaming\photools.com folders.

It's not the most terrible thing in the world. It's not as if I am creating new databases every day. And it is a pretty simple work around. So, I will survive. I just thought you should know about it. 

[Mario]

If IMatch closes without producing a DUMP file, it was terminated by Windows.
From experience, this is usually caused by a virus checker.

I've just solved an obscure problem for another user via email. This took days.
For no reason, IMatch suddenly performed super-slow, ExifTool returned error messages when trying to write to files etc.

We learned that temporarily disabling the Windows Defender realtime protection solved all problems.
So he added an exclusion for exiftool.exe in the IMatch program files folder (!) and the problem was gone. He already had an exception for IMatch 2023.

Yes. Windows Defender is as good as other virus checkers. It's free and usually does not get in the way.
If you don't need "extra" stuff like local email scanning or "banking protection" or whatnot, Windows Defender is all you need.


Issues like the one described above usually happen only on one PC and for one user and a PITA and a massive waste of my time.

Make exceptions for the IMatch2023x64.exe and exiftool.exe in the IMatch program files folder and see if this helps.

Nowadays, virus checkers try not to "inconvenience" or "confuse" users by telling them when they stepped in and blocked a software. Which leaves the user wondering why one or more of his applications suddenly no longer work. Sigh.

[GrantRobertson]

Make exceptions for the IMatch2023x64.exe and exiftool.exe in the IMatch program files folder and see if this helps.

Interestingly, I already had an exception for ExifTool, but not for Imatch. I just went ahead and made an exception for the entire C:\ProgramFiles\photools.com folder. Unfortunately, when I created another new database, it still crashed.

So....  I went ahead and completely disabled Microsoft Defender, then created yet another new database. Guess what? It crashed again. However, this time it actually generated a "Debug Dump" file. It displayed both the error messages shown on the "Debug Dump" page you referred to above. 

So, I have uploaded that .ZIP file to my Google Drive and will be sending you a link to that file shortly. Look for an e-mail from me shortly. 

[Mario]

This issue has been resolved for the next release.

It only happened when the user has switched IMatch to use the locally installed help system and then creates a new database.
After creating a database, IMatch opens the "New Database" help page, and the code that was used for this when the local help is enabled was faulty, causing IMatch to crash. The new database was OK and could be opened after restarting IMatch.

[GrantRobertson]

This issue has been resolved for the next release.

It only happened when the user has switched IMatch to use the locally installed help system and then creates a new database.
After creating a database, IMatch opens the "New Database" help page, and the code that was used for this when the local help is enabled was faulty, causing IMatch to crash. The new database was OK and could be opened after restarting IMatch.

Cool. It seems as if I was in the weird situation where IMatch caused the crash, but then my antivirus software prevented IMatch from doing the proper "Debut Dump." I'm glad we got it sorted out. 

For now, I will leave the "Use offline help system" option set to "No," while I am messing around with creating test databases, or until the next release comes out. But, I will switch it back, after, because I like that the offline help works faster, without needing to wait for the internet.