Q: iMatch integration with a Raw Converter?

[markkums]

Hi there,

I have a question to experienced users of iMatch and raw converters: How do you integrate those two softwares to work effectively in parallel?

I have organized my image files by categories in iMatch. Of course there are some folder structure in my PC (Win 7) , but categories give freedom over that. I have used Capture One Pro 7 as a raw converter but have also considered Lightroom, if it helps better in this quetsion. I think CO has (in its newer versions) moved further away from this kind of parallel working.

Thus far, after making some selection in iMatch I have identified selected files for post processing by their names  (an foldes, too) in CO7, but with larger number of files this is ineffective and cumbersome method. How do you get your selections in iMatch conveyed to raw converter?

B.r: Markku

[herman]

My favorite raw processor, DxO Optics Pro, supports drag-and-drop.
In IMatch I just select the images I want to convert and drag them to a new, empty, project in DOP.
The other processors I use occasionally, Corel Aftershot Pro and PictureCode Photo Ninja, also support drag-and-drop.

I have used LR for a while. As far as I recall it does not support drag-and-drop when the files are in multiple folders. Your best bet may to use iMatch to write a label to the files you want to process in LR and have LR pick up those labels.
There are some LR users here, so you probably will get better suggestions than this one.

I am not at all familiar with C1.

Hope this helps,

[DigPeter]

I use Lightroom as my raw converter.  I have a shortcut to this in IMatch5 favorites.  See IMatch help how to do this.  In the file window, select the images you wish to process in LR and click on the LR shortcut.  LR will then load in import mode with the selected images highlighted.  Just proceed from there.

I in fact do not use this because I convert all my raw images in LR.  My workflow is download with Downloader Pro > then load into IMatch for weeding out and category/keyword assignment etc. > edit and convert all 'keepers' with LR .

[markkums]

Hi,

DigPeter and herman, thanks for your replies.

I need to investigate and learn if C1 acceps drag-and-drop, I do not know right now.

DigPeter, one additional question: do I understand correctly that you have no (new)  file input (in advance) in LR, but you input those in the  first time in that woork flow you described?

B.r: Markku

[DigPeter]

DigPeter, one additional question: do I understand correctly that you have no (new)  file input (in advance) in LR, but you input those in the  first time in that woork flow you described?
B.r: Markku

Yes, that is correct.  I take some photos, go home and proceed as described in my last post 

[ianrr]

"I need to investigate and learn if C1 acceps drag-and-drop, I do not know right now."

Sure does. Use it often

[markkums]

Ianrr, thanks, that may work for me, I need to train.

B.r: Markku

[Ferdinand]

If you use CO7 then IMatch 5 has a big advantage over Imatch 3.6, which is that you can define buddy files two levels down in the folder structure.  IMatch 3.6 couldn't do this, and you need it for CO7. 

With any converter, my advice is to do all metadata entry in IMatch.  Those using LR with IMatch 5 have a little more latitude IMHO, provided that you set preferences in both programs correctly and sequence your use of each program carefully, i.e. don't use both at the same time.  But even so, I think it's safer to stick to one program for metadata entry and it makes sense that it be the DAM.

Drag and drop to CO7 seems to work and you can define it as a user tool.  I haven't experimented much with either, so no guarantees.

[markkums]

Hi,

Ferdinand, thanks for your reply.
I´ll start experimenting with those features and try to establish a proper work flow.

B.r: Markku

[markkums]

Hi all,

Few status updates of my experiments with CO7 (7.2.) and LR5 (5.2). I made apllication links in Favorites-panel for both of them.

1) -Contrary to expectations LR5 opened files in separate folders (one from ext HDD and one from PC HDD) at the same time. This seem to work without problems.

2) -With CO7 I have problems as it always fails in opening session or catalog through a given file name. If I accept to open a new seessio or catalog it will open, but in that case I do not have selected files in CO7 visible and selected, so this is not practical way.
-If I drag and drop selected files directly to Capture - or e.g. folder in CO7, (so CO7 opened beforehand) this will create another copy of files into CO7 folders. Again, not so practical...

... to be contnued...

B.r: Markku

[herman]

Hi Markku,

Thank you for your feedback.

1) -Contrary to expectations LR5 opened files in separate folders (one from ext HDD and one from PC HDD) at the same time. This seem to work without problems.

That is good news!
I should have mentioned that my experience with LR dates back to version 3.6
At that time it did not support Windows drag-and-drop from multiple folders as one can do with IMatch categories.
I had some other quibbles with LR as well, so I never bothered to upgrade to more recent versions.
Glad to hear that LR has improved in this respect!

[markkums]

Hi all,

Further info about my experiments with CO7:

There is a resolution to my opening problem with CO7: CO7 should be opened beforehand with a session before drag-and-drop is made in iMatch. However, in CO7 you will have the whole folder (containing the selected file) opened. And, you can drag-and-drop only one file at a time in CO7. These are main differences from LR5. The selected file is on your working window and rest of folder files in your browser.

This causes a difficult consideration about to swap (from CO7 to LR5) or not.

B.r: Markku

[Ferdinand]

I don't see that this behaviour in CO7 is an issue.

My recollection is that there is a problem with drag and drop to LR.  If the files that you're dragging and dropping are new to the LR catalog that you have open then it works.  But if they're already in the catalog then it doesn't.  I've seen some fairly convoluted ways to get around it. 

I don't think that CO7 has this limitation, but you may be right about having to have it open first.  I don't really use its sessions, and I definitely don't use its catalogs.  Of course you have to use one or the other and so I have a single session that I use for everything, so that I can in effect ignore it and pretend that I'm just working with the file system.  So I open CO7 first and then drag and drop or send.

[Winfried]

There are two versions of Capture One: Express and Pro
I am not sure if the two versions behave equal.

I have installed Version 7.2 Express (just the cheap one  )
I am not able to drag-and-drop a file to the Capture One icon. Not from the Windows Explorer and not from IMatch.
This worked fine with Capture One Express 6.4.4
With Capture One 6.x I was able to work on the file structure, with Version 7.2 (at least Epress) I am forced to import the files before.

When Capture One 7.2 Express is allready started and one image is opened then I am able to drag a file to the main window of C1.
C1 starts the import dialog.
I normally use a different method to pass files to C1:
I created a directory C1_session under :c\temp or on another scratch disk.
Then I use the renamer to copy the files to this directory.
From this directory I do the import to C1 Express....

To be honest, I do not really like this change from C1 6.x to C1 7.x

Winfried

P.S.: to my opinion it is time to have a new section: Best practice
In this section we might document how IMatch is used with different programs.

[Mario]

P.S.: to my opinion it is time to have a new section: Best practice
In this section we might document how IMatch is used with different programs.

The Workflow, Tutorials, Tips & Tricks board has been created some time ago exactly for this purpose. Feel free to add a "How I use Capture One with IMatch" topic.