Workflow with DxO

[jch2103]

This is an abbreviated description of my workflow for using IMatch 5 and DxO (9 and later) http://www.dxo.com/.

• Copy images from SD card to IMatch Import folder. I use a USB 3 card reader, as that's faster and usually more convenient than connecting the camera directly. Currently, I manually select the images to copy, usually based on date, and control-drag-and-drop to copy them into the Import folder. If I were a professional with higher volume, I'd probably be using a downloader program.
• Add metadata and rating. In IMatch, I add appropriate metadata to the images, first metadata common to all the images, then image-specific items (e.g., Description). I use a custom metadata template based on the Default template that ships with IMatch. For some images, I use an attached GPS unit but for others I don't want that much geographic specificity. I used to use Geosetter for adding location data, but I think IMatch can handle all that now. (I do need to explore using Metadata Templates to streamline adding/editing metadata.) After that, I review the images in the Viewer, assigning XMP Ratings using the number keys and arrow keys to identify raw files for DxO processing.
• Move images from Import folder to IMatch destination. I currently have a folder structure largely based on camera model and then date (Year_MonthDay, e.g., 2014_0619). I create the new folder (currently manually) then drag the images from the Import folder to the destination folder.
• Drag and drop selected images to DxO. In IMatch, I use the Rating Filter to select the images I want to process with DxO. I've set up Favorites/Applications to include DxO, so I just drag the selected files to the DxO icon.
• Process RAW files in DxO. DxO opens with the selected files highlighted in its Filmstrip. Currently, I mark all selected files as 'Always Process' to distinguish between selected and not-selected images. I then make adjustments to the images and process them. DxO is very well suited for efficient processing of even large numbers of images, but details are outside the scope of this write-up. After I've made all adjustments, I start DxO processing the images.
• Buddy Files and Versioning. I use the Metadata and Metadata 2 defaults, so my metadata edits in IMatch to my NEF files are stored in XMP sidecar files, which DxO does not disturb in any way. DxO stores its configuration/processing data in .NEF.dop text files. DxO allows the user to choose how output files should be named; I've chosen the defaut of [filename]_DxO.[ext]. My buddy file and NEF Versioning definitions are:

Code Select Expand


Buddy:
File name
\.(nef)$
^_*//
^(_*{name})[+\-_]*[0-9|a-z]*\.(nks|jpg|jpeg|dng|tif|nef.dxo|nef.bib|nef.dop)$

Versioning:
File Name
\.(nef|nrw)$
^_*//
^(_*{name})[+\-_]*[0-9|a-z]*([_|0-9|a-z])*\.(jpg|jpeg|psd|tif|tiff|dng)$


• Stacking. I'm still experimenting with (Auto) Stacking. The jury is still out on whether I'll continue doing this, or just leave files unstacked. Because I only use DxO for raw processing, I can easily identify which files have been processed (i.e., master files with versions).
• Tagging output files. I've begun adding keywords to output files, based on their destination (e.g., Smugmug, Enlargement, etc.). Again, still working on how best to do this.

Bottom line: DxO integrates very well with IMatch. (Although DxO has a very limited catalog function, it seems to be there mostly for folks who don't have anything better to use.) In general, DxO has focused on its core competency of raw image processing. So IMatch is an excellent fit.



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[Erik]

Thanks.  I need to learn some brevity.

Your concise review is nice.  I have to say whatever others post might sway me to investigate some other RAW software, too. 

[lnh]

I'm also using DxO Optics Pro and do pretty much what you're doing.

My only addition is that I've edited the various RAW buddy file specifications to also make the DxO buddy file integrated with imatch.  Also created buddy file relations for jpg and tiff files which were not derived from RAW, but still processed in DxO. These create filename.(jpg|tif).dop sidecar files.

[jch2103]

My only addition is that I've edited the various RAW buddy file specifications to also make the DxO buddy file integrated with imatch.  Also created buddy file relations for jpg and tiff files which were not derived from RAW, but still processed in DxO. These create filename.(jpg|tif).dop sidecar files.

Thanks; good points.

Could you post the buddy file and relations definitions you use? This might help new users, who may have difficulties working with the regular expressions required for buddy file and relations configuration.

[lnh]

I was having issues between IMatch 5 and DxO Optics Pro 9.5.1. Exporting to virtually any format would fail in DxO Optics Pro without a useful error message. Various testing uncovered the problem. You must go into the general preferences in DxO and make sure the option "Preserve metadata in XMP sidecars for RAW images" is UNCHECKED. If left checked, the exports would fail whether IMatch was open or not. Seems like DxO Optics Pro doesn't play nice with IMatch XMP sidecars.

[jch2103]

Thanks for investigating this problem. It's something new, and I've reported it to DxO. I suspect but can't prove that it has something to do with a recent ExifTool update. Before about two weeks ago, there was no problem with using the default option of preserving metadata in XMP sidecars.

[lenmerkel]

You might be interested in this post over on the DxO forums: http://forum.dxo.com/index.php/topic,9232.0.html 

[sinus]

• Stacking. I'm still experimenting with (Auto) Stacking. The jury is still out on whether I'll continue doing this, or just leave files unstacked. Because I only use DxO for raw processing, I can easily identify which files have been processed (i.e., master files with versions).

Stacking is a very good way to unclutter your window

Auto-stacking works for me very good (I use a xmp-field for this), though I do not work still "in real" with my IM5-db.

[jch2103]

You might be interested in this post over on the DxO forums: http://forum.dxo.com/index.php/topic,9232.0.html 

Excellent suggestion. I've also suggested that DxO use standard xml Ratings.

[jch2103]

You might be interested in this post over on the DxO forums: http://forum.dxo.com/index.php/topic,9232.0.html 

My current workaround for the issue is to select in IMatch the images I want to process in DxO and then drag-and-drop them onto my DxO Favorite. Once DxO is open, all my selected files are highlighted in the DxO filmstrip; to keep the selection for further individual image work, I hit the 'always process' icon for the selected files. That way, I know which of the images I want to process in DxO.

[lenmerkel]

Makes sense, and very similary to what I do. In IMatch, I have a 'DxO Projects' main category, with subcategories for each DxO project (and images assigned to those categories of course). I drag and drop to DxO the same way you do, selecting the images in the specific subcategory. I'd like to automate that a bit - hence my post over on the DOP forums. BTW, thanks for your +1 

[Lord_Helmchen]

Excellent suggestion. I've also suggested that DxO use standard xml Ratings.

I asked DXO support twice (about 1,5y ago and in June) about support of XMP rating or about having this on the road map: bot times they said something like: "no we don't do this and we don't plan to do this in near future".

So I told then, that I won't buy it, as it's not compatible with my workflow... I'd prefer it over LR, as I don't like the DB approach for a raw converter...

So if DXO will ever support XMP ratings I do really consider switching from LR.

[lenmerkel]

So if DXO will ever support XMP ratings I do really consider switching from LR.

Personally, I don't miss the XMP ratings as I'd probably never use them in DxO - to me it's just a raw converter (although an excellent one, and a critical part of my workflow). But, I do understand that others want to use them there. Oddly, DxO doesn't even acknowledge the standard XMP rating even if it's embedded in the image file, let alone in an XMP sidecar. I just tested this by rating a DNG in IMatch, writing the value to the DNG, and opening the DNG in DOP. So much for standards . . . . .

[David_H]

Excellent suggestion. I've also suggested that DxO use standard xml Ratings.

I asked DXO support twice (about 1,5y ago and in June) about support of XMP rating or about having this on the road map: bot times they said something like: "no we don't do this and we don't plan to do this in near future".

So I told then, that I won't buy it, as it's not compatible with my workflow... I'd prefer it over LR, as I don't like the DB approach for a raw converter...

So if DXO will ever support XMP ratings I do really consider switching from LR.

As a DxO user myself, I think I can see the problem - if the rating used is that of the image from XMP, where do they store that of any virtual copies that might be made? It can't go in the output (because you might not have done the export), and you can't put two or more ratings into one master. You might also have different projects in DxO with the same file and different processing options, they too might have different ratings.

[jch2103]

Perhaps Ratings could go in the .dop file... After all, .dop files currently record settings for different DxO versions.

Personally, though, all I'd like is for DxO to be able to read the Rating in the raw file. It's less important to me if the xmp Rating is propagated (or not) to output files.

[lenmerkel]

Perhaps Ratings could go in the .dop file... After all, .dop files currently record settings for different DxO versions.

Actually, rankings set in DOP are written to the DOP file, per virtual version.

However, I don't think that DOP's rankings have anything whatsoever to do with XMP ratings - at least they haven't implemented it this way. They are totally internal to DOP.

• In Imatch, I give a raw (DNG) file a 1-star rating, then write to the DNG. Its XMP rating gets set correctly, as expected.
• In DOP, I open the DNG. No ranking is displayed, as discussed above.
• In DOP, I create 2 virtual versions, totalling 3 versions. I make changes to each version, to visually separate them.
• In DOP, I then set these 3 images' rankings to 3, 4, and 5 - to distinguish them from the 1-star rating I gave the originals in IMatch.
• In DOP, I output a JPG derivative for each of the 3 virtual versions. Each JPG gets a 1-star XMP rating, as in the original DNG - it is passed through by DOP. All of the XMP rating tags are those originally set by IMatch. The DOP rankings don't get written to the JPGs in any way (they do get written to the DOP sidecar).
• In IMatch, the 3 JPG derivatives are imported automatically. They each show the 1-star rating from the DNG original.

I don't think DxO associates their DOP ranking with the XMP rating. Their ranking appears to be for use in DOP only. A little bizarre IMHO. I think I'll take this up as a new thread over on the DxO forum.