How to move imatch5 Settings to a different User?

[ulim]

Hello,

I've read the help topic and various threads here about copying the imatch.pts file to another computer and gathered as much as that the user must be the same on both machines. But I have a situation where the user is not the same. How can I go about moving the settings?

I did already try to copy database and imatch.pts file and the other folders mentioned in the help topic, but when I start iMatch 5 then those settings aren't read. In fact iMatch behaves like it was started for the first time, i. e. asks me for user interface language and has all the startup messages etc.

This is a one-time only transferral from an old (Vista) to a new (Windows 10) computer, so could I conceivably change the user name on the old computer to that of the new computer? If yes, how is that done?

I've downloaded the newest version of iMatch 5.4 for the new computer. It is possible that on the old computer an older version of iMatch 5.4 is installed. But I am under the impression that OLD => NEW poses no problem?

Many thanks in advance,

Ulrich

[Mario]

Per-user settings are linked to the user name. There is no tool to transfer settings from one user to another user for a good reason: Privacy.
User settings data may contain passwords or other security-critical or private information.

[ulim]

Ok, seems sensible, but how can I solve my problem?

How does iMatch know User A on Computer X is the same as User B on computer Y? Does it use Active Directory identities or can it use an LDAP server? Or is there some public key infrastructure in place? Whatever iMatch does to compare those identities can surely be replicated by me? Is it perhaps enough to just change the account name on the old computer to match the name on the new computer?

My goal is just that the UI looks the same, i. e. the same panels and window layout and the same preference settings. There are no privacy issues here, because both computers belong to the same person, who simply changed legal name.

Ulrich

[Mario]

IMatch just looks at the name of the current user (your login).

[ulim]

So what happens if I rename an account? Will iMatch still use the same settings file or start a new one?

Ulrich

[Mario]

If the user name is the same (not case-sensitive), your settings will be available.
If you log in as "ulim" on both computers, you have access to the "ulim" user data in IMatch on both computers.

[ulim]

Ok, I got it, thanks. But I think you were a little too optimistic claiming this as a privacy feature

I just played around a bit with the imatch5.pts file and found out it is an SQLite database that can easily be opened by the Firefox add-on SQLite-Manager. All the settings are clearly visible and can easily be changed. So I just changed the username and that did the trick. Now all my settings are on the new computer under the new user name.

I believe now my last question can be answered as "iMatch just adds the new settings to the old settings file under the new username". Thus a settings file

a) stops working if you rename the user account
b) can potentially contain the settings of many users, even if they do not exist on the local machine/network.

Maybe it's not such a good idea to claim this as a security feature, as it will need a lot more hardening to be effective. If it's a convenience feature (and I personally think it should be), then it would profit from a bit more usability, such as an "export/import settings" command.

Ulrich

[Mario]

Geez. This is no high security database. I don't store your credit card details inside the PTS file.
I did not encrypt data in the PTS file or used other obfuscating technologies. This makes it possible to repair a damaged PTS file, just in case.

I do neither encourage nor support users who manually change settings in an IMatch PTS database. Some of the data stored inside the IMatch database itself in binary form references information in the PTS file. IMatch also stores data in the per-user Windows documents folder, which does not move when you change the user name in the PTS file. This includes the per-user settings of IMatch, annotations, scripts, presets and the like. There may be links to that folder in the PTS file as well.

I don't test scenarios where users use an external tool to manually modify the PTS file. This may introduce problems which show up now or later. Please keep that in mind when you encounter problems in IMatch. And remember to tell me that you manually modified the PTS database in an SQLLite editor when you report bugs.

I believe now my last question can be answered as "iMatch just adds the new settings to the old settings file under the new username". Thus a settings file

Well, that's the idea, isn't it?
You can move all settings for all your user accounts between machines. At least if you follow the instructions in the help and use the same user name on all computers.

The IMatch database is also a SQLIte database. Please restrain yourself from digging in that too and making changes. This will surely introduce problems.

[meyersoft]

Ulrich, just as a note: there is an existing feature request to transfer settings from user to user:
https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=2223.msg14397#msg14397

[ulim]

Mario,

if I may quote you:

User settings data may contain passwords or other security-critical or private information.

You brought that up, not me. I am merely pointing out that if you indeed care about privacy and security, then you are falling way short of the mark. It is your prerogative to use security as a reason for not implementing a feature, but then be prepared to be called on it.

Frankly, I think that security is a decoy in this discussion. I do understand that things may be hard to change or other issues have priority. But it is a pretty normal situation that names change - people marry, for example

I'll put a suggestion on how to make users happy without touching the user name in the feature request thread.

Ulrich

[Mario]

I'll put a suggestion on how to make users happy without touching the user name in the feature request thread.

I really like to make my users happy. But not at any price.

Windows separates settings per user name. This includes the registry (where IMatch stores some settings), the per-user document folder (where IMatch stores per user presets, annotation objects etc.) and also some other per-user system-wide settings.

The global IMatch settings database has one purpose: To allow a user to migrate all his settings to another machine easily. Assuming that he uses the same user name on both machines, the document folder, Windows registry etc. will be available. And also his IMatch setting, thanks to IMatch's unique settings database approach.

I have never intended to add a feature "copy settings from John to Hanna". Because this would not only involve copying the settings in the settings database (which may also cause privacy issues now or in a future version of IMatch) but also the contents of the user's document folder, his registry hive (the IMatch part of it) and so on.
Furthermore, John and Hanna may use different monitor layouts, screen sizes, font size settings and other issues which would collide with the data stored in the IMatch settings database...

A lot of work for the maybe 2 - 5 requests I've got for that in the past two years. The feature request mentioned above has only 2 Likes.

I also doubt that many users would dare to fiddle with external SQL editors in critical IMatch database structures. I may add something in a future IMatch version to prevent that. To protect users from themselves and to prevent potential issues and problems caused by a users changing only the settings database but not the IMatch database as well.

[DigPeter]

A lot of work for the maybe 2 - 5 requests I've got for that in the past two years. The feature request mentioned above has only 2 Likes.

There are 5 or 6 people supporting the feature.  Unfortunately they have not all clicked "like".

[Mario]

I usually only look at the Likes. I don't open every feature request and read every post to see if a user has voiced agreement or maybe included a text like +1 or -1 in a reply. If users use the Like button we all can see in the FR board overview which requests have some backing, and which don't. This makes it easier to archive "one user only" requests and to prioritize.