media and folders view does not refresh properly

[kkiel]

Hi everybody,

I have the problem that seemingly out of the blue my IMatch version (5.6.14) does not refresh my tiff-images properly after I changed them in Photoshop: it doesn't refresh the thumbnails and it only sometimes refreshes metadata that I added in Photoshop. Nothing helps: Refreshing of the images or the folder, going to another view, opening the files/folders in some other software, repairing my IMatch installation, reboot, ...
Many of my image folders have the blue sign for changes now but IMatch won't display the new metadata or new thumbnails.
Other programs like the windows explorer, lightroom or faststone display the thumbs correctly. Lightroom has only been used to control the images after the problem occured.

What else can I try? I have the impression, that this may be some time stamp problem, for I had problems with IMatch finding files for importing (see https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=5348.0)

Thank you very much!

kkiel

[Mario]

Please show us a log file.
The log file will tell us if IMatch scans the folder, which files it finds out-of-date, if ExifTool is running, if there are problems reported, if PS has the files perhaps still locked etc.
Switch IMatch do debug logging (Help > Support) and then work as usual. When you notice the problem, copy the log file, ZIP it, and attach it to your reply.


I use IMatch with PS and LR and I know that it works great usually.

[kkiel]

Hi Mario,

here's the log file, thank you very much! I didn't have problems with working with both IMatch and Lightroom before either. The problem came up independently of lightroom.

Regards,

kkiel

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

In this log file, IMatch scans the folder N:\bilder\illustrationen\Holzstiche\... to check for changes.
No new file is found and all files test as current - which means that the 'last modified on disk' timestamp of the file matches the timestamp in the database.

What kind of drive is N? A NAS perhaps? With a SAMBA implementation?
There are sometimes issues with SAMBA not updating timestamps on changes, or delays the update, or returning cached information etc.

If N: is a NAS or another external drive, and you don't see the same problem with files stored on your local hard disk, the problem is most-likely some sort of caching issue in the file system...

Tip: The {File.Modified} variable (e.g. in the App Panel) shows you to last modified timestamp recorded by IMatch when it added/updated the file.

[kkiel]

Hi Mario,

you're right: N: is an external harddrive, whether with or without SAMBA I don't know. So when the time stamps on the harddrive aren't correct I won't be able to run robocopy correctly to save the files on another backup disk incrementally and retire the defect harddrive, I guess? Or is this a software problem? Just in case you know ...

Thank you very much,

kkiel

[ubacher]

When I have a problem with files not updating it gets fixed most of the time by just closing IM and restarting.

If that does not help then removing the file from the db and rescanning should help. You lose your (only in IM stored) metadata this way though.
(Note however that I use manual rescan)

[kkiel]

Hi ubacher,

thank you! But closing IMatch did not help (I tried it in all varieties, only didn't reinstall it yet). And I don't want my attributes, categories etc. becoming lost. Maybe I'll try duplicating the files and getting the IMatch special data onto the duplicated files somehow.

Regards,

kkiel

[Mario]

All information IMatch may have cached about file system objects is invalidated when you close the database. No need to remove files from a database or anything.


@ Robocopy: I don't know what you mean with your comment. I can only explain what's in the log file. IMatch uses the standard Windows function CompareFileTime to check if a file on disk has a timestamp other than the timestamp recorded in the database. If Windows returns a wrong timestamp for some reason, IMatch will not find out about new files. But I have never seen such a problem, and if this started 'suddenly' on your system, you should probably try to remember what has changed...new software installed...virus checker updated... etc.

@ubacher: If you experience this problem on your system, try find out the reason. For example, avoid using your scripts and see if this changes something. You seem to run many scripts in odd scenarios and who can tell which side-effects this is causing.

If IMatch tests a file and finds the timestamp unchanged (the Windows function CompareFileTime has determined that the modified on disk timestamp is identical to the timestamp recorded for the file in the database). IMatch writes 'File is Current' into the log file. And this is the case int he log file attached by the original poster.

I suggest he tries the same operation with some files on his C: disk to rule out issues caused by the external drive. If this is just an external drive and not a NAS box, it should work withou as much as a hint of a problem.

[Mario]

Hi ubacher,

thank you! But closing IMatch did not help (I tried it in all varieties, only didn't reinstall it yet). And I don't want my attributes, categories etc. becoming lost. Maybe I'll try duplicating the files and getting the IMatch special data onto the duplicated files somehow.

Regards,

kkiel

A 'Force Update' (Ctrl+Shift+F5) will ignore the file timestamp and reload the file unconditionally. Did you try that? If not, do it and attach the log file.

[kkiel]

Hi Mario,

here's the logfile! I tried the force update (via right click on the folder, cache, 'Aktualisieren' in my German version) again with no results.

kkiel

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

Hi Mario,

here's the logfile! I tried the force update (via right click on the folder, cache, 'Aktualisieren' in my German version) again with no results.

kkiel

"Cache aktualisieren" only checks for missing or outdated cache files (the IMatch image cache). It will not reload metadata or anything!


Either hold down <Ctrl> when using the "Rescan" menu command, or select the files in question in a file window and then press <Shift>+<Ctrl>+<F5> to open the Advanced Rescan options dialog. There, choose "force update".

[kkiel]

ok, I should get back to the Englisch interface.
Forced update on a folder or a file has not been successful either ...
I attach the logfile again.



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

This log file contains no entries about a folder scan.

Please do this:

Select some files which are 'wrong' in a file window.
Press <Shift>+<Ctrl>+<F5>
In the dialog, choose "Force Update"
Click OK
Let IMatch work.
When the forced update is finished, copy the log and attach.

[kkiel]

Hi Mario,

this is exactly what I did before. I did it some minutes before again, IMatch said f.e.: 'aktualisiere datengestützte Kategorien', but nothing happened.
When I loaded the image again into photoshop, changed sth., saved and refreshed it in IMatch same thing: Thumbnail was not updated.

I attach the logfile, it does not show that I forced the update at about 20:24 o'clock and refreshed at about 20:28.

Faststone though (as an example) did realize the change. So maybe it's not about the time stamp and the harddrive but something else?

Thanks again!

kkiel




[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

This log file contains no information about you adding files, updating files or rescanning a folder or files.
Please attach the log file from the session where you forced an update or one or more files.

[kkiel]

If the logfile logs anything I do it should have logged my actions at around 20:24. But seemingly it didn't.

I now added a new folder to IMatch: no reaction. When I add images to a new folder: no reaction. Refreshing thumbs: no reaction. Force update: no reaction. No traces in the logfile, though the copied logfile shows the correct time in windows explorer.
All the time IMatch seems to work properly: gives messages about adding, refreshing, forcing updates. (Same with importing data into attributes as in my question some days ago).
Enough space on the external harddisk as well as on the internal drive where the db is written.
I run database optimization and diagnosis several times a day, all seems fine.
No strange behaviour in any other part of the PC.
I tried a restore of the database two days ago with no more success.

So I'm stumped about the reason of this.

I'll copy all image files to another disk tomorrow but this will take days.

I'm thankful for any more suggestions!

kkiel

[loweskid]

I've found at times in the past, that un-installing then re-installing a program sometimes cures obscure problems.  I've never had to do this with IMatch though, but maybe it's worth a try?

[Mario]

If the logfile logs anything I do it should have logged my actions at around 20:24. But seemingly it didn't.

This is surely not the correct log file. The log file 'match_log20160314-4.zip" ends at 18:14:03, immediately after loading the database. No further operations have been recorded.
You need to copy the log file after you performed the operations which fail.

[kkiel]

Hi Mario,

I did copy the actual logfile. IMatch indeed didn't write my force update operations into.
I have been able to reproduce this, all steps:

Uninstall and reinstall of IMatch.
reboot
open IMatch, check logfile, last sentence: "03.16 07:37:26+    0 [0C78] 00  M>  <  1 [18813ms #sl] CIMatchApp::InitInstance"
Run force update on some files (press crtl while refreshing, 'press force' update). IMatch looks like performing the force update ('Lese Metadaten. Aktualisiere ...Kategorien'; Aufgaben abgearbeitet'. But no metadata or thumb update is done.
check logfile: only opening IMatch was recorded plus some information about seemingly wrong metadata, last sentence: some metadata (?!)

I attach the logfile again.

The quickview shows the updated version of only some of the images.

I indeed have wrong timestamps on those files IMatch won't force update (fresh images but dates 6 years ago?!). I don't know why those timestamps are wrong.

When I copy all files to a fresh harddisk and relocate the files in IMatch I fear that IMatch won't update them again or will it automatically, when I relocate? Or do I have to use some tool to manipulate the timestamp and hope that IMatch will update the files?
I think I can't simply incrementally backup because of the wrong timestamps.

Thanks for any help!

kkiel



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

No AddOrUpdate log entries in the log file. These are always written, unless logging is off.

Did you switch to debug logging as instructed (Help > Support > Debug Logging)?

Relocating a file will not cause a re-scan of the file. This would be very unwelcome, actually.

I don't know which timestamps you mean ('last modified' on disk)? This is the timestamp IMatch looks for when determining if a file is newer on disk than in the database.

Tip: Rewriting the files in IMatch will change the timestamp, so maybe change some metadata, write back, and see if this solves your rather unique problem.