Editing Batch Processor presets

[JasCarter]

I am having difficulty making changes to the batch processor presets. I started using the built in present 'For Email (1280, JPEG)', but in the 'Format and Size' category, the figure showing in 'Resize and Rotate' is 800 for the pixel dimensions of the long edge. I change it to 1280, go back to 'Presets>Manage' and choose 'Save current', but the value is back to 800 when I next use the preset. I've tried saving the settings as a new preset but the same thing happens.
Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

[Mario]

You cannot update the system-defined presets, you may not have the access privileges.
Besides, it you install an IMatch update, your changes will be wiped out when IMatch re-installs the system presets.

Just save your changed preset under a own name, e.g., "My Email Preset".

[JasCarter]

Hi Mario - thanks for the reply, but this problem persists. I created a new preset (Manage>New), set the parameters I want in the Format and Size>Resize dialogue, then saved it (Manage>Save Current). But when I look at the Format and Size option again, the resize value has defaulted back to 800 pixels. It also does this if I click on another parameter (e.g. Folder and Filename), then back to Format and Size.

The options I enter in the Filename and Folder boxes seem to work as I would expect: they stay the same from one use of the preset to the next.

[sinus]

James, here this works.

I choosed your choosen preset, changed the L to another value.
Then I went to Presets again, then the button "Manage".

In my case I choosed "Copy to" and then in the popping box I choosed another name.
After ok  - and again ok I stayed in the first choosen preset, but in the list is then my new name.

I go there, check the values and the changed values are there.

Are you sure, you stored it correct?

[Mario]

I tried it here and it works.
Did you load your new preset after saving it?

Any warnings or errors reported in the IMatch log file?
Open the log via Help  > Support > View...
Search for lines containing W> or E>.

[JasCarter]

I am still finding bizarre behaviour with the presets.

I'm not sure what Mario means by 'loading' the preset after making changes: the only option available is 'OK', which of course actually runs it. Interestingly, the 'Apply' button remains greyed out, no matter what changes I make to the settings in either the built in presets or ones I have created.

The issue remains with the Resize settings. The built in preset 'For Email (1280, JPEG)' shows '800' in the resize dimension box when I am using it, but when I run it, it resizes files to 1280 on the long edge. Presets I create where I try to enter '1500' as the resize value produce files of 800 pixels on the long edge, even if I enter 1500 in the box as the last step before running them. If I save them with the 'Save Current' command after entering 1500 in the box, 800 is in the box when I select that preset next time.

I have tried clearing the check box against 'Use cache image', in case things worked better with the original image, but the same thing happens.

The only W> references in the log file are for the destination folders of the exported files not being indexed, which is what I want: I don't want the export folders added to the database.

I am at a loss to understand this. I have the up to date version of iMatch, installed today, running under Windows 7.

[Mario]

In my edition of IMatch, the 1280 email preset resizes to 1280 pixel, not 800.
May the file system permissions on your system are messed up?
Which version of IMatch are you using?
Re-installing IMatch will also re-install all default presets.

[JasCarter]

Thank you for your perseverance with this.

I also run iMatch on a Windows 10 laptop, and when I tried the presents on this machine, they work as expected. So there must be something wrong with my desktop (both machines are running the latest version of iMatch).

A problem with file system permissions might well be the issue. Is there a file or folder I should check in connection with this?

[Mario]

IMatch stores presets in C:\ProgramData\photools.com\IMatch5\Presets by default.

Check if your user account has write access to this folder etc.

The file containing the Email 1280 preset is named "email (1280, JPEG).imbpp".

[JasCarter]

When I checked the folder, Administrators had full control; Users could not write to it. I run iMatch through an Administrator account, so that should have been OK, but I changed it so Users have full control too and restarted the computer. The 'Read only' box (on the Properties>General tab) is solid. I tried clearing it in case that had some influence, but it returns to solid after the restart.

Unfortunately, the problem is still there. When I create a new preset with a resize value of 1500 and saving the output to folder x, the end result is resized to the correct target folder but at 800px, not 1500. This happens whether I run the preset immediately after entering the 1500 value or after saving the prset. When I run the Batch Processor again, the value showing in the box has returned to 800, but the specification entered for folder x is retained.

I realise we are into territory that is more to do with Windows than iMatch, so I would quite understand if you said it's beyond your remit! I can always use the laptop (where the functions work fine) for my resizing jobs...

[Mario]

I wonder why it always reverts to 800 pixels...

Did you try to delete the *.imbpp in the folder and copy them over from your laptop?
Or did you reinstall IMatch already?

[JasCarter]

Yes, the reversion to 800 pixels is strange. It's particularly odd that the built in 'Email 1280' preset produces a file of 1280 pixels even though the box value shows 800.

I tried copying *.imbpp from the laptop to the desktop, then I uninstalled iMatch completely and reinstalled it. No luck, I'm afraid.

[Mario]

Switch IMatch to debug logging (Help > Support > ...) close / restart and do what you do to produce the problem.
Maybe IMatch logs something into the log file.
ZIP and attach to your reply.

Reset the logging back to default afterwards.

But this sounds like some sort of privilege issue. Or maybe something interferes with the Windows edit controls on your system. Never heard of that, though.

[JasCarter]

I attach the zip file. Before closing and re-opening iMatch I deleted all the presets I created, so we were starting with a clean slate.

The operations I then performed were
- Drag a file to the Batch Processor dialogue
- Create a new preset
- Set Folder and filename values
- Set Resize value to 1500
- Save Current
- Go back to Resize box. Value had returned to 800
- Set Resize value to 1500 again
- Click OK to run preset

The output file went to the designated folder but is 800. This is with the new version of iMatch, 5.7.6.

[Mario]

Unfortunately, not a hint in the log.

[JasCarter]

OK. Thank you so much for trying to sort this out. I will have to use the laptopm for more complex batch processing tasks.

If I upgrade my desktop to Windows 10 I think I will try a clean install (though the prospect of then re-installing all software is daunting) and hope that clears it up.

[Mario]

If I upgrade my desktop to Windows 10 I think I will try a clean install (though the prospect of then re-installing all software is daunting)

I maintain 3 Windows 10 installs for 'real use' (two PC, one tablet) and two Windows 7, one Windows 8 and two Windows 10 editions in virtual machines for deployment and testing...

[JasCarter]

My head hurts...

[hro]

Hi James,

I had similar problems on my W10 machine. I got write permission errors, etc. although I run IMatch with the administrator privileges. In some instances I couldn't even install IMatch as it wants to create a shortcut in c:\windows\Users\Public and it couldn't do it as I didn't appear (or lost) write permissions to this folder, although I ran as Administrator.

Somehow my permissions got corrupted.
I found a solution to this in that you need to reset these public and user folders to the Windows default permissions.
There is a command for this and I can let you know how to run it and what to do. It's a bit elaborate, so I don't want to write it all up here if you don't need it. There was also no need to re-install Windows.

[JasCarter]

Thanks hro - we can continue via pm.

[AnaDia]

Hi James,

if you don't find permission problems, than you can try to reset your IMatch settings database.
During the beta test of IMatch5 I had a wired problem with the batch processor, which seems to be comparable to your problem.
When I renamed the settings database so that IMatch5 creates a new one, the problem was gone and never came back. The batch processor works like a charme since then. Maybe you like to give it a try. But be aware, that you lost some settings, which you have to recreate after the "reset".
Or maybe you can try to copy your settings database from your laptop to your desktop. But save your current settings database before you overwrite it.

Good luck!

[JasCarter]

Thanks AnaDia - that sounds worth a try. Is the file you mean the one specified in Edit>Preferences>Application tab>Settings group? On my set up this is C:\ProgramData\photools.com\IMatch5\config\imatch5.pts. If this is renamed, for example to imatch5.old, does iMatch automatically generate a new file?

[Mario]

Yes. When you rename it (while IMatch is closed) IMatch creates  a new settings database with all default values.
If this does not solve your problem, just close IMatch, delete the .pts database IMatch has created and rename your backup back.

[AnaDia]

Thank you Mario for answering. I was two slow, because I'm in the office.

[hro]

Hi James,
I sent you a PM on this. However I post my response here as well. Maybe other can benefit.

The following assumes some 'advanced' knowledge of Windows administration, i.e.you need to unhide system folders if you don't already see them.
In my case the folders that had corrupted permission settings were
- c:\Users\Public   (the folder Windows uses for storing items accessible by all users)
- c:\ProgramData   (the folder many programs and Windows write data into)

Windows 10 (and earlier versions) include a program "icacls.exe" that allows you to reset file permissions to default settings on selected folders.

In order to do this you need to run a command shell (cmd.exe) with administrator privileges. You can open a shell by
- Opening Task Manager
- In the Task Manager Menu click >File >Run a new task
- Enter cmd.exe as the command to run
- Check the box 'Create this task with Administrator privileges'
- You should now have a command window open with administrator privileges

Now enter the command
icacls.exe <the directory you want to reset> /T /C

This will reset the file and directory permissions of this directory and everything underneath it.
Example: icacls.exe c:\users\public\* /T /C

That's really it. After I did this my file permissions worked again and I had no longer Windows permission errors.

For your reference, here is a link to the Microsoft command explanation: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/919240

Hartmut

[JasCarter]

Thank you to Ana Dia for the suggestion about replacing imatch5.pts and/or letting iMatch generate a new one.

I renamed the file imatch5.old and tried copying the file from my laptop but the problem was the same. I then deleted the pts file and, after a computer restart, started iMatch and let it generate a new one. No luck I'm afraid: the resize setings box won't retain any value other than 800. The built in preset 'Email 1280' also displays this value (for the long edge, 600 for the short edge), but it does generate files measuring 1280.

I will try Hartmut's suggestion for resetting folder permissions and report back.

A big thank you to everyone who's taking an interest in this, and best wishes for Christmas even if we can't get it cracked