Noob question on concurrent tag editing

[tij]

first post to forum ... looking at getting proper DAM to manage my family photoes and home videos ... something to allow whole family to help tag photoes ... search forum but could not get definite answer

1. can multiple users edit tags at the same time (for different images ofcourse)?
2. can IMatch Anywhere users edit tags at same time?

[Mario]

Hi,

welcome to the community.

1. Multiple users can open an IMatch database at the same time, but only in read-only mode. No editing.
See Sharing Databases in the IMatch Help System Index for full details.

2. No. The current version of IMatch Anywhere WebViewer allows concurrent users to browse IMatch databases, view images, search and filter. No editing.
Support for remote editing for concurrent users is planned for IMatch Anywhere 2018.

See these community threads for more information about how I plan to make this work, the File Lens feature in IMatch Anywhere WebViewer 2018 etc.:

https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=7153.0
https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=7273.0
https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=7218.0
https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=7205.0

[tij]

Thanx for quick response ... so I understand correctly that IMatch Anywhere will allow concurrent editing of tags (eg me and my wife working together at the same time tagging different images)?

Dumb question ... but just to be sure ... 2018 will be able to import 2017 DB?

[Mario]

IMatch 2018 will be able to use IMatch 2017 databases of course.


The feature set for IMatch 2018 is yet undetermined. Also how concurrent editing will be implemented or in which version of IMatch Anywhere. Please understand that it is too early to commit myself to anything. Sometimes things don't work out, or are too complicated to implement. As you might be aware, concurrent editing and the resulting locking requirements, potential concurrency issues (one user removes a keyword and this causes the category you are working on to vanish from the database!) are technically challenging. There is a reason why concurrnet-user DAMS usually costs thousands of US$ per year to rent (Canto, FotoWare, AssetBank, Extensis, Widen, ...)

[tij]

Totally understand complexity of concurrent changes to database while maintaining its integrity.

But even something simple (not so elegant way) is better than nothing, eg

1. Existing mode ... admin user opens DB in write ... rest in read only (admin changes DB structure)
2. Tag editing mode ... all open in read mode ... and request write mode when changing value of tags (DB structure change not allowed) ... if someone already writing tag values ... reject request

This is by no means elegant ... eg you updated tags only to be overwritten by someone working on same file ... but still it's better than nothing

[Mario]

It's more complicated than that.

Changing one keyword for one file may also cause changes many other files (versioning with metadata propagation). It will cause updates to @Keywords and all other data-driven categories which use the keyword tag. And this can again cause changes in other categories which refer to these categories per Alias or formula. Changes done to any of these things may trigger apps which then change other data, even add or remove files from the database. And that's just the tip of the iceberg...

[tij]

How then changes are handle now? If one guy opens DB in writing mode ... rest in read only mode. How changed to DB are propogated to read only users now?

[Mario]

If one user opens the DB in writable mode, no other users can open it.

[tij]

Ahhhhh ... I see now ... thx for clarifying that

[Mario]

Excellent.

This operation mode is in place in IMatch for 10 years, and works surprisingly well in 60% to 80% of all use cases.
Supporting concurrent writable access from IMatch WebViewer is hence a challenge. Doable, but carefully.

[tij]

Good luck with that ... very tough challenge

Personally just editing tag value is enough for me ... tag structure can be edited in exclusive write mode, no problem (this is domain of administrators and team leader anyway) ... team member just add/remove files and tag according to structure defined by team leader