iMatch 2023.6.4 Crashes when attempting search across database

[dkorman]

Search is critical to how I use iMatch.

Yesterday,  I installed 2023.6.4 and have discovered that when I attempt to search for terms across the database, iMatch displays the (dreaded) message "IMatch has encountered a problem and needs to close." (with apologies). This happens repeatedly.

If I restart iMatch with the scope set to the entire database, and then click on the scope button, a message appears which opens and closes too fast for me to read. The scope is now set to the local folder. If I then click on the scope button for search the entire database, a beep occurs, the "bug" message is displayed, and iMatch closes. Unfortunately, the log file and crash dump is reported to be 352.81MB, and I don't have the ability to copy a file this large.

Note: this crashing behavior occurs on two different machines, one running Windows 10 Pro, the other Windows 11 Pro.

The log file (in debug mode) is attached (from the Win 11 machine).

Separately, and curiously, the log file reports many duplicate hotkeys.

Thanks,
David

[Mario]

See release note #02245 here: https://www.photools.com/release-notes/
Enable Experimental Features to work around this issue.

[dkorman]

Thanks, Mario.

"Bug fix" #02245 appears for "unreleased" version 2023.6.6, not in the Release Notes for 2023.6.4, so I would have no way of knowing about this issue (even if I read all the Release Note details, which I don't always - my experience has been that iMatch "just works", which is a great thing!).

Still, this seems a little strange to me, as it seems if one wants a crash-free iMatch experience, then "experimental" must be enabled (for example, your Release Notes for 2023.6.4 states that the Attributes Panel is susceptible to crashes without Experimental turned on (#02217)).  I don't think that it is a good idea to ship an iMatch version knowing that it will crash in its default configuration. If there are features that will knowingly crash using "old-style" UI and the "experimental" features will not, but the experimental features are turned off by default, then the user experience will likely be problematic. If there are "experimental" features which you know might be problematic, then you placing the community in a strange position.

As you write in the Help System:

"Experimental features may be incomplete, less-well tested, undocumented and should only be activated and used by experienced users who want to try out these features in order to help improving IMatch."

Thus, in order to use a fundamental feature of iMatch, SEARCH, I must become a beta-tester and open up my use of iMatch to unexpected behaviors. I am willing to help (at times), but not while I am doing "production work" when I rely on iMatch performing smoothly. Given that I am accustomed to the "old style" toolbars, the "new style" doesn't really add anything for me - they seem a little "cartoony" - but maybe that's where the software market is going.

Am I missing something here?

BTW, if anyone is looking for enabling the Experimental Feature, it's in Preferences->Application->Settings (near the bottom of the list).

As always, Mario, thank you for the quick response. Your support is world class and greatly appreciated. Sorry if my comments appear harsh - iMatch remains a fantastic creation.

[Mario]

"Bug fix" #02245 appears for "unreleased" version 2023.6.6, not in the Release Notes for 2023.6.4, so I would have no way of knowing about this issue (even if I read all the Release Note details, which I don't always - my experience has been that iMatch "just works", which is a great thing!).

The "unreleased" aka "upcoming" release notes track all changes/enhancements/new features for the next version. Plus, add bugs that have been reported and fixed for the upcoming release. With work-arounds, where possible. As in this case.

Still, this seems a little strange to me, as it seems if one wants a crash-free iMatch experience, then "experimental" must be enabled

As I recently noted, this particular problem was directly caused by my trying to run two separate tracks for the same route - the new ribbons and the old toolbars. It works fine when ribbons are enabled, but fails when the old toolbars are enabled.
So, the work-around for this sole bug is using the new ribbons, which will be standard in one of the next IMatch releases anyway.

Thus, in order to use a fundamental feature of iMatch, SEARCH, I must become a beta-tester

Yeah, well. The only "experimental" in experimental features are the new ribbons with the new icons.

[StanRohrer]

Appears to be fixed in 2023.6.6. Experimental set to "yes" or set to "no". Thanks!

[janb83]

Am I missing something here?

Yes, you are. You assume that this defect was known to Mario when releasing version 2023.6.4, as if he was delivering a broken non-experimental version on purpose. That's obviously nonsense, he did not know the version was broken until users reported it. Consequently, your whole complaint about being pushed to use the experimental version makes no sense.

[Mario]

It was just lucky that enabling the experimental features in this case served as neat and minimally invasive work-around for the crash. If a user does not want to enable experimental features, he is not forced to, of course.