Converting Databases prior .imd4(?)

[anmue]

Hi,

I have to look into an old backup of my Imatch 3 database. The IM5 converter denies this database. The error message is

Error: Failed to open source database: [21] ''file is encrypted or is not a database' [21]'. See the application log file for additional information.

I'm not quite sure if it is possible to convert databases, that were backuped using Imatch or if there was another database file format before .imd4 and the converter can't handle it.

A directory listing of the files that I wanted to look in reads as follows:


16.04.2009  19:18               333 CD-Archiv.dwd
16.04.2009  19:18        11.203.086 CD-Archiv.imc
16.04.2009  19:18        60.798.496 CD-Archiv.imd
16.04.2009  19:18             5.840 CD-Archiv.iml
16.04.2009  19:18            58.868 CD-Archiv.imlt
16.04.2009  19:18           442.113 CD-Archiv.imp
16.04.2009  19:18        86.056.520 CD-Archiv.imt
16.04.2009  19:18           100.062 CD-Archiv.imw
16.04.2009  19:18             1.586 CD-Archiv.oci1
16.04.2009  19:18               500 CD-Archiv.wsa


I pointed the converter to the file: CD-Archiv.imd

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Regards

Andreas.

[Lord_Helmchen]

This looks like a pretty old DB. If I remember correct, there was a converter in IM 3.6 to convert this very old DB into IM 3.6 format.

Not sure, if there are still "30 day test versions" of IM 3.6 available.

Then you could migrate that DB again to IM 5 format.

[Mario]

The easiest way to convert from a legacy version of IMatch to IMatch 5:

1. Export categories from your IMatch 3.4 version.
2. Export properties (if you have used them).
3. Create a new IMatch 5 database and add the same files. IMatch 5 automatically picks up the metadata from the image files.
4. Import categories (and optionally properties).

[anmue]

Hi,

thanks for your replies. I have also installed IMatch 3.6.0.118, but I can't open this old database with it. Can you tell me, which IMatch version contains the converter for my legacy database? As I have archived my older versions of the application, I will install one of these older versions to open the old database. I probably will not need to convert it to IMatch 5, because I only need to check some informations in the database backup.

Thanks in advance.

Andreas.

[ColinIM]

Hello anmue,

Others are welcome to make corrections here of course, but my records show that I did the following on my old computer:

On 10th January 2009 I installed IMatch Version 3.6.0.76.  (My notes don't say on which date this version was released.)

Then ...

On 19th May 2009, IMatch Version 3.6.0.82 was released.  (I installed this version two days later.)

So I'll guess that - IF you kept your IMatch versions in step with their release dates, your backup databases might possibly open successfully in IMatch Version 3.6.0.76.

Best of luck.
Colin P.

[Mario]

These databases look to be 10 years old (!) or so.
IMatch 3.6 contains a database converter (Tools menu when I remember correctly, or in the IMatch program group in the START menu) which can convert IMatch 3.5 databases. There is no converter for IMatch 3.2, 3.3. or 3.4 databases. I only provide converters for the last generation. Users with a license can still download IMatch 3.6. IMatch 3.5 or IMatch 3.4 are no longer available for download. IMatch 3.4 was replaced in 2006 (!) by IMatch 3.5.

[anmue]

Hi,

Thank you for your advises. Now I found the DB converter under the Tools menu in IM 3.6 and I was able to convert and open the old database. So in the end it was rather easy to find the information I wanted to know.

Regards

Andreas.