Ingest loading unwanted additional images.

[Drew Smith]

Hi guys - I'm currently using a trial version of PM and I'm having a problem with Ingest; basically when I Ingest a folder from my desktop PM also loads in images from other folders!

I've tried closing PM down, setting up a new folder with just 5 images in it and then reopening PM and ingesting this folder (no other folder is listed in PM) but the same thing happens - the five images plus additional unwanted images. Interestingly if I then delete this folder from PM and ingest it again as well as the unwanted images I get the 5 images in the desktop folder duplicated again.

I'm a PM rookie - I've searched this forum, run the PM tutorials, Googled the problem and looked on Youtube but can't find anything helpful - so I'm presuming it's something I've got checked in PM or something I'm not understanding.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks.

[Kirk Baker]

Hi guys - I'm currently using a trial version of PM and I'm having a problem with Ingest; basically when I Ingest a folder from my desktop PM also loads in images from other folders!

I've tried closing PM down, setting up a new folder with just 5 images in it and then reopening PM and ingesting this folder (no other folder is listed in PM) but the same thing happens - the five images plus additional unwanted images. Interestingly if I then delete this folder from PM and ingest it again as well as the unwanted images I get the 5 images in the desktop folder duplicated again.

I'm a PM rookie - I've searched this forum, run the PM tutorials, Googled the problem and looked on Youtube but can't find anything helpful - so I'm presuming it's something I've got checked in PM or something I'm not understanding.

Please post a screenshot of your Ingest settings.  Use the 'Attachments and other options' link when you're composing your reply to this message and there you'll be able to upload your JPEG format screenshot.

Thanks,

-Kirk

[Drew Smith]

Thanks Kirk

Screenshot attached.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Kirk Baker]

Drew,

Thanks Kirk

Screenshot attached.

Does the ingest_test folder have any other folders inside it?  Ingest copies recursively deeper.  It should never access folders above or siblings to your ingest_test folder.

-Kirk

[Drew Smith]

Kirk,

No.

If you read my original post you'll see I state that I created a new folder in isolation on my desktop.

This is what's baffling me. I'm only asking it to Ingest one folder with 5 images in it. And it's drawing images from a completely different unconnectwed source.

Thoughts?

[Kirk Baker]

Drew,

If you read my original post you'll see I state that I created a new folder in isolation on my desktop.

This is what's baffling me. I'm only asking it to Ingest one folder with 5 images in it. And it's drawing images from a completely different unconnectwed source.

Can you show me the other folders that Ingest is copying images from and what relation they have to your chosen folder?  It should only copy from the folder(s) you add to the list and any sub-folders they contain.

And can you describe what you mean by a "completely different unconnected source"?

Thanks,

-Kirk

[Drew Smith]

Thanks Kirk for your reply.

Okay - I've closed PM. Then created a brand new folder called Ingest Test 2 on my desktop. I've then Ingested (using ctrl G) the folder. My selected images are imported. Great, no problem.

If I then delete this Ingest from PM (clicking the x close option at top of pane) and then ingest the folder again I get the folder contents plus a duplicate set of the images.

Am I incorrectly flushing PM when I no longer want the images?

If I then clear PM and Ingest another folder on my desktop called Ingest Test 1 I get the content of that folder AND the images from Ingest Test 2 folder previously mentioned.

Then I quit PM completely. Reopened it and selected Test 1 again and it loads those images AND all the images from previous test indicated above!

If a folder is showing in the ADD REMOVE directory pane then I'm sure to REMOVE any folders before Ingesting, but it doesn't make any difference.

So, to recap; Ingest Test 1 and 2 folders are completely separate on my desktop. But PM is loading both when I access just one.

[Kirk Baker]

Drew,

Okay - I've closed PM. Then created a brand new folder called Ingest Test 2 on my desktop. I've then Ingested (using ctrl G) the folder. My selected images are imported. Great, no problem.

If I then delete this Ingest from PM (clicking the x close option at top of pane) and then ingest the folder again I get the folder contents plus a duplicate set of the images.

Am I incorrectly flushing PM when I no longer want the images?

Clicking the close box on a tab (or window) simply closes the Contact Sheet.  Your images still exist on your hard drive and PM can view them again.  There is no need to 'flush' PM.  PM does not need to copy images in order to work with them.

If I then clear PM and Ingest another folder on my desktop called Ingest Test 1 I get the content of that folder AND the images from Ingest Test 2 folder previously mentioned.

Then I quit PM completely. Reopened it and selected Test 1 again and it loads those images AND all the images from previous test indicated above!

If a folder is showing in the ADD REMOVE directory pane then I'm sure to REMOVE any folders before Ingesting, but it doesn't make any difference.

So, to recap; Ingest Test 1 and 2 folders are completely separate on my desktop. But PM is loading both when I access just one.

I think I understand now.  Ingest is simply a fancy copy program.  Each time you tell it to ingest, it copies files from the source folder(s) to the destination folder.  If you repeat the procedure, you're definitely going to get duplicates.

If the images already exist on your hard drive, and you're happy with where they're located, you don't need to ingest them at all.  Simply browse them with Photo Mechanic.  You don't have to copy them to work with them.  Ingest is used primarily for getting images off of a camera card and onto your computer.  Ingest from folders is used far less often in most workflows but comes in handy when you have a source drive that you wish to duplicate and perform other operations that Ingest is good at doing (applying IPTC Stationery Pad, renaming, creating specific folder structures, etc.)

So browse your images from where they're located on your computer.  You can drag and drop folders from Windows Explorer, use the Navigator from within PM, the Favorites (once you add some favorite folders there) and the Open command on the File menu.  No need to Copy/Ingest.

HTH,

-Kirk