Ingest dialog locks

[big0mike]

The laptop in question is a Macbook Pro, running Sierra and the current version of PhotoMechanic but this issue also regularly occurred on the previous Macbook running a previous OS. I'm a transmitter for the NBA and this laptop is not mine so I don't have access to it but every couple days. I use a Lexar Professional Workflow tower with four card readers plugged in, 3 CF, 1 SD.

The issue occurs when I have one or more cards downloading.  I insert one or more cards to download to a different directory while the original card(s) are still downloading. I hit the Primary Destination button and choose a new directory. If I hit the OPEN button to choose the directory to download to at about the same exact time the original card(s) are finished ingesting the new ingest dialog freezes.

I realized this because in PM5 I keep the Tasks sidebar open so I can see the progress of the ingest tasks. I can see when one is almost finished and hear it beep as it does. Then the new ingest dialog freezes and the whole program becomes unresponsive. I can see no other dialog boxes open and I have to Force Quit it and relaunch.

I have not specifically tried to reproduce this but given the above circumstances are common every time it freezes I'm guessing I could if I wanted to.

It's not the end of the world and can be avoided by paying attention to the current ingest progress but it is quite annoying when it happens.

Thoughts?

Mike

[Kirk Baker]

Mike,

The laptop in question is a Macbook Pro, running Sierra and the current version of PhotoMechanic but this issue also regularly occurred on the previous Macbook running a previous OS. I'm a transmitter for the NBA and this laptop is not mine so I don't have access to it but every couple days. I use a Lexar Professional Workflow tower with four card readers plugged in, 3 CF, 1 SD.

The issue occurs when I have one or more cards downloading.  I insert one or more cards to download to a different directory while the original card(s) are still downloading. I hit the Primary Destination button and choose a new directory. If I hit the OPEN button to choose the directory to download to at about the same exact time the original card(s) are finished ingesting the new ingest dialog freezes.

I realized this because in PM5 I keep the Tasks sidebar open so I can see the progress of the ingest tasks. I can see when one is almost finished and hear it beep as it does. Then the new ingest dialog freezes and the whole program becomes unresponsive. I can see no other dialog boxes open and I have to Force Quit it and relaunch.

Freezes as in you get a 'spinning beachball cursor', or just that you cannot click on other buttons in the Ingest dialog?

-Kirk

[big0mike]

No beach ball. I just can't click on any buttons or menu items within PhotoMechanic or the ingest dialog. The laptop continues to run other open programs just fine and PM runs fine again once restarted.

[Kirk Baker]

No beach ball. I just can't click on any buttons or menu items within PhotoMechanic or the ingest dialog. The laptop continues to run other open programs just fine and PM runs fine again once restarted.

No audible beep sound?  Pressing escape doesn't leave the Ingest dialog either?

This may be a solution for you: It is unusual to need to pick a primary destination for each Ingest operation.  Instead think of the Primary and Secondary destination as 'root' folders and use the folder naming feature in Ingest (either by using variables or by typing in a new ingest subfolder).  You won't need to pick a different folder with the "Open dialog" anymore.

The folder naming feature is quite powerful via variables alone and when used in conjunction with Code Replacement can do just about any kind of folder naming you can imagine.

HTH,

-Kirk

[big0mike]

No beach ball. I just can't click on any buttons or menu items within PhotoMechanic or the ingest dialog. The laptop continues to run other open programs just fine and PM runs fine again once restarted.

No audible beep sound?  Pressing escape doesn't leave the Ingest dialog either?

Yeah, it beeps like mad on every click and keypress Pretty sure ESC does nothing. I don't remember specifically trying it but I'm sure I did on the off chance that some dialog is hidden and needed to be escaped. I'll try tomorrow night.

This may be a solution for you: It is unusual to need to pick a primary destination for each Ingest operation.  Instead think of the Primary and Secondary destination as 'root' folders and use the folder naming feature in Ingest (either by using variables or by typing in a new ingest subfolder).  You won't need to pick a different folder with the "Open dialog" anymore.

The folder naming feature is quite powerful via variables alone and when used in conjunction with Code Replacement can do just about any kind of folder naming you can imagine.

HTH,

-Kirk

I'll do some thinking on it but my first thought is that I'm not positive that helps. Here's my workflow, hopefully it's not too confusing:

Directories:

• 20170403 Rockets
  
  • BG
  • BG Sent
  • MA
  • MA Sent
  • MA Photoshare Only
  • Photoshare
  • Photoshare Sent
  • Tethered
  • Tethered Sent

Every quarter I get  4 flash cards, each card goes into one of the following directories: BG, MA, MA Photoshare Only, Tethered

Files in BG and Tethered are copied to Photoshare and renamed and an IPTC pad applied using a Snapshot for both the copy dialog and IPTC dialog for one photographer.
Files in MA and MA Photoshare Only are copied to Photoshare and renamed and an IPTC pad applied using a second Snapshot for both the copy dialog and IPTC dialog for the other photographer.
Photoshare gets uploaded to the Suns Photo archive then moved into Photoshare Sent.
BG and MA are uploaded to the NBA without any caption or renaming and then moved into their respective Sent directories.
MA Photoshare Only is moved into MA Sent.
Tethered is moved into Tethered Sent because those files get transferred to the NBA wirelessly.

Guess it might work if I create new directories for each card I upload. That would alleviate the need to use the Primary Destination but may cause confusion with so many directories floating around.

I'll think about it more and maybe give it a try tomorrow.

Mike

[Kirk Baker]

Mike,

No beach ball. I just can't click on any buttons or menu items within PhotoMechanic or the ingest dialog. The laptop continues to run other open programs just fine and PM runs fine again once restarted.

No audible beep sound?  Pressing escape doesn't leave the Ingest dialog either?

Yeah, it beeps like mad on every click and keypress Pretty sure ESC does nothing. I don't remember specifically trying it but I'm sure I did on the off chance that some dialog is hidden and needed to be escaped. I'll try tomorrow night.

What is your setting for the Accessibility section of the Preferences dialog, specifically the "Run Navigation Services dialogs in a separate process" checkbox?  Try changing it to the opposite state from what you have now.

This may be a solution for you: It is unusual to need to pick a primary destination for each Ingest operation.  Instead think of the Primary and Secondary destination as 'root' folders and use the folder naming feature in Ingest (either by using variables or by typing in a new ingest subfolder).  You won't need to pick a different folder with the "Open dialog" anymore.

The folder naming feature is quite powerful via variables alone and when used in conjunction with Code Replacement can do just about any kind of folder naming you can imagine.

HTH,

-Kirk

I'll do some thinking on it but my first thought is that I'm not positive that helps. Here's my workflow, hopefully it's not too confusing:

Directories:

• 20170403 Rockets
  
  • BG
  • BG Sent
  • MA
  • MA Sent
  • MA Photoshare Only
  • Photoshare
  • Photoshare Sent
  • Tethered
  • Tethered Sent

Every quarter I get  4 flash cards, each card goes into one of the following directories: BG, MA, MA Photoshare Only, Tethered

Files in BG and Tethered are copied to Photoshare and renamed and an IPTC pad applied using a Snapshot for both the copy dialog and IPTC dialog for one photographer.
Files in MA and MA Photoshare Only are copied to Photoshare and renamed and an IPTC pad applied using a second Snapshot for both the copy dialog and IPTC dialog for the other photographer.
Photoshare gets uploaded to the Suns Photo archive then moved into Photoshare Sent.
BG and MA are uploaded to the NBA without any caption or renaming and then moved into their respective Sent directories.
MA Photoshare Only is moved into MA Sent.
Tethered is moved into Tethered Sent because those files get transferred to the NBA wirelessly.

Guess it might work if I create new directories for each card I upload. That would alleviate the need to use the Primary Destination but may cause confusion with so many directories floating around.

It sounds like you're describing not only the Ingest for the four cards but other operations that occur post Ingest.  Correct?

If you keep your Primary destination as the root of a disk and then in the folder naming, enter:

{date} Rockets/BG

(and start the ingest for the BG card)

Then change 'BG' to 'MA' and start the Ingest for the MA card

Then change 'MA' to 'MA Photoshare Only' and start the Ingest for the 'MA Photoshare Only' card

Then change 'MA Photoshare Only' to 'Tethered' and start the Ingest for the 'Tethered' card

(BTW, you could make snapshots [the button with the Lightning bolt on it] for each of these settings to reduce errors.)

You could then complete the other stages of your workflow as you see fit and never change the Primary destination.

Maybe I'm oversimplifying things?

HTH,

-Kirk

[big0mike]

What is your setting for the Accessibility section of the Preferences dialog, specifically the "Run Navigation Services dialogs in a separate process" checkbox?  Try changing it to the opposite state from what you have now.

No idea. I'll check tomorrow.

It sounds like you're describing not only the Ingest for the four cards but other operations that occur post Ingest.  Correct?

If you keep your Primary destination as the root of a disk and then in the folder naming, enter:

{date} Rockets/BG
(and start the ingest for the BG card)
Then change 'BG' to 'MA' and start the Ingest for the MA card
Then change 'MA' to 'MA Photoshare Only' and start the Ingest for the 'MA Photoshare Only' card
Then change 'MA Photoshare Only' to 'Tethered' and start the Ingest for the 'Tethered' card
You could then complete the other stages of your workflow as you see fit and never change the Primary destination.

Maybe I'm oversimplifying things?

-Kirk

Yes, that workflow included the ingest and post operations. The NBA now needs raw files with no caption or name change or I'd be doing the renaming/stationery pad on ingest like I used to.

What you just suggest is almost exactly the scenario I was thinking of after your previous post.

I'll let you know about the above setting tomorrow evening.

Thanks,

Mike