ReadOnly bit on files

[HPL]

Hi

PM has an unusual and strange behavior concerning the ReadOnly bit on files:

1. On can change files (IPTC data for example) on files with the ReadOnly bit set !
2. When opening a folder the first time with new images in a new contact sheet, images with the ReadOnly bit set will be shown as tagged, without the ReadOnly bit set as untagged !?

Tested with PM 4.5.2 on Windows XP SP2, NEF files.

Peter

[Hayo Baan]

Hi Peter,

PM has an unusual and strange behavior concerning the ReadOnly bit on files:

1. On can change files (IPTC data for example) on files with the ReadOnly bit set !

Do you have PM write .xmp sidecar files?  If so then this would explain this.  If not, I agree, it would be nice if PM would warn you about saving info to a read-only file.

2. When opening a folder the first time with new images in a new contact sheet, images with the ReadOnly bit set will be shown as tagged, without the ReadOnly bit set as untagged !?

This is the expected behaviour; PM assumes read-only files to be tagged when you ingest them.

Hope this explains it a bit.

[HPL]

Hi Hayo

I am writing my IPTC data into the NEF's and not to xmp sidecar files.
Updating files with the ReadOnly bist set is not a nice behavior, I think.. ;-)

Peter

[Kirk Baker]

Peter,

I am writing my IPTC data into the NEF's and not to xmp sidecar files.
Updating files with the ReadOnly bist set is not a nice behavior, I think.. ;-)

PM allows you to caption, tag, color class, rate, crop, etc. on files with the Read only access.  It removes the attribute, modifies the file, and then sets the attribute again.

Would you rather it gave you an error when you tried to do something directly to your read only images?  When we used to leave the read only attribute alone, many people complained that they needed to use the OS to unlock their images since the camera manufacturers use the read only status to note files that have been locked inside the camera.

-Kirk

[HPL]

Hi Kirk

Until now, PM is the first software I know, which will change readonly files.
Perhaps it would be an option for ingest to remove the readonly bit ?

But this is NOT a problem for me - just discovered it, making my first steps with PM...

Peter

[Kirk Baker]

Peter,

Until now, PM is the first software I know, which will change readonly files.
Perhaps it would be an option for ingest to remove the readonly bit ?

But this is NOT a problem for me - just discovered it, making my first steps with PM...

Ingest does remove the read-only attribute, and then it marks the image as tagged once it uploads.

Maybe you were browsing the card directly?

-Kirk

[HPL]

Kirk

Yes I did (and will do) the copying from the card to my system myself with the windows explorer.
For me the readonly bit is a marker, that tells me 'this file should not be changed anymore...'

BTW: I am very impressed by PM.
The feature to do something with a non-selected object (show IPTC from an image for example) without cancelling the current selection is genius !!

Peter

[FVlcek]

For me the readonly bit is a marker, that tells me 'this file should not be changed anymore...'
Peter

Hi Peter, all camera manufacturers chose the read-only bit as marker for tagging photos in-camera. Tagging the keepers so you don't accidentally delete them in-camera. It is also the quickest way to do selects in-camera, for example when Bush arrived on his European tour last few months ago, his plane arrived about ten minutes before newspaper deadlines. You rattle off hundred photos hoping for a sharp one, quickly reviewing them on the camera when the action ends. I selected just two, with one push of the "lock" button for each. Then I told PM to ingest only locked (just these two), with few minutes till deadline, quick edit in photoshop and ftp'em back. This is the most common usage of the "lock" button, IMHO

So PM's behaviour is perfectly fine for me - I can ingest only the locked, when running out of time, and quickly rate them, edit them, ftp'em. If I had to ingest the whole take, switch to finder, untick EVERY photo as not read only, switch to photoshop, etc, that would be very slow.

I am actually glad it doesn't save the read-only bit.

Your mileage may vary, of course

But I just wanted to explain the most common usage of it.

Frantisek

[HPL]

Hi Frantisek

>>Your mileage may vary, of course<<
Indeed - in these ten minutes you made more shots, than me in a week or even month 

Thank your for explaining this 'lock feature'.
The camera manufactures use it on the camera card the same way is I do on my computer: ' don't touch...'.

I think a 'near perfect' solution could be like this:
1. PM ingests the pictures and REMOVES the readonly bit on the files on the computer - leaving it as it is on the camera card.
2. If the user is setting the readonly bit on some pictures on his computer by himself, PM does NOT change these files. This behavior would be consistent with all other programs…

Peter