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[MusicHawk]

Using MC 15.0.38 in Windows Vista, MC will only copy SOME files from a camera memory card -- just 12 out of 283 files. Why?

Steps:

1. Put camera's SD card in my computer. MC shows card has 283 files. Using MC's hover preview, all these photos look as expected.

2. Ctrl+A selects all the files.

3. Right-click, select "Transfer to PC". Select option "Import after transfer". Dialog opens, says "Copying 283 items". Progress bar chugs along.

4. Look in Recently Imported -- only has 12 files. Using MC or Windows Explorer to look at location designated to receive the photos, there really are only the same 12 files, so it doesn't seem to be a library problem. That's all I get, no matter how often I repeat the process. I see nothing about these particular files that sets them apart. They aren't even from the same date; the file names are not consecutive. 

What could be the cause of this?

More experiments:

1. Use MC's Tools > Import adds ALL 283 images to the library, but at their memory card location; it does not copy them to the PC. I then have to use Rename, Move & Copy to actually move the files.

OR

2. Use Windows Explorer to copy ALL 283 images from the memory card to the PC. However, this doesn't get them into MC's library.

It's a "minor" matter this time because with such as huge disparity I noticed it. But what if MC had only omitted a few images, and I hadn't compared file counts? That would be a horrible outcome.


BUG #2 ? When I select all the files then "Transfer to PC", MC opens a dialog similar to "Rename, Move & Copy" (it might be the same dialog with a different name). Using either, the Base Path is pre-set, somehow, to a path that does NOT EXIST on this PC. The path is actually to a Music folder, but I only use (and have ever used) MC on this PC for photos and videos. Even though I change it to the correct path of "Pictures" (otherwise even the 12 files couldn't be copied), when I repeat the process, MC has set the Base Path back to the non-existent "Music" path.

I presume this is happening because in MC Options, the Audio path is set to Music (not by me, must be an MC default), and even though the files are images, MC seems to use the Audio path. But... the Directories Rule and Filename rule are what I set some time ago for my Images, and it is not at all like the any of the paths set in MC Options for Audio or Images or Video.

When I use Rename, Move & Copy (necessary after importing because it doesn't move the files), the non-existent Base Path is there AND the Directories and Filename options are NOT checked, even though I had previously checked them. This is not how MC14 behaves.

[JimH]

The most likely reason is that they were previously retrieved.  MC can be set to delete files when downloaded (or not).

Other possibilities.... a file type is not included.

Double check the options for import.

[MusicHawk]

Import is set to: Image and Video, Ignore files previously removed from library, Ignore special files.

The files on the camera card are all .jpg and were never previously retrieved -- card went straight from camera to PC this morning. However... I eventually rename my image files using an expression. Does this cause MC to see the original filename as "removed from library"?

If so, maybe MC is seeing current filenames on the camera memory card as the same as filenames used once-upon-a-time for different photos. The names are "P1110987.JPG" and similar. Does MC do "Ignore files previously removed" based solely on filename (vs, say, name + file size or something)? If so, the evident problem is that cameras do their own file-naming-thing which could result in duplicate filenames over time, yielding unfortunate results when combined with MC's "Ignore files previously removed from library".

But please note that "Transfer to PC" does not have the option "Ignore files...", so that's a trap of unexpected behavior. I expected it to transfer every file I selected, not to invoke an invisible rule.

Also, it seems a tad confusing to have file moving actions such as Import, Transfer, Copy, Move, and drag-and-drop, that mostly might seem to do the same thing, if they each have subtle differences and options.

[JimH]

reboot?

[JimH]

Using MC 15.0.38 in Windows Vista, MC will only copy SOME files from a camera memory card -- just 12 out of 283 files.

1. Put camera's SD card in my computer. MC shows card has 283 files. Using MC's hover preview, all these photos look as expected.

2. Ctrl+A selects all the files.

3. Right-click, select "Transfer to PC". Select option "Import after transfer". Dialog opens, says "Copying 283 items". Progress bar chugs along.

Where do you see the "Transfer to PC" option?

Normally, you can leave the card in your camera, attach the camera via USB, and use MC's Action Window/Camera.

Another possibility is a virus checker problem.

[MusicHawk]

With this camera (Panasonic DMC-TZ3) it's easier to pop out the SD card than dig up the cable, since I have to open the same door to pop out and recharge the battery.

"Transfer to PC" shows up in MC when I insert the SD card, then navigate to it in the tree, Drives & Devices (the card shows up as drive H:). Clicking on this, MC immediately discovers and lists all the images on the card; I don't have to navigate the card itself to find them. Then I select any file(s) in the list then right-click, MC offers to do these: Play, Add to Playing Now, Select All, Transfer to PC, Delete.

No automatic virus checker running on this PC at this time.

I think the symptoms point to a combination of:Unexpected "Ignore files..." behavior, plus Transfer to PC invoking this mode invisibly (no option/warning), plus some confusing naming of actions, plus some confusing/inconsistent dialog options (always trying to use a non-existent Audio Base path for Image files, etc.) These are really just some little UI vagaries, but frustrating, and the "Transfer to PC" mode risk of inadvertently losing photos is scary.

[JimH]

Try a USB cable first.  Use the Action Window.  You can set up the drive as a handheld if necessary.

[MusicHawk]

Thanks for the suggestions. I can get my files various ways. My post is mainly to note that the beta product might have traps for unwary users.

Such as when using one of the obvious UI routes to get images from a camera: Insert card (or connect camera via USB), click on card in tree, use MC options Select All > Transfer to PC. It can leave behind files with no warning, apparently due to options set somewhere else.

I tried the Action window option Camera > Acquire Images. This is the best method; I also used it with a Mimo Flip camera and it works great. (I didn't try it earlier because I took "Camera" to mean it is useful when actually attaching a camera, vs. just connecting a camera's memory card.) It presents another variation on the dialog, this time with Base path set to my Images path -- that's good. To get all the images I had to uncheck Skip file if already in library, presumably because the earlier Import attempt had put the file in the library, just not moved the file to the PC.

This is another area of confusion: Import has an option to Ignore file previously deleted from library, Acquire Images has sort of an XOR option Skip file if already in library, and Transfer to PC has neither but seems to be invoke Ignore file filter. Yet all three are methods of copying a file into MC. Would it make sense to use just one dialog and/or provide all the options in all the places so there's no surprise behavior?

[JimH]

Thanks for the suggestions. I can get my files various ways. My post is mainly to note that the beta product might have traps for unwary users.

That's one possibility.  Another is that Microsoft was messing with you when you were trying to use MC.  I've seen Windows try to use the device and shut out other software.

There was a similar problem with an iPod this week. 

Using it with a cable would help sort out where the problem lies.  I'm guessing it will work, than the other method may also work.