PHOTOfunStudio Replacement

Phil Seastrand said:
I don't have the GH2, but I'd be surprised if they made any changes to the file structures. When you get the error, is there any more info presented? The dialog should give a longer message with more details that will help me solve the problem.

Regarding the extension change, this is what the supplied software did so I did the same thing.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your quick reply. There really isn't any error code or any additional info. Just this pop up window titled "Import Failed" and in the window text "Input string was not in a correct format." Pop up window has "OK" button to push.

I looked at some GH1 card structures that I have saved from a GH1 camera, which I had for test purposes for a week or so, and I don't find any differences in folder/file structure. So really a mysterious problem as JPG and RW2 files are imported alright. :crybaby:

Yep, after some googling AVCHD related MTS and M2TS files seem to be identical just like JPG and JPEG files. Some brands just prefer another over another for some reasons.

-pb
 
Ok, I found a spot where I wasn't outputing the detailed error message. Can you download and installed the attached version and try it again? This time you should get a much longer message that will help me solve the problem.
 

Attachments

  • GH1Importer.zip
    407 KB · Views: 0
Additional info.

As I mentioned above I have some GH1 recorded SDHC cards copied fully to my hard disk using Windows Explorer. I chose one of these hard disk folders as GH1 Importer's source and choose an temporary folder as destination. GH1 Importer made the importing process nicely without any hassle.

I copied then the whole GH2 recorded SDHC card to my hard disk using Windows Explorer. I choose this folder as my new source and made another temporary folder as my destination. Same error when using GH1 Importer!! Still images import nicely but movies seem to be the problem.

I made this test just to be sure that my card reader isn't broken. (I just bought a new one). I even deselected all the options in GH1 Importer so that CPI files are not copied and AVCHD format isn't appended to file names. I thought this AVCHD format appending to file name might be a problem as Panasonic has made some changes in GH2 video encoding.

-pb
 
Phil Seastrand said:
Ok, I found a spot where I wasn't outputing the detailed error message. Can you download and installed the attached version and try it again? This time you should get a much longer message that will help me solve the problem.
Click to expand...

Sure, just a couple of minutes and I will report my findings! =)
 
Thanks, that helps a lot. It looks like they changed the MPL file contents somewhat. Can you zip up the file(s) in your PRIVATE/AVCHD/BDMV/PLAYLIST folder and attach them here. I can then run them through the program in the debugger and diagnose the problem.
 
This is the first time I'm taking part in a software development process. And also the first time a project I'm involved in advances at this speed. :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

Hey, I can probably add this to my CV when seeking for a new job. :cheesy:

-pb (from freezing Finland)
 
I should be able to resolve this, but I need to leave soon and it's going to take some time. I'll get back to you when I have a new version to test. Should be later tonight my time (PST) or tomorrow morning at the latest. This is one of the files that there is no published documentation for so I had to examine the binary file and deduce how to process it. Either they changed something or I made some bad assumptions that no longer apply. In either case, I should be able to create logic to handle it.

I'm retired now, but this was my job off and on for many years. I love doing software development and working with the users to get a solution that satisfies their needs.
 
Phil Seastrand said:
I should be able to resolve this, but I need to leave soon and it's going to take some time. I'll get back to you when I have a new version to test. Should be later tonight my time (PST) or tomorrow morning at the latest. This is one of the files that there is no published documentation for so I had to examine the binary file and deduce how to process it. Either they changed something or I made some bad assumptions that no longer apply. In either case, I should be able to create logic to handle it.

I'm retired now, but this was my job off and on for many years. I love doing software development and working with the users to get a solution that satisfies their needs.
Click to expand...

Take your time Phil. You are already giving better customer service with your freeware application than most big software companies with their pricey products. I would raise my hat to you if I had one. :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

-pb
 
I think I have this resolved; but before I publish it on the first page can you give it a go with your data? The GH2 appears to add additional data in the MPL files behind the section I was reading and I didn't handle that properly. I also stumbled upon another bug that I was able to fix at the same time with the "Replace" option.
 

Attachments

  • GH1Importer.zip
    407 KB · Views: 0
Good work!

Good work!

Phil Seastrand said:
I think I have this resolved; but before I publish it on the first page can you give it a go with your data? The GH2 appears to add additional data in the MPL files behind the section I was reading and I didn't handle that properly. I also stumbled upon another bug that I was able to fix at the same time with the "Replace" option.
Click to expand...

Hi again Phil!

I tested the latest version and it seemed to work alright. I did test on GH1 files/folders and GH2 files/folders (both copied "as is" to my hard disk via Windows Explorer using card reader).

Some minor issues I noticed when doing these quick test runs.

1) I chose to make date subfolder under "Photos" and "Videos". Photos folder was named "2011_01_21" although my pictures and videos were all taken 2011-01-16. I ran tests today (2011-01-22). So I don't get it, why pictures where put under "Yesterday's" subfolder. Maybe some minor bug? Videos where put under a subfolder named after the date videos were taken. So video importing worked like it should!

2) Installation process (download *.zip file to my hard disk --> extract to temporary folder --> double click on "setup.exe" --> Shortcut placed on my desktop and GH1 Importer launched for the first) doesn't install this application for other users. I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. Me and my girlfriend both have our own user accounts with administrator privileges in Win 7. Uninstallation option could also be found only under my user account's Control Panel. (Which is of course quite logical if the application can be found only on my side.)

I didn't fully search where the installer puts GH1 Importer files. It seemed that it doesn't install them under the usual "C:\Program Files\GH1 Importer\" or "C:\Program Files (x86)\GH1 Importer\" -paths.

So it would be nice to fine tune installation process if that's easy to do. I would personally prefer even just one easy to use *.exe -file that could be placed anywhere you like it. Then a user could manually place shortcuts to this executable on his desktop, start menu and other places he wants to. Or user could run the application even from a memory stick, when using someone else's computer.

But I don't have any software programming skills, so I don't know how time consuming and tricky these suggestions are to implement. Already this version of GH1 Importer seems to import MTS and CPI files onto your hard disk - which is the most important aspect. (Maybe you should rename it in the future something like "Panasonic m43 importer" if it works with all Panasonic m43 bodies?)

-pb
 
Polarbeer said:
Hi again Phil!

I tested the latest version and it seemed to work alright. I did test on GH1 files/folders and GH2 files/folders (both copied "as is" to my hard disk via Windows Explorer using card reader).
Click to expand...
This is good news!
Polarbeer said:
Some minor issues I noticed when doing these quick test runs.

1) I chose to make date subfolder under "Photos" and "Videos". Photos folder was named "2011_01_21" although my pictures and videos were all taken 2011-01-16. I ran tests today (2011-01-22). So I don't get it, why pictures where put under "Yesterday's" subfolder. Maybe some minor bug? Videos where put under a subfolder named after the date videos were taken. So video importing worked like it should!
Click to expand...
Can you verify the output file name date? Is it also "yesterday" or is it the 2011-01-22 date?
Polarbeer said:
2) Installation process (download *.zip file to my hard disk --> extract to temporary folder --> double click on "setup.exe" --> Shortcut placed on my desktop and GH1 Importer launched for the first) doesn't install this application for other users. I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. Me and my girlfriend both have our own user accounts with administrator privileges in Win 7. Uninstallation option could also be found only under my user account's Control Panel. (Which is of course quite logical if the application can be found only on my side.)

I didn't fully search where the installer puts GH1 Importer files. It seemed that it doesn't install them under the usual "C:\Program Files\GH1 Importer\" or "C:\Program Files (x86)\GH1 Importer\" -paths.

So it would be nice to fine tune installation process if that's easy to do. I would personally prefer even just one easy to use *.exe -file that could be placed anywhere you like it. Then a user could manually place shortcuts to this executable on his desktop, start menu and other places he wants to. Or user could run the application even from a memory stick, when using someone else's computer.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I'm using the free distribution method that comes with Visual Studio Express. It has very little options for how the installation can be done. To implement the features you are requesting would require a paid-for installation system.
Polarbeer said:
But I don't have any software programming skills, so I don't know how time consuming and tricky these suggestions are to implement. Already this version of GH1 Importer seems to import MTS and CPI files onto your hard disk - which is the most important aspect. (Maybe you should rename it in the future something like "Panasonic m43 importer" if it works with all Panasonic m43 bodies?)

-pb
Click to expand...
 
Phil Seastrand said:
This is good news!Can you verify the output file name date? Is it also "yesterday" or is it the 2011-01-22 date?Unfortunately I'm using the free distribution method that comes with Visual Studio Express. It has very little options for how the installation can be done. To implement the features you are requesting would require a paid-for installation system.
Click to expand...

Well all my photos were moved into a folder

...\Photos\2011_01_21

with their original file names. Ie. the names and dates (DATE MODIFIED and DATE TAKEN) of still image files were unchanged.

All my movies were moved into a folder

...\Video\2011_01_16

with new file names like this for example: 20110116_175209_FSH.m2ts. DATE MODIFIED data of files were unchanged.

Both MTS and JPG files were originally shot 2011-01-16. Hopefully I answered your question. I think subfolder naming of photos should be based on "Date taken" data of JPG and RW2 files. But for me personally this isn't even a show stopper issue, because the video importing is much more important. I'm so used to copying still images from memory cards manually.

-pb
 
I think I know what's happening here. For photos, I use the File Creation Date, but Windows Explorer normally displays the Last Modified Date. When you copied the pictures from the SD card to the hard-drive, I believe the File Creation Date was set to the time you did the copy, but the Last Modified Date still reports the date the files were written to the card. If you had imported directly from the SD card, I believe the dates are the same. This means I should be using the Last Modified Date as that will match what you normally would expect and no be affected by any file copy operations. Does that make sense? If you agree, I'll modify the program accordingly and you can give it another test.

BTW, video files are handled differently since the clip creation date/time is recorded in the MPL files.
 
Phil Seastrand said:
I think I know what's happening here. For photos, I use the File Creation Date, but Windows Explorer normally displays the Last Modified Date. When you copied the pictures from the SD card to the hard-drive, I believe the File Creation Date was set to the time you did the copy, but the Last Modified Date still reports the date the files were written to the card. If you had imported directly from the SD card, I believe the dates are the same. This means I should be using the Last Modified Date as that will match what you normally would expect and no be affected by any file copy operations. Does that make sense? If you agree, I'll modify the program accordingly and you can give it another test.

BTW, video files are handled differently since the clip creation date/time is recorded in the MPL files.
Click to expand...

That could be the case. I don't remember anymore what date I did copying. I also tested your software first on some additional copies of the original files, just to be sure that my original files don't get corrupted for some mysterious reason.

If I could choose I probably would implement subfolder naming based on DATE TAKEN data of jpg and crw files. Is that data found in EXIF-metadata of image files? If that's not easy to implement then DATE MODIFIED data. Other users might also have good ideas, so participate freely in this thread. :cheesy:

I'm very satisfied with MTS and CPI import feature as I don't want to save whole AVCHD folder structures. It's just so cumbersome in the long run. :Drogar-BlackEye(DBG

-pb

PS. I'm also having some problems with my 16 GB SDHC + card reader combination. Even copying via Windows Explorer stops from time to time into reading problems. I don't know yet what is the malfunctioning part in my pipeline. So I'm also having trouble in using GH1 Importer -software directly on my SDHC card. But it seems to work OK when I have eventually managed to manually copy the whole card contents on my hard disk first.

So it would be nice to read other GH2/GH1 users comments on the latest version of GH1 Importer -software.
 
I don't have any experience reading the EXIF-metadata and would rather not have to go down that path if I don't have to. I've attached a new version which uses the Last Modified Date so this should solve your problem. If you are happy with it, let me know and I'll move it to the base note.
 

Attachments

  • GH1Importer.zip
    407 KB · Views: 0
Use the Modified Date for files, this tells you when the file was created or changed.

Use the Modified Date for files, this tells you when the file was created or changed.

Polarbeer said:
That could be the case. I don't remember anymore what date I did copying. I also tested your software first on some additional copies of the original files, just to be sure that my original files don't get corrupted for some mysterious reason.

If I could choose I probably would implement subfolder naming based on DATE TAKEN data of jpg and crw files. Is that data found in EXIF-metadata of image files? If that's not easy to implement then DATE MODIFIED data. Other users might also have good ideas, so participate freely in this thread. :cheesy:
Click to expand...

I really don't know why they ever introduced this concept of "Date Created". Date Created doesn't tell you anything about the file itself. It just tells you when this file entry was created in the location (folder) it is. So, as I was thinking when I read about the problem, it indeed was the date the original files had been copied to the hard drive, that was used.

Instead of this "Date Created" I would rather see that "Date Modified" would be copied for folders as well. Instead, when you copy a folder, the "Date Modified" for the folder is set to the actual date, because that folder "was newly created" on the target system. (What a nonsense, the same goes for all the files as well...). But technically, it is correct that Date Modified is updated when files are added to or removed from a folder, although I do not get why it isn't updated as well as existing files are modified...

So, I would suggest to always use the Modified Date for files, because this tells you what you want to know: when were the contents of this file written to this drive, to this file.

I do not see any use for Date Created, neither for Date Accessed, if that (still) gets updated each time you open the file properties... You do not really access the file (contents) then, you just take a look at the file entry's information...
 
This "Date Created" tends to lead to confusion, as you can read in the Adrian's message (#7) in this thread:

http://www.digitalvolcano.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=8&topic=94

Does it make sense that you can have a Date Created that is after the Date Modified?

When using Duplicate Cleaner, there is a column Date Created just before the Date Modified column.
The first thing I do in the result table, is remove this colum Date Created out of view (to the back).
 
Phil Seastrand said:
I don't have any experience reading the EXIF-metadata and would rather not have to go down that path if I don't have to. I've attached a new version which uses the Last Modified Date so this should solve your problem. If you are happy with it, let me know and I'll move it to the base note.
Click to expand...

Yep, "Date Modified" is probably what most users are really happy with when importing photos/movies from their memory cards. No need to dive into EXIF-metadata. :)

Latest GH1 Importer seems to work alright at least on my computer after a quick test. So it's probably now a reasonable update for the first page of this thread.

Thanks once again and have a nice day Phil! I must go to sleep now. :)

-pb
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top