Problems writing data – Workarounds

The problem

Timelapse is showing you a dialog that says it is having problems writing data to your database. While it does let you retry that write (sometimes with success), it indicates a problem with your system (not necessarily with Timelapse).

You are likely hosting your SQLite database (.ddb and .tdb files) as well as images/videos on a file server, perhaps accessed as a mapped network drive. Depending on your file server/network configuration, your system may temporarily prevent Timelapse from writing to its database. The page Problems Writing Data (for IT) provides technical details behind what may have caused this on your file server – pass the link on to your IT person.

If this happens often, you may want to try the two workarounds described below.

Workarounds

SQLite-based applications like Timelapse work most reliably when their database file is on local storage (e.g., local hard drive, a reliable removable USB drive) rather than a network fileserver. However, we respect the fact that many organizations want to keep the master copy of the images and database files on a file server.

Two workarounds eliminate this issue. Each works by having you temporarily move some (or all) of your files to your local disk until you complete your tagging. Choose the one that works best for you. Test the chosen workaround’s workflow on a ‘toy’ image set until you are certain of the workflow.

Workaround 1. Do everything on your local hard drive

1. Copy your Image Set (database files, folders containing images to process) to your local hard drive. 
2. Open Timelapse on that local hard drive and tag your images.
3. When done, copy the .ddb file (and .tdb if it has been edited) file back to the file server. Images do not have to be copied back as they should be identical to what is on the file server.
4. You can remove the image set from your local hard drive when copying is complete.
5. Variations: If you are only processing images in one subfolder, then you only need to copy that part rather than all images. However, you need to keep the folder structure the same. Alternately, use the Timelapse merge/checkout command (see Part 4 of Timelapse Reference Guide: Merging). You do the above steps on the checked out folder, and then merge/checkin once the updated database is copied back to the file server.

• Pros: Going through images is very fast as everything is local.
• Cons: If you have lots of images, copying images can be slow – this is why one of the variations above may be useful.

Workaround 2. Shortcut method

In this method, you move your database files to your local hard drive, but keep images on your file server. The ManageShortcutFolder app (available on the Utility applications page) eases this process by walking you through the steps. That app provides safeguards and helps avoid errors.

Rather than repeat details here, the shortcut method is described in Part 3 of the Timelapse Reference Guide Folder management using shortcuts. The video mentioned above also provides a step by step example of how to do it. Essentially:

1. Create a folder on your local hard drive
2. Copy your .tdb and .ddb file to that folder
3. Add a Windows shortcut to the folder containing your .tdb file on your file server.
4. Open Timelapse on that .tdb file. You will see a dialog saying that Timelapse has recognized the shortcut.
5. Tag your images as normal.
6. When done, copy the .ddb file (and .tdb if it has been edited) back to the file server. Just in case, we suggest you create a backup your original files before over-writing it with the copy.
7. Navigating images is somewhat slower as images have to be retrieved via the file server i.e., the same performance as you get now when using the file server. The advantage is that you don’t have to copy any images, so its much faster to set up.
8. Variations: If you are only processing images in one subfolder, and others may be working on different sub-folders: Use the Timelapse merge/checkout command to check out that subfolder (see Part 4 of Timelapse Reference Guide: Merging). Then do the above steps on the checked out folder. When completed and when the updated database is copied back to the file server, do a merge/checkin to merge your tags back into the master database.

• Pros: you don’t have to copy any images, so its much faster to set up.
• Cons: Navigating images is slower as it has to get them from the file server. However, that is the same as what you had previously.

For both methods

• When copying back,
  • double check that you are over-writing the correct database file in the correct folder!
  • always create a backup of your original database file(s) before over-writing it with the copy.
• If multiple people are tagging images at the same time, its possible that you may wipe out their work when you overwrite the database file. To guard against this, we recommend that you use the Timelapse merge|checkout /checkin variation, where each person is responsible for a different set of folders. When you merge your work back in, only the tags for the folder you have checked out will be updated.