iView 8.3 filename problem with Quicktime 7.4

[dredshaw]

I thought people may find this useful because I've seen messages on this forum suggesting that people can/should stick with iView until there's a specific need to move to EM and I've encountered such a situation...

I encountered a problem this weekend with iView appearing to only use 8.3 filename (WinXPSP2). My catalogue name is truncated when I open it and imported file names are truncated, as are folder names. After searching various places I came across a couple of other people having the same issue (http://forum.iview-multimedia.com/viewtopic.php?p=28094#28094) and logged a call with iView support.

They replied today saying they had reproduced the problem and it appears to be caused by Quicktime 7.4. They also said that any fix would only be released for EM and recommended that I should upgrade. Having said that, they also alerted me to another slight problem caused by QT7.4 with EM (see below for more details - people may already be aware of this).

Just an FYI in case this is likely to be an issue for you.  If anyone can shed any light on any other causes or possible solutions it would bo good to know...

David

[On Expression Media with QuickTime 7.4 new images that get added to an existing catalog cause a new folder structure to appear inside the "Catalog Folders" pane (even if the images being added are in a folder structure already present in the catalog). This issue can be avoided by importing the existing catalog into a new catalog (File > Import Items > From Catalog File...") and only then adding new images/folders to the catalog. ]

[pburwell]

Eexpressions Media currently has the same problem with Quicktime 7.4.

The question I have is where I can find the older version so that my workflow isn't broken?

Best regards,

Paul

[dredshaw]

I found the older QT versions on the Apple website. The previous version appears to be 7.3.1 which (for Windows) is at:

www.apple.com/support/downloads/quicktime731forwindows.html

You can find them all from the Support/Quicktime page (previous versions link is on the right).

David

[billseymour]

Hi-

I am still using a Quicktime 7.2-something. Does the 7.3.1 version work for both EM and iView?

I am taking the "ain't broke, don't fix it" approach, and am not upgrading Quicktime versions until I know iView (in my case) is not negatively affected.

I've always been a bit uneasy about applications that depend heavily on other applications for successful execution. The analogy that comes to mind is flying: a nonstop, single plane trip entails so many less potential complications than does a 'change-plane' trip. The dependency on Quicktime is sort of like waiting for that plane from Atlanta to get to your connection point in Houston so you can continue traveling.

(...surely there is some way to introduce 'serial monogamy' into this analogy...John B?)
Bill

[dredshaw]

I uninstalled Quicktime 7.4 and installed 7.3.1 and the problem is fixed, so it does indeed look like it's a Quicktime problem. If you're still using iVew this does at least mean that you might be able to continue doing so if Apple fix any Quicktime problems.

From the point of view of dependencies, I can understand what you mean but I would say it's practically impossible for a single application to read (and possibly write) all these file formats. There are too many file formats and many of them are undocumented and change frequently. I guess Microsoft could write directly using the Nikon/Canon/Other libraries but that would still take resources away from writing the DAM part of the application and even software which uses the manufacturer libraries can have problems...

There are really only two alternatives that spring to mind

1) use software which purely manages the files and doesn't interact with the media at all or
2) migrate to a more open standard file format such as DNG ...


David

[pjbraune]

David

What did you do to uninstall 7.4? Did you just trash it from your apps folder? A Spotlight search had a lot of hits for me, so I'm treading carefully before I do anything.

Thanks
Peter

[dredshaw]

Peter

I was using Windows so I ran the uninstall utility from the Quicktime program group. I believe on a Mac you would be able to remove it from the Applications folder but I haven't tried it - I don't know if you'd get the problem on a Mac because I don't believe the filesystem has the 8.3 filename problem at all (I presume you're on a Mac because you mention Spotlight)...

David

[pjbraune]

Yes, David. I am on Mac.
After seeing your post about the filename problem, and after updating to 7.4, I noticed a different behavior in the Light Table function of iView where the image sizes came up smaller than usual. I figured I'd go back to 7.3.1 to see if things went back to normal.

Peter

[roberte]

Hi,

Mac version for Tiger here:

www.apple.com/support/downloads/quicktime731fortiger.html

... and Leopard here:

www.apple.com/support/downloads/quicktime731forleopard.html

-- Robert.

[pjbraune]

Robert

Thanks for the links. I tried to install 7.3.1 after trashing QT 7.4 from the Apps folder, but the installer wouldn't run saying that there was a newer version installed already. I'm not sure how to proceed. A Spotlight search for QuickTime 7.4 only returns the manual.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Peter

[dredshaw]

From doing some quick searches it seems that Quicktime on a Mac puts libraries in several locations. At various points in the past there have been problems with Quicktime releases and Apple have released specific installers which will downgrade. The most recent one I can find was released to downgrade 7.0.4 to 7.0.1 but it's no longer available from Apple - if you google "qucktime 7.0.1 reinstaller" you should find it elsewhere.

Having said that, I suspect it won't install on anything other than 7.0.4...

I think you might have to reinstall 7.4

David

[pjbraune]

Well, I did google around and ultimately ran into a dead end as far as any uninstall/reinstall possibilities, so I went back to 7.4. If that's the culprit, it does make using Light Table in iView less  of a pleasure. I'll check over on the iView forum and see if anything comes up there.

Thanks, David.


Peter

[Mike777]

I've had this problem since I migrated to a new PC and reverted to QT 7.3 which appears to have corrected the issue.
Anyone know when this is issue is likely to be addressed? I'm not comfortable using an older version of QT as it wont have the security updates of the later releases.

Cheers
Mike

[Robert Q Groom]

My MacBook Pro is running OS X 10.4.11 (Tiger) with all current software updates including QuickTime 7.4.1.

QuickTime 7.4.1 addresses security issues and improves compatibility with third-party applications.

I'm not seeing any problems with long filenames on iView 3.1.3. Catalog names and files themselves are all being displayed correctly.

YFMV (Your Fileage May Vary)

Robert

[Ron Grassl]

Loading 7.3.1  did not fix the 8.3 file name problem that the new version of Quicktime has in iView for me.
I loaded Quicktime 7.3.1 after uninstalling Quicktime 7.4.whatever, using the control panel uninstall.  I'm running PC XP Pro.
The filenames are ok in EM.  I can't get iView or EM to cooperate in general however. I'm seeing lots of things that just don't work as they should.
Its odd that when I run the check for the latest Quicktime updates in 7.3.1 is says I have the latest version.  It is 7.3.1 according to the help - about quicktime pull down.  It did ask me if I wanted to upgrade rignt after I installed it however, which I did not.
bugs bugs bugs.  Drives me nuts.  This has to be the worst software I've ever come across.
I've got several hours in it just trying to get the basics to work.  I hate to thing what may happen if I try the more advanced features.

ron grassl
torrance, CA