Stand Alone to Server or Webmail

[ClarkCrest]

I have a standalone version (purchased lifetime license).  Been using Daminion for years with 12K+ images alone.  Love the program.  Just prompted to update and my only options were to download the Server or web client versions.  Checked out the forums and see that the standalone is no longer being supported and while "not obligatory" according to Daria Kotilainen, it is encouraged to move to the server--  which is supposed to be better anyway?  Daria stated that "the transition will be free of charge" too?  Just want to confirm before I make the switch.  I also gathered that from another one of her comments that it is not simple or and would offer "help with the installation."  What issues or differences to I need to know about?  Are there features or settings that won't transfer?  Will my catalog(s) not work with the server version?

Please advise.

Thanks.

Branden

[WilfriedB]

10 hours ago, ClarkCrest said:

What issues or differences to I need to know about?

Hi Branden, the main difference is the fact you need to install and start the server, even though you can do that on the same computer where you use the client. After installing, you find a new icon Daminion Server Administration, which allows you to start (or stop) the server and create one or more Catalogs - those are called Shared Catalogs. Using the client, instead of Open Catalog (Ctrl+O), you Open Shared Catalog (Ctr+Shift+O). Until Daminion version 6.8, the standalone client and server client were identical, i.e. you can open either a standalone catalog or a shared catalog even concurrently. I did not install version 7 yet, but I read some comments here in this forum stating, a version 7 client cannot create a standalone catalog anymore.

10 hours ago, ClarkCrest said:

Are there features or settings that won't transfer?

Keep in mind, 'transfer' means importing all media items (i.e. the image files, not the catalog content!) into the new shared catalog. This implies, all metadata which were synchronized into the file, will appear as tags in the shared catalog. However some tags (e.g. comments) are not synchronized into embedded meta dat and won't move to the sahred catalog. If I remember correctly, this also applies to some other tags, as well as to linked and grouped items.

Some settings cannot be set in the client, but using Server Administration, for example:

10 hours ago, ClarkCrest said:

Will my catalog(s) not work with the server version?

As I said above, with version 6.8 or earlier, the standalone catalogs could be created or opened concurrently with the shared catalogs with the client, but some users had problems doing so in version 7. ☹ No idea, whether that is a bug or a feature ...

Obviously, a Web-client (i.e. a Web Browser) can only open shared catalogs. I looked at the Web client only very briefly and believe its capabilities are very limited compared to the client.

[lintujuh]

In version 7, there is an option File > Import > Daminion Local Catalog (.dmc). I have not tested it, as I have been running the server version a long time, but it sounds like the option you need. I would also assume, that it a lot faster that re-importing the images, and you will avoid the problems with non-synchronized meta data.

[ClarkCrest]

Thanks.  I'll make the switch to the server.  Hopefully I don't lose all my hard work with tags etc.

[WilfriedB]

7 hours ago, ClarkCrest said:

Hopefully I don't lose all my hard work with tags etc.

Branden, don't forget to keep one (or better more) copies of the .DMC file(s) on external media (e.g. USB disk), as well as the install file for the Daminion version you are currently using.

Using "all" you work is extremely unlikely (unless the entire catalog is corrupted, which can always happen, therefore Backup!). What can and did happen in the past, that you loose one or more tags, so make sure you can somehow access the old catalog for comparison and possibly manual changes.

[ClarkCrest]

I'm still a bit confused.  I'm operating on 7.0  I believe this was a standalone version (what I've always had).  As I upgrade now, the only version available is the server version.  Do I really need to install both the "serversetup" and the "clientsetup?"  I have no intent of using my system as a server.  Its just me at home.

I've also trying to understand the best “scheme” to use.  I'm thinking "A."  Currently, the “software” is loaded and run on my hard drive (c:).  All my files (assets, images, videos, etc) are on an external hard drive (due to size restrictions on my HD).

 

[WilfriedB]

On 5/10/2022 at 7:12 PM, ClarkCrest said:

I have no intent of using my system as a server.  Its just me at home.

Branden, I am in the same situation (just me at home), but I am using the server version since two or three years.  Why? Even when both - server and client - are running on the same PC (laptop in my case), it brings you a big advantage in performance, simply because there are multiple processes running in parallel now. In particular the user interface (client) runs independently from the task performing the database updates. I did realize everything did run faster after I migrated from standalone.

In any case, according to my understanding Daminion does not encourage the usage of the standalone version anymore.

[ClarkCrest]

Thanks Wilfried.

So, install both server and client on my desktop, then.  Ok.  Do you have your assets on an external HD then too?  Which Scheme is that really?  A or B?

[WilfriedB]

2 hours ago, ClarkCrest said:

Do you have your assets on an external HD then too?

I have an internal 256MB SDD for Windows, all programs and also the PostgreSQL database and a 2TB internal SSD for the images and everything else. For now enough for almost 250,000 images. When I started with Daminion server, I had a 2TB HDD. The move from HDD to SDD also brought some significant improvement.

2 hours ago, ClarkCrest said:

Which Scheme is that really?  A or B?

I don't remember now what the difference was. In any case all on one laptop.

[ClarkCrest]

Is there a way to change the Admin user name in the Daminion server?

[ClarkCrest]

Gotta say, I don't like being forced to use this “server” version.  Spent ALL DAY trying to follow poor instructions and learn this new configuration, which seems pointless for a single user accessing assets on an external HD.  Excited about the new features, but seems like a lot of work if I'm not really sharing it with anyone. 

1.  After hours of trying to figure this out.  Now, it seems the default NetCatolog won't work right.  I must have done something and can't undo it or fix it.  I've reinstalled the whole program three times to no avail.  I get this and can't get around it or fix it.

2. What is up with the pgAdmin?  Not sure the purpose or how it works.  Upon opening it, I'm asked for a master password.  But then when I click on the "postgreSQL 12" server, it asks for a password.  Except the master password doesn't work.

The website has little in the way of troubleshooting or good explanation for the average user that may be new to “networking” and company level "databasing."

I'm extremely frustrated. 

[WilfriedB]

55 minutes ago, ClarkCrest said:

What is up with the pgAdmin?

Clark, pgAdmin comes with the PostgreSQL database and can be used to manage it.

For the password see here:

The exception you should report to the Daminion team.

[WilfriedB]

4 hours ago, ClarkCrest said:

Is there a way to change the Admin user name in the Daminion server?

Depends on your license:

With the Home Server license, there is only a single user named 'admin' (even though multiple people could use it concurrently, if you have a license for more than one user) and you cannot change the name. During the trial period, I did use the team server and created user others. They still exist, but cannot be used. All changes are reported under "admin" now.

The Team Sever license allows for different users with different names and authorities. If I remember correctly, also the user(s) with admin rights can have different names.

[Uwe]

6 hours ago, WilfriedB said:

The Team Sever license allows for different users with different names and authorities. If I remember correctly, also the user(s) with admin rights can have different names

that's right.
There are four so called built-in roles (Admin, Editor, Guest, Viewer). I have locked the initially installed Guest and Admin, whose password is "admin" and created myself as a new user in the Admin role. Other users can be assigned to the roles Editor or Reader. You can adjust the settings of the corresponding roles. Important: you can create any roles yourself and then assign the appropriate permissions to them. As a template, you can "clone" the existing roles and thus already take initial settings for the new roles.

Regards, Uwe

[Daria Kotilainen]

Hi ClarkCrest, 

 

The error message you see normally indicates that Daminion server service could not be started correctly due to access permission lacking to one of the catalog directories: 

- folder to store uploaded files

- folder to store thumbnails

- folder to store video preview

The best way to check what the issue is would be to open EventViewer and check the corresponding Daminion error messages in Windows > Applications

 

Alternatively, drop me a message at [email protected] and we can schedule a remote session to troubleshoot. 

 

Kind regards, 

Daria

[Daria Kotilainen]

Also, could you please tell me if you used the attached instruction? If so, please let me know what you would like us to add to it? We want to make the installation process as smooth as possible and would appreciate the feedback.

 

Daria

 

 

_Daminion Home server installation guide.pdf

[ClarkCrest]

Daria, I guess I need a zoomcall.  I can't seem to access or fix the default catalog.  I used to be able to edit it (name, folder locations, etc).  However, I made a name change to one of my folders, and now I can no longer edit the default catalog to reflect the change.  When I try, I get this:

[Daria Kotilainen]

Hi Clark, 

 

Please send me a direct message to [email protected] and we can schedule a zoom call or a teamviewer session

 

Daria