Created by Iain Ferguson, last modified on Apr 30, 2025

ImaArchive stores both the images and associated metadata in a standard format.

This is defined in a folder structure and files contained in this structure. This can be split into two sections:

  • The Vault

  • User space

The Vault

The Vault is the section containing the repositories and the Primary Configuration. These are as follows:

  • Master Repository

  • Derivative Repository

  • Primary Configuration

Master Repository

This is where the original images are stored

Derivative Repository

This is where the derivative or versioned images are stored.

Primary Configuration

This is where the archive configuration is stored. This area defines how the archive operates. In addition working folder are also contain working files such as Journal and log files.

  • backups - Optionally where the repository backups are stored

  • config - The main configuration files are stored here.

  • derivative - Optionally where the derivative repository is located.

  • dups - Not used

  • history - Where the system history is stored.

  • hooks - Program hooks are stored here

  • logs - Application logs are located in this folder.

  • master - Optionally where the derivative repository is located.

  • pi - Primary Index

  • sqldb - SQL database located in the folder.

  • system - System files location

  • templates - Metadata Template

  • tmp - Temporary working folder

  • tools - Application tools

Backups - Optionally where the repository backups are stored

ImgArchive supports up to two backups of the two primary repositories. This is the optionally default location for those backups. These are named by default as following:

  • MasterBackup1 - Master backup one

  • MasterBackup2 - Master backup two

  • DerivativeBackup1 - Derivative backup one.

  • DerivativeBackup2 - Derivative backup two

These backups are in an optional default location because in order to work as a good backup need to be ideally located on a different drive. with sufficient storage space. The primary configuration normally will be located on a main system disk repositories and there backups will normally located on large storage disks.

Config - The main configuration files are stored here.

The main configuration files consist of:

  • config.dat - Main configuration file

  • exiftool.ini - Exif tool interface file

  • ext.dat - Extension filter file

config.dat - Main configuration file

ImgArchive uses this file to contain almost all configuration details used to control how ImgArchive operates.

exiftool.ini - Exif tool interface file

This file is used to interface ImgArchive to external EXIF reader applications, in this case mapping names used in ImgArchive to the ones used in exiftool. Example:

IsoSpeedRating = ISO

ext.dat - Extension filter file

This file is used to determine which file extensions define the RAW image files used by the Camera manufactures. Take files with the extension “.nef” these are Nikon RAW image. “DSC5634.nef is an example of a Nikon RAW image. This file contains all the most common Camera manufactures RAW file extensions.

Derivative - Optionally where the derivative repository is located.

This

history - Where the system history is stored.

hooks - Program hooks are stored here

logs - Application logs are located in this folder.

master - Optionally where the derivative repository is located.

pi - Primary Index

sqldb - SQL database located in the folder.

system - System files location

templates - Metadata Template

tmp - Temporary working folder

tools - Application tools

User Space

Data integrity

Images are fingerprinted and the fingerprint information is stored with the repositories in CSV text files. Any time the images in the repository is updated this information is also updated thus reflecting those updates. In order to make sure the CSV text files are free from corruption these are also fingerprinted in CSV text files. These in turn have a single fingerprint CSV text containing a single fingerprint.

This can be verified to make sure that the whole repository is verified and free from corruption.

These files are duplicated so if corruption is found it can be repaired.

Schemas

Three CSV formats are used to define the fingerprinting system.

  • Image fingerprint files

  • Folder fingerprint files

  • Integrity fingerprint file

The index database

This