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Participant
May 13, 2008
Question

DNG Codec - Vista x64 (64 bit)

  • May 13, 2008
  • 24 replies
  • 27906 views
Creating a thread for 64 bit Vista users to post to regarding support for the DNG codec on Vista x64.

Currently x64 is not a supported platform for the RC version of the codec. Hopefully this is something that will be corrected when it ships. Adobe seems to support 64 bit, in for example LR 2.0 beta, so I imagine this will happen as well for the codec, but just to be sure 64 bit Vista users should comment on this thread.

Damon
This topic has been closed for replies.

24 replies

April 13, 2009

You can make The codec work in Vista x64 with some happy fun steps along with Canon Camera Raw (I just spent about 4 hours figuring this out... glad I got it working...)

here is how:

1.) Force dngcodec_r1_051208.msi to not check the system it installs on by using this link

(works for vista x64 too )

2.) Install your Camera Raw from whatever company makes your camera.... I will tell you how I got my Canon raw as an example:

       went here to get the Raw codec installer, chose Vista 32 as the OS (yeah I lied) and installed it on my Vista x64 instalation

3.) Right Click your desktop and make a new shortcut. In the location put in the following:

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\explorer.exe /separate, ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}


     Name it something like "Explorer X86 mode"

4.) double click that Icon, and navigate to where your folders CHALK FULL O PHOTOS are.... and ..... BAMN... it starts making thumbnails of everything you can see in the explorer pane. After thumbnails are generated for all of the images (just scroll around and stuff......till you see all of them) you can then close that instance of explorer. After opening a normal version of windows explorer.. and by going to those same folders you wil see thatthe thumbnails for your photos are still there!

Also its worth noting that you can use the 32 bit versions of many of the 64 bit apps in windows (like those Microsoft photo tools I don't mess with).  These 32bit versions can be found in the "\Windows\SysWOW64\" directory. Most of them are easy to start up and use... explorer is the only one where I had to make some weird bastard shortcut to make it function.

Fun side note... I do not know if running 32 bit Explorer in x64 has any downside what so ever.. its not like I worry about being able to use all 8 GB of my ram while I am looking at file folders...

Might figure out some way to force generation of thumbnails of a folder in 32bit mode so I don't even have to open the 32bit explorer.... will let you all know if I accomplish it.

Edit: I would like to note that some may view me as a mad crazy cheap bastard for doing all this instead of just coughin up $29.95 for that Adfry codec.... but whats the fun in that?

Edit number 2: As a way to "tide things over" untill a proper x64 codec could be released... why could't there just be a "button" in Explorer that says "generate thumbnails" and have it use 32bit codecs from the 32bit explorer?!? Well Started reading on some API poo at MSDN (hurray) and if no one else makes that... I will

Participating Frequently
April 9, 2009

This just shows Adobe's true dedication to the DNG format. Something this simple should have been out long before Microsoft upgraded the OS. Vista has been out what 2 or 3 years and we still don't have a non-beta codec and not 64-bit one at all. It is this dedication to DNG that has made me stop converting my raw images to DNG. DNG isn't going any place and I understand now part of the reason why companies like Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc. don't want to support it. I wouldn't touch it either if I was them. Hell, Pentax came out with a Vista codec for their raw files ages ago. Yah, it is only 32-bit but, they got it out, it works fine and it hasn't been in beta for more than a year.

BTW Adobe, these new forums suck. Add back the newsreader access already.

Robert

Participating Frequently
April 9, 2009

> "Something this simple should have been out long before Microsoft upgraded the OS."

In Adobe's defense, developing a codec is far from simple.  It may seem simple since to some people this is an essential part of the OS, but it's not a trivial task.

Participant
March 30, 2009
A third party has a DNG codec that works on Vista 64-bit before Adobe does?

http://www.ardfry.com/dng-codec/

But it's Shareware and $29.95 to register. We shouldn't have to pay for something that Adobe should have done already for free.
PECourtejoie
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 10, 2008
Participant
September 10, 2008
+1 I just discovered this while testing converting my collection to DNG. I'm running x64 windows and I don't know of any pc that is shipping right now that is not using an x64 CPU.

Is there any x64 DNG codec available in beta? Until this is resolved this diminishes the value of Lightroom as I will not be able to use it as I intended.

I agree with sentiment in prior post in that this does not reflect well on Adobe. Without x64, Adobe's commitment to support or foster this as a real standard is suspect at best.
Participant
August 1, 2008
It is simply awful to think that perhaps a 5th or more of the Vista PCs sold this year (and increasing all the time) are x64 machines.

It is high time Adobe that you get this out there. I really need to settle on an archival format and I would prefer DNG but not having a codec (after almost a year and a half of Vista) is appalling.

Adobe, do you even care?
Participant
July 23, 2008
Eric we'll be waiting some more - even though I'm puzzled why Adobe still haven't released a codec for Vista 64 bit as of yet (considering you are trying to push the DNG format over native RAW formats - seems at bit two-faced/double-standard) ?

Pelle
MadManChan2000
Adobe Employee
Adobe Employee
July 20, 2008
Stan,

My understanding is that we will get around to producing a 64-bit version of the DNG Codec. I just don't know when. Thanks for your patience.

Eric
Participant
July 20, 2008
I'd like to add yet another post of support for a 64-bit version. PLEASE, Adobe, there are a lot of us 64-bit users out here!

And no, Kerwin, I'm not surprised by this. It's just frustrating for those of us that have taken the plunge.

I don't think Adobe, other software vendors, or camera manufacturers realized how quickly 64-bit Vista would be adopted. Nikon cited the 2% market share that 64-bit *XP* had for not developing a 64-bit Vista codec. But clearly, you can't base decisions on a 6-year-old OS and PC RAM requirements from that long ago. Forcing everyone to have less than 4 GB of RAM in their computer is ridiculous with today's ever increasing file sizes and OS/application requirements. And, of course, you simply can't address 4 GB of RAM or more on a PC without going 64-bit... something all the vendors seem to be blissfully ignorant of.

Unfortunately, only when I got my new PC did I realize that almost nothing is 64-bit ready, particularly in the photography world... Canon's RAW (CR2) codec isn't, Pentax's RAW (PEF) codec isn't, Nikon's (NEF) codec isn't, Adobe's DNG codec isn't, not even the 800 pound gorilla, Photoshop CS3, is (and yes, I read the (unsatisfactory, IMO) reason Adobe gave for that). Lightroom 2.0 is, but it's a *beta* program that even Adobe recommends you not use for production!

Does everyone want us to buy a Mac? :P

Cheers.
Participant
June 3, 2008
AArgh! I've been waiting (im)patiently for a DNG codec, and was pleasantly surprised when I saw that one had become available. Alas! it's only the 32-bit version and won't work on my x64 Vista. Bummer.
Participant
June 3, 2008
And, that surprises you? Interesting.