Author Topic: What puts which metadata where?  (Read 13657 times)

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David Dyer-Bennet

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What puts which metadata where?
« on: 2014-08-11 22:30:18 »
A big problem with recent versions of Thumbs Plus has been that the metadata handling is completely changed, and not well explained.  I've been trying to come to terms with some of it, and my latest abomination is this:

If I use the File / Edit Metadata dialog to append keywords to a jpg image, they're stored just in the Thumbs Plus database, not in the .jpg file.  However, if I use the same File / Edit Metadata dialog and tell it to append to the Supplemental Categories field, *that* goes into the jpg file (as tested by using Irfan View to examine what's in the file after making the change).  

It's this kind of thing that drives users bonkers.  I've seen a really large number of comments, even whole threads, here where people are confused and unhappy with this new metadata handling mechanism.  I agree, the old one worked a LOT better; this new scheme doesn't actually work at all -- there's no way I can find to put keywords into a file with Thumbs Plus any more.

jefrs

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What puts which metadata where?
« Reply #1 on: 2014-08-12 03:16:20 »
The problem with TP9 metadata handling is it is completely fritzed.

The Keywords can be added to the database from the Database menu. From the database they should find their way into the file's metadata. They can also be added from the file properties. They can also be added from the metadata by way of the metadata editor, but that mangles the process.

If I open the "Batch edit file metadata" and save my file and then run it, then (1) it doesn't so what I wanted and (2) the next time I load the file it will be different to what I saved.

TP9 cannot set the "Creator" metadata field at all, this is the creator and owner of the file, probably the most important field after "Copyright".

I too am looking for a way to quickly and reliably add keywords and set IPTC fields, and it has to be done in bulk because I have a lot of stuff to process.

So please, if anyone knows how to do this, or if someone is working on it to fix it, do tell.

jefrs

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What puts which metadata where?
« Reply #2 on: 2014-08-12 03:43:03 »
What I didn't emphasize is how important the metadata edit is.

I've been using TP for many years instead of other photo cataloguing software because it could quickly complete the IPTC fields, and occasionally do a little edit to straighten or crop the picture with little resampling data loss.

Cataloguing the pictures is of secondary importance, windoze can do that.
I find myself obliged to use PhotoFun Studio (not a lot of fun) to correctly import Panasonic files without stripping data and to preview their proprietary rw2 raw files without the customary purple tinge, it also catalogues the pictures. So does Photoshop Elements, Lightroom and several others. PhotoME (Photo Metadata Editor) is a very powerful free metadata viewer/editor but it can only do one file at a time.

Daan van Rooijen

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What puts which metadata where?
« Reply #3 on: 2014-08-16 15:15:34 »
> A big problem with recent versions of Thumbs Plus has been that the metadata handling is completely changed, and not well explained.

Yep :)

> If I use the File / Edit Metadata dialog to append keywords to a jpg image, they're stored just in the Thumbs Plus database, not in the .jpg file.

I can't confirm that and it's not how it should work. It *should* store the keywords in the file's IPTC header (and does, for me, but maybe not consistently.. I'd have to look deeper into that). And from there, it should only copy them into the database if you have the relevant setting activated under Options | Keywords.

Personally I don't feel very comfortable using the new metadata batch editor (because it rewrites precious image files and I don't think it has seen much testing) and I think it requires more testing, documenting, and possibly an interface overhaul.

At any rate, the regular keyword editor in ThumbsPlus (Assign Keywords [Ctrl-K] or through File Properties) deals only with database keywords, which have been in ThumbsPlus since long before the introduction of the first commercial digital camera.

The only mechanism in TP9 to transfer database keywords to the files themselves is through (Batch) Edit Metadata.  In TP7 you would use the IPTC editor to perform that task and it did a great and reliable job - like you, I'm sorry that it is no longer available in TP9.
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jefrs

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What puts which metadata where?
« Reply #4 on: 2014-08-18 14:53:11 »
Ok, TP7 /does/ run under Win8 64-bit very nicely.

TP9 I notice also damages the metadata so that PhotoFun can no longer tell me what camera settings were used (probably in the Manufacturer Info) but TP7 does not do this.

So it is back to TP7 for me. What a waste of milk.

Daan van Rooijen

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What puts which metadata where?
« Reply #5 on: 2014-08-18 15:55:41 »
> TP9 I notice also damages the metadata

Could you tell me what you did in TP9 that made this happen and what type of file (and, preferably, from which camera model) was affected?
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