Uneven Syncing of Metadata

[Maczero]

I am still trying out PS as a possible alternative to my current DAM solution. It is a bit two steps forward, one step back at the moment, but there is a lot to like about it. However, one thing that is driving me to distraction at the moment is that it seems to sync metadata unevenly.

I imported a selection of images (a mixture of Raw (NEF) and JPEG) from a card into a clean folder with an import preset to apply common metadata (copyright, creator data etc) to the entire batch. I then applied labels as appropriate to both the JPEGs and Raw files.

What is odd is that when I look at the details tab, in some cases the import metadata has not been applied to certain files (mostly the NEF files as far as I can see) and in other cases the labels have not been applied (or in a few cases misapplied with duplicates). In most cases the JPEGs seem to be fine. I mystified by this. However, i do need reliable synchronisation of metadata and can't see why it should mostly work, but occasionally not ...

Andrew

[Hert]

I think that your images have ore existing metadata and then in import you're applying additional metadata. Then, depending on the detail level of the existing metadata (are there hierarchical keywords there?) you may end up with duplicate catalog labels....one from the import assignment and one from the existing keywords. This will happen when these end up in different hierarchies.

When you're testing these features, test with "virgin" images (out of the cam). If using import for existing images with pre-existing metadata and you want to stay in control, then I wouldn't add extra metadata to the existing metadata during the import, because you probably won't know anymore which metadata ends up where.

[Maczero]

Hi

This is what I did.

I created a new (empty) catalogue database.

I imported images from a card (i.e. not from a folder where other metadata may have been added) with an import preset to add metadata to all images (copyright information, creator information, and image location information since this was common to all images). I did not version the Raw (NEF) + JPG pairs, but imported them as separate images. I then applied some labels to the imported images

The results were as stated - most of the metadata was applied correctly; however, one some NEF images no metadata or partial metadata was recorded. I don't understand why this didn't work for some images, but did for others. JPGs appear to be fine.

I am using the latest MAS version of PS.

Andrew

[Hert]

Hi Andrew,
Thank you for explaining with more detail. I was under the impression that you assigned catalog labels in the Import module, but apparently you did that after the import, which is fine.

When you say that you check the metadata, then what do you check? If the catalog label is available as a keyword? Do the images that you say aren't sync'ed have an orange dot in the lower left corner of the thumb? If so, select the thumb and right click on the thumb and then select Metadata-save metadata to file

[Maczero]

Hi

It had not even occurred to me that the metadata that I thought I had applied had in fact not been successfully applied until I send a number of images to be developed in Capture One Pro 7. The images were sent successfully, but I was to surprised to see that some of the images had no or only partial location metadata (either completely missing or only the country showing) and/or missing keywords (labels applied in PS). As I say it was only a few images that suffered from this problem. Others were correct.

I then went to check whether the data was applied in PS. I used the detail tab for this. This is where i found that some data had apparently not been synced to the images.

I prefer not to write data to Raw images. I have had bad experiences with the loss of data using other photo management programmes in the past.

Andrew

[Hert]

Andrew, did you also see the second question where I asked about the orange dot indicator on the thumbnail?

[weidmic]

I have seen this too a few times. On some pictures the Keywords just did not appear in other software. In my case I write to DNG files. The orange dot was gone...
Since then I just select all images and write a second time all metadata to the images and all keywords are written to the images.

However I do not know how to reproduce this at will...

[Maczero]

Andrew, did you also see the second question where I asked about the orange dot indicator on the thumbnail?

I missed that. I am pretty sure that the orange dot disappeared, although I have messed about with the files since and can't be sure.

Andrew