Metadata Missing for afphoto Files

[wesstl]

I use Affinity photo for Mac instead of Photoshop for my image editor and save my layered images in the Affinity Photo native afphoto format. Photo Supreme doesn't have any issues with showing the thumbnails but it doesn't display the metadata; everything (camera, lens etc) is blank. I was hoping this would be addressed in v7 but, alas, it was not. I know the metadata is still there because it shows in Affinity Photo. Is this a known issue with PS or is it just me?

[wesstl]

Never received a response to this question. Anyone else have this issue in Photo Supreme?

[apanella]

I would guess you want to hear is guidance on how to use Affinity with PS and get the keywords to match. Unfortunately, I can't help you with that answer.

The reason you may not have been getting a response is because how the question can lead to contentious dialogs. I can say I have seen many forum wars on the topic of keywording with tool du' jour with endless banter about "how things should be done". Many long discussions on the topic on keywording effectiveness of these different tools. It never ends well.

I am taking a chance, but here is my humble take on the whole thing...

I would expect many have multiple tools that do keywording. I have three (four?) that I could use to edit keywords. BUT.....

I think the best guidance that has been shared on the topic is... "Use one and only one tool for keywording."

I know I have read this same guidance in a few places... and after beating my head against the wall for a long time, I came to the realization this is sound advice! PSU has implemented keywording in such a way that any tool that can follow the XML-based standards can use all the keywords that I have painstakingly put on all files. NO vendor lock-in... just plain old good citizenship and transparency by Hert.


This being said, it does seem the AFPhoto files have their own internal keyword feature. I am not 100% sure, but it seems that internal keywording features may not be exposed publicly. But even if they are, the basic tenant of using only one tool for keywording is what I would fall back on to keep things neat and orderly.

YMMV.

[wesstl]

Thanks but I'm not talking about keywording; I'm talking about exif data including camera, lens etc. It shows in the file in Affinity but not for any afphoto format files in Photo Supreme. I know it's there; PS just can't display it.

[Hert]

Keep in mind that afphoto is a closed format: they don’t document the format so 3rd parties can benefit from their format.
Either way, update to build 4722. Then right click on a afphoto file and select “Metadata-Read metadata from File”. If that doesn’t bring in metadata then use Metadata-Convert metadata to XMP”

Metadata from afphoto files will always be written as a sidecar XMP file.

[smadell]

I can't get this to work, Hert. I generally have raw, afphoto, and jpg files catalogued for each of my photos. On disk, they are stored in separate folders, but in PS they are versioned. Both the JPG and the raw files have all the appropriate EXIF data showing up in the grid, but the Affinity Photo files have either no data, or an incorrect date, showing. If I open the folder which contains the afphoto files, each of my image files has an associated XMP file, so I assume that the data is there. As wessti noted above, the metadata shows up easily when the file(s) are opened in Affinity Photo. I tried the fix noted above (Read metadata from file, or Convert metadata to XMP) but neither changed anything. I also tried this on afphoto files created in Version 1 and in Version 2 of Affinity Photo, but neither of the files responded.

I can get metadata to display if I choose the JPG (which is at the "top" of the version) and choose to "cascade" metadata to the entire version. I wouldn't mind this fix, except that it seems to be a one-at-a-time process and would be cumbersome in the extreme to try to do this for all my afphoto files.

[Hert]

1. Select the afphoto file (that holds Exif). Tip go to section Types -> AFPHOTO
2. Select a thumb (or more, but start with a few)
3. Right click on the thumb
4. Select Metadata -> Convert metadata to XMP

[wesstl]

Because my afphoto files are all part of a version set with the Raw file, I ended up doing a dynamic search for Raw format + Version Set, select all and Cascade. Takes awhile but works for me.

[smadell]

The metadata display for Affinity Photo files remains an issue for me. As I said before (above), my Affinity files are generally part of a Version Set that also includes a raw file and a JPG file (with the JPG being the main version). I can identify all of these version sets with a filter, but cascading metadata from the JPG to the rest of the version stack must be done one set at a time. This is horribly cumbersome.

There is a script in the Repository for cascading metadata for multiple version sets, but my understanding is that this does not work in Version 7 [and, I presume, in version 8]. Is there an updated script that can be used? Can anyone out there create such a script that would be compatible with version 8? Such a task is beyond my ken, but it would undoubtedly be helpful to many users.

[Hert]

Change the line:

Code: Select all

        PublicCatalog.CascadeMetaForItem (AMain, Options.CachedXMP);                       // cascade the main version's meta data to all sub versions

to

Code: Select all

        PublicCatalog.CascadeMetaForItem (AMain);                       // cascade the main version's meta data to all sub versions

And you should be able to use it in newer versions.

[gcorbin]

I also use Affinity Photo with JPG, raw and affinity files as a version set. I also cascade from the JPG to affinity files so all three versions have the same metadata. I just select all the JPGs of the version sets and then cascade from this version to the version set. You can cascade multiple version sets in one operation. You don't have to do one at a time. It is quick and easy.

[smadell]

Thank you, Hert! That script (with the change suggested) has made all the difference.