Author Topic: searching for blank IPTC fields  (Read 4145 times)

Offline chardinej

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searching for blank IPTC fields
« on: April 08, 2010, 12:31:15 PM »
I have used variables and sub-strings and code replacements to take a part of the fielname and enter information into the caption IPTC field. Now I would like to find the images that have a blank caption field so that I can add these codes to the code replacement file. Can you search for images that a blank in a specific IPTC field?

I am running Photo Mechanic version 4.6.3 and I run Mac OS X 10.5.8 on my duel G5-based Mac.
John

MacBook Air i5/10.8 (Mountain Lion); PM 5 latest build

Offline Kirk Baker

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Re: searching for blank IPTC fields
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2010, 01:26:33 PM »
I have used variables and sub-strings and code replacements to take a part of the fielname and enter information into the caption IPTC field. Now I would like to find the images that have a blank caption field so that I can add these codes to the code replacement file. Can you search for images that a blank in a specific IPTC field?

I am running Photo Mechanic version 4.6.3 and I run Mac OS X 10.5.8 on my duel G5-based Mac.

You can do a Find (but not a Search) with a blank find string, searching the IPTC data of only the Caption field.  All images in the current Contact Sheet with a blank Caption field will be selected when the Find completes.

-Kirk

Offline Hayo Baan

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Re: searching for blank IPTC fields
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2010, 02:02:29 PM »
Apart from the find command Kirk suggested, what I usually do when I want to do something similar to what you are trying to achieve here is use a custom sort.

In your case, I would create a custom sort, sorting on "{caption}" and then all the files without a caption would be the first ones on the contact sheet. It helps if you have {caption} as (one of the) label(s) showing on the contact sheet in this case as well.

Either method should allow you to quickly identify the ones needing your attention.

Cheers,
    Hayo
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Offline chardinej

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Re: searching for blank IPTC fields
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2010, 03:42:32 PM »
Many thanks!
John

MacBook Air i5/10.8 (Mountain Lion); PM 5 latest build

Offline Frank

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Re: searching for blank IPTC fields
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2017, 01:26:37 AM »
Hayo I just used your work around to find blank fields and it works a treat. Thanks for the tip.  :)

Offline Hayo Baan

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Re: searching for blank IPTC fields
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2017, 02:07:54 AM »
Great to hear this 7 year old trick still helps out :)
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