Author Topic: Moving Annotations from Expression Media  (Read 6718 times)

Offline bstevent

  • Newcomer
  • *
  • Posts: 14
    • View Profile
Moving Annotations from Expression Media
« on: April 20, 2012, 01:39:42 PM »
I'l like to have Photo Mechanic recognize the annotations I've added to files in an Expression Media catalog. I've started a migration process and would like to do this the easiest way.

There is no problem with keywords. Photo Mechanic sees the keywords added by Expression media.

I'm wondering if anyone has suggests for any of the following EM annotations:
1. catalog sets
2. annotations in the people field
3. star ratings (EM will pick up star ratings applied in Photo Mechanic but not vice versa)

Bob


Offline Kirk Baker

  • Senior Software Engineer
  • Camera Bits Staff
  • Superhero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 24730
    • View Profile
    • Camera Bits, Inc.
Re: Moving Annotations from Expression Media
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2012, 03:05:48 PM »
Bob,

PM is not going to understand your catalog sets.
Is their 'people field' stored in XMP?
Star ratings: I take it that EM doesn't write ratings to XMP?

-Kirk

Offline bstevent

  • Newcomer
  • *
  • Posts: 14
    • View Profile
Re: Moving Annotations from Expression Media
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2012, 08:26:09 PM »
Star ratings:
Photo Mechanic doesn't see the star ratings applied by Expression Media. However, EM does see star ratings applied in Photo Mechanic.

The EM manual says the following about syncing catalog annotations to files. There may be an answer to your question in here:

*****
Sync annotations

Adding annotation information to media items in an Expression Media catalog does not embed annotations into the original file. The annotations only exist in the catalog.

To write or embed annotations into a file, on the Action menu, click Sync Annotations. This command lets you embed annotation information from the catalog into the original files. It also lets you import annotations, by rescanning files for metadata added outside Expression Media
with another application.

The synchronizing function applies only to annotations that are part of the IPTC, QuickTime, or XMP metadata standards. Custom metadata fields and Catalog Sets are now written to files as part of the XMP standard.

This function is particularly useful, because Expression Media lets you view, classify, and batch annotate a large number of media items and then exports the changes to the original files, saving hours of time opening and editing individual files. It is also useful for updating annotations that have been modified by applications outside of Expression Media.

Annotations that have been written into the file can be read by other applications that can read the IPTC, QuickTime, or XMP metadata standards, such as Photoshop or Graphic Converter.

Expression Media supports only the export of XMP metadata to .jpg, .tif and Photoshop formats.

Expression Media supports synchronizing annotations in the following Raw formats: Nikon, Kodak and Adobe Digital Negative (DNG) and Canon CR2 files. For more information,

Note: Synchronizing cannot be undone.

*****

Offline Hayo Baan

  • Uber Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2552
  • Professional Photographer & Software Developer
    • View Profile
    • Hayo Baan - Photography
Re: Moving Annotations from Expression Media
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2012, 02:18:38 AM »
From the explanation it looks like Sync Annotations is going to solve your problem with PM not seeing the meta data entered in EM.

One advise: before you run that command, make a full backup of your images that way when something goes wrong, you still have your files.
Hayo Baan - Photography
Web: www.hayobaan.nl

Offline platti

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 186
    • View Profile
    • my gallery on zenfolio
Re: Moving Annotations from Expression Media
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2012, 11:34:25 AM »
Hi,

As Kirk mentioned, catalog sets (including MediaPro fields like "people") are not recognized outside MediaPro.
Starrating is recognized via "sync Annotations"
greets from a hill
my gallery on zenfolio

Offline bstevent

  • Newcomer
  • *
  • Posts: 14
    • View Profile
Re: Moving Annotations from Expression Media
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2012, 09:26:45 AM »
1. Star Ratings

Thanks for the comments but star ratings applied in EM are NOT recognized by PM. Sync doesn't help -- I've tried that. Syncing WILL allow EM to pick up star ratings applied in PM but not vice versa. I want to move the other way. I'm leaving Expression Media behind and hope to find a way to move the star ratings over without a lot of work. (I've used EM since it started as iView but it no longer displays the edits made to .nef files properly and this isn't going to be fixed by Phase One).

I do have a time-consuming workaround. I start in EM. I copy all the files from a particular folder with the same star rating into a temporary folder. I then remove the star ratings and sync the files. I then open them in PM and apply the same star rating. If I go back to EM and sync, then both programs see the same star rating. I just have to remember to make no changes when in EM.

There may be some combination of preference settings that could get PM to see EM's star ratings -- but I haven't found it!

2. Catalog Sets

EM has to store this information somewhere in the file -- you can sync it to the file. I was hoping to find a way to read the information.

Bob


Offline Kirk Baker

  • Senior Software Engineer
  • Camera Bits Staff
  • Superhero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 24730
    • View Profile
    • Camera Bits, Inc.
Re: Moving Annotations from Expression Media
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2012, 10:34:42 AM »
Bob,

1. Star Ratings

Thanks for the comments but star ratings applied in EM are NOT recognized by PM. Sync doesn't help -- I've tried that. Syncing WILL allow EM to pick up star ratings applied in PM but not vice versa. I want to move the other way. I'm leaving Expression Media behind and hope to find a way to move the star ratings over without a lot of work. (I've used EM since it started as iView but it no longer displays the edits made to .nef files properly and this isn't going to be fixed by Phase One).

I do have a time-consuming workaround. I start in EM. I copy all the files from a particular folder with the same star rating into a temporary folder. I then remove the star ratings and sync the files. I then open them in PM and apply the same star rating. If I go back to EM and sync, then both programs see the same star rating. I just have to remember to make no changes when in EM.

There may be some combination of preference settings that could get PM to see EM's star ratings -- but I haven't found it!

What kind of files are they?  RAW?  JPEG?  TIFF?
Does EM update XMP?
Are you embedding XMP with PM?  Does EM update embedded XMP?

-Kirk

Offline bstevent

  • Newcomer
  • *
  • Posts: 14
    • View Profile
Re: Moving Annotations from Expression Media
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2012, 08:21:58 AM »
Most are raw files (NEF).

I'm not sure about EM updating or embedding XMP.

Tell me which preference settings to check with PM.

I sound vague because I don't really understand how IPTC and XMP work or interact. Refer me to some beginners reading on this if you can.

Bob


[/quote]

What kind of files are they?  RAW?  JPEG?  TIFF?
Does EM update XMP?
Are you embedding XMP with PM?  Does EM update embedded XMP?

-Kirk

[/quote]