Catalog Naming Practices

[mark24]

Along with the move to a new Windows 11 desktop, I want to transition to a new image database program.

My images are on a NAS stored in a structure where the folder names have significance as to the contents, e.g.  "\Location\YYYY + Event Name\Activity Name During Event" where any number of Activities could occur during the event.  In general, I would want to find images associated with a specific activity.  The majority of the images are related to motorsports.

Option 1. One could create a single catalog for the Location and use the rest of the file structure names (YYYY + Event Name, Activity Name During Event) as searchable keywords/other parameters.  In this scenario,to find images of a specific activity, you would have to know what activities exist before you can search.  This approach would yield the minimum number of catalogs.

Option 2. At the other end of the spectrum, one could create multiple catalogs with naming that includes the current file path information.  In this scenario, the catalog name itself gets you down to the activity and you can immediately see all the images in that activity.  However, his approach would create the maximum number of catalogs.

Option 1 would be my preferred approach but Option 2 seems more practical.

Option 1 could more usable if it's possible to find all the unique keywords/other parameters ala SQL SELECT DISTINCT ... .  This would allow you to find out what activites were actually defined in the catalog.  Is this possible?

What are the other options or methodologies I am overlooking, I'm certain there are many? TIA

Best Regards

[mark24]

I think I have a workable plan within the PM+ structure, 1 catalog for each event, and then 1 collection for each activity.  A motorcycle race event might have 10 different races plus miscellaneous images from the pits/paddock etc.; in this scenario, all the images are in one catalog, and each collection would be a specific activity like a race or paddock walk.

One additional question though:

The preference item 'set embedded IPTC/XMP' option is currently false, but when I apply the template to a selected image, the original JPG file is modified with what appears to the the template keywords.

1. Does the JPG get updated every time you apply the IPTC template? With the option set to false, I assumed only the XMP file would be updated.
2. Is it possible to not touch the original files i.e. only update the XMP?

TIA

Best Regards

[ahoward]

The setting that you are referring to only controls whether embedded IPTC metadata is updated.

With the option set to false, I assumed only the XMP file would be updated.

You are correct. Regardless of the state of that checkbox, embedded XMP is always updated for JPEGs, so the file will always be modified if you update its metadata in Photo Mechanic.

I think I have a workable plan within the PM+ structure, 1 catalog for each event, and then 1 collection for each activity.

Personally I think having a single catalog and then utilizing collections and subcollections makes the most sense (for example: Racing as a top level collection, motorcycle racing and auto racing as a subcollections, each event gets a subcollection, and each individual race is a subcollection of that. But there is no one size fits all solution. If the way you described works for your system, then there's nothing wrong with that.

I will note that from time to time, when we release new builds of Photo Mechanic Plus, it is required that you perform a quick update on each catalog. While the operation doesn't take long, and its not required often, it can be a bit tedious if you have a lot of catalogs.

[mark24]

Thanks for your reply.

I was not clear, with the option set to false I fully expected the XMP file to be updated but I was not expecting the JPG file to be modified.

As a test, I recovered an unmodified JPG from backup and deleted the corresponding XMP which had been created earlier.  IOW, a fresh JPG with no XMP.  With the option off, I applied the template and (1) the XMP was created as expected, (2) the JPG was modified.

While this is not a show stopper, I would like to understand the behavior.

Best Regards

[ahoward]

I applied the template and (1) the XMP was created as expected, (2) the JPG was modified.

While this is not a show stopper, I would like to understand the behavior.

XMP is embedded in JPEG files. In order for that to update, it has to modify the file. Are you seeing a standalone XMP file get created after updating a JPEG's metadata as well?

[mark24]

[/quote]
XMP is embedded in JPEG files. In order for that to update, it has to modify the file. Are you seeing a standalone XMP file get created after updating a JPEG's metadata as well?
[/quote]

Yes, a standalone XMP is created/updated and the JPG is also updated (see attached)

However, my interpretation of the option (see attached) is that only the XMP is created/updated and that the JPG would remain untouched.

It sounds like the JPG file will always be modified regardless of the preference setting? TIA

Best Regards



Best Regards,

[ahoward]

Just to clarify: there's no RAW file with the same name in this folder, right? When you are updating this image in Photo Mechanic, there's just the .JPG extension after the filename, not .JPG+.NEF/CR2/ARW etc.?

If it is just a JPEG, this should not be happening. It should only be updating the embedded XMP. If there is no RAW file accompanying the JPEG in the folder, I think I'd like to see a screen recording of this happening, as Photo Mechanic should not be creating XMP files for these JPEGs.

[mark24]

Just to clarify: there's no RAW file with the same name in this folder, right? When you are updating this image in Photo Mechanic, there's just the .JPG extension after the filename, not .JPG+.NEF/CR2/ARW etc.?

If it is just a JPEG, this should not be happening. It should only be updating the embedded XMP. If there is no RAW file accompanying the JPEG in the folder, I think I'd like to see a screen recording of this happening, as Photo Mechanic should not be creating XMP files for these JPEGs.

There is an NEF raw file as well (see attached); the NEF is not being touched.  The previous screen caps were sorted by newest modification.

Best Regards

[ahoward]

Thank you for clarifying. The XMP file is being updated because of the RAW file. The JPEG is being updated because Photo Mechanic is writing the XMP in the file.

[mark24]

Thanks for the explanation.  I have a lot images to process and it's good to know what the expexted results should look like.

Best Regards