Delete metadata not working with PM ver 5.0 build 19094 (12cba6f)

[vAfotoriporter]

I just updated to Photo Mechanic Version 5.0, build 19094 (12cba6f) and delete metadata stopped working what is an important feature for my workflow - not to mention I've been long missing the option to have a check box to delete only GPS coordinates or that along other types of metadata.

I most often use the delete metadata tool to remove IPTC and XMP info from the photos. It used to work before, but not with the current update.

Please repair the delete metadata tool!

I'm using a 15" retina MacBook Pro with TouchBar running OSX Sierra Ver 10.12.6 (16G29)

[vAfotoriporter]

I tried to bring the photos to another computer with older PM version. It shows the Metadata was deleted. When I went back to the updated PM and overwrote the photos coming from the older PM metadata was indeed deleted. But before I moved the photos to the other computer PM build 19094 (12cba6f) didn't show me the metadata delete being done. I tried refreshing (F5), quit and restart open the contact sheet again and it still showed me the metadata being there in the thumbnails view.

[Bob Russell]

I just tested the Delete metadata utility on my X.12.6 Mac with some Canon CR2 raw files and so far everything is working as expected with the new build 19094.   What file type(s) are you working with and where are they located in your system?  If they are on an external drive, make sure you have write permissions. If the drive is set to read only then Photo Mechanic won't be able to modify the files.

--Bob

[vAfotoriporter]

I tried it with JPG files exported from LR into a subfolder of the RAW files held in a folder on the MacHD (path: MacHD/Event RAW folder/exported JPG folder).
It appears to me that most of the metadata is deleted, but the Captions and some other fields stay.

[Kirk Baker]

I tried it with JPG files exported from LR into a subfolder of the RAW files held in a folder on the MacHD (path: MacHD/Event RAW folder/exported JPG folder).
It appears to me that most of the metadata is deleted, but the Captions and some other fields stay.

We're having trouble reproducing the problem on our end.  So we need sample files, and a set of steps to follow in order to reproduce the problem (screenshots of settings are also useful) and once we can reproduce the problem then we can very likely fix it in short order.

-Kirk

[vAfotoriporter]

Thanks Kirk, is there any other settings panel that should effect the way delete metadata tool works other than the Delete metadata dialog displayed right after I click Tools/Delete metadata in the menu?

I use the following settings for my deletition:


Until the recent upgrade it just seemed to work fine for me. I selected the images, clicked Delete metadata and it seemed to do just what I wanted Caption and all the other IPTC data disappeared.

Now I started checking my older photos that seemed to be wiped of the caption and other IPTC and I see the Caption, Creator/Photographer, Copyright fields were left in tact in them. So the new version shows info in files that was supposed and showed up as being deleted by the old version.

I send you sample files in PM.

[Bob Russell]

Thank you for the sample files.  The files in the woIPTC folder do not have either the IPTC or XMP metadata sections, so it looks like Photo Mechanic's Delete Metadata utility is working correctly.  The Exif section has the Image description ( caption field ), the Artist ( photographer field ), the Copyright ( copyright field ) and Software ( Adobe LR 6.10.1 Mac ), written by Adobe. 
 
  If you need this metadata removed, then you can use Photo Mechanic's Delete Metadata and check the Exif box.  This will remove caption field, copyright and photographer info plus all the camera info including the original capture date.   If you just want to clear the Caption, Photographer and Copyright fields and maintain the rest of the Exif metadata, then you can do 2 things. Use Photo Mechanic's IPTC Stationary Pad to batch erase these fields.  Just check the Apply box for the Caption, Photographer and Copyright fields and leave the fields empty. The Exif section will still have the Image description, Copyright and Artist metadata by Photo Mechanic and Photoshop will no longer display the metadata due to an IPTC record with empty caption, photographer and copyright fields.   If you want to completely remove the Exif Image description, Artist and Copyright metadata and preserve the remaining Exif info, then you will need to open the file in Photoshop, open the File Info from the File menu and clear these fields. Now when the file is saved, the Exif section will not have any of this unwanted metadata.

--Bob

[vAfotoriporter]

Thank you for the sample files.  The files in the woIPTC folder do not have either the IPTC or XMP metadata sections, so it looks like Photo Mechanic's Delete Metadata utility is working correctly.  The Exif section has the Image description ( caption field ), the Artist ( photographer field ), the Copyright ( copyright field ) and Software ( Adobe LR 6.10.1 Mac ), written by Adobe. 
 
  If you need this metadata removed, then you can use Photo Mechanic's Delete Metadata and check the Exif box.  This will remove caption field, copyright and photographer info plus all the camera info including the original capture date.   If you just want to clear the Caption, Photographer and Copyright fields and maintain the rest of the Exif metadata, then you can do 2 things. Use Photo Mechanic's IPTC Stationary Pad to batch erase these fields.  Just check the Apply box for the Caption, Photographer and Copyright fields and leave the fields empty. The Exif section will still have the Image description, Copyright and Artist metadata by Photo Mechanic and Photoshop will no longer display the metadata due to an IPTC record with empty caption, photographer and copyright fields.   If you want to completely remove the Exif Image description, Artist and Copyright metadata and preserve the remaining Exif info, then you will need to open the file in Photoshop, open the File Info from the File menu and clear these fields. Now when the file is saved, the Exif section will not have any of this unwanted metadata.

--Bob

Thanks for the solution bob. In this light I have a completely new problem and question: is there any way for PM to write the caption only into the IPTC fields, but not into the EXIF Image description?
I only use PM to edit the captions (I don't even use PS and I don't edit captions in LR) so the only program writing the image description into the EXIF can be PM - but it cannot remove it without deleting all the camera infos, so I would rather have PM not add my caption to the EXIF only to IPTC. I tried to find, but see no option for this.