Variables Cease Being Variables When Copied?

[CPL]

When using the metadata "Info" screen (accessed by pressing "I") and you insert a variable, the value will not be placed on the template until you click "Save" or "Save & ->". This makes sense since the value is pulled from the database upon saving.
If I click on "<-" and go back to that image, I see the value the variable pulled from the database. This is correct.

But now if I click "Copy" and then advance to the next image with "->" or "Save & ->" and click on "Paste", the values that are pasted to the current image are the text values pulled from the database from the previous image which does not represent the current image.

Is there a way to use the "Info" screen to copy/paste template data using variables and have them update properly from one image to the next without re-inserting a variable each time?

I know I can use "Apply Metadata Template" but I'd like more flexibility as I keyword and cull, etc.

Thank you.

Garry

[Kirk Baker]

Garry,

When using the metadata "Info" screen (accessed by pressing "I") and you insert a variable, the value will not be placed on the template until you click "Save" or "Save & ->". This makes sense since the value is pulled from the database upon saving.
If I click on "<-" and go back to that image, I see the value the variable pulled from the database. This is correct.

But now if I click "Copy" and then advance to the next image with "->" or "Save & ->" and click on "Paste", the values that are pasted to the current image are the text values pulled from the database from the previous image which does not represent the current image.

The data is copied from the dialog itself so what you see is what you get.  If the variables have already been evaluated when you make the copy, then you're going to get what you see in the dialog.

Is there a way to use the "Info" screen to copy/paste template data using variables and have them update properly from one image to the next without re-inserting a variable each time?

No.  For it to be able to do that, the pre-evaluation variables would have to be retained and restored when you return to the previous image (which would likely confuse many users since they would see the variables again and not what they evaluated into and would think that something was broken.)

I know I can use "Apply Metadata Template" but I'd like more flexibility as I keyword and cull, etc.

Using the Copy button before you do the Save & -> will indeed copy the contents, including the variables without them having been evaluated, which you can then paste to later images and then you'll see the pre-evaluated variables.

-Kirk

[CPL]

Well, that 's the one thing I didn't try and it makes absolute sense.

Thank you.

Garry