Duplicating metadata from one set of images to another

[Jeff Wasserman]

Sorry if this has been covered before. I am a commercial photographer and have a workflow that includes Photo Mechanic and Capture One:

1. Shoot tethered to Capture One with RAW image files
2. In Capture One move my selected images to the Selection folder with Capture One
3. Open the Selection folder in Photo Mechanic and put in metadata including keywords, titles, etc.
4. Close Photo Mechanic and export the images as TIFFs from Capture One

Now all file versions images going forward will have the meta data embedded.

Except .... the latest versions of Capture One strips the images of metadata added in Photo Mechanic (Capture One support is aware of the issue)

I now want to continue to add the metadata in Photo Mechanic at the RAW stage but want to have the metadata copied to the exported TIFF images as a batch in Photo Mechanic. Each image can potentially have unique metadata so it has to match 1 to 1. File names will be the same except for the extension.

Is there a way to accomplish this? 

[Bob Russell]

Yes. After you have added the metadata in Step 3, select the images and then use the Text Exporter Template from the Export utility, in the File menu.
- Add the IPTC fields variables to the center field, for each field you need to export. The tab variable will separate each IPTC field variable. Eg, {fbas}{tab}{keyw}{tab}{capt}{tab}{prsn}{tab}{phtg}       to export the keywords, caption, persons and photographer fields.  Export the text file.
- Go to the Edit menu -> Settings -> Set Code Replacement and Add the text file you just export. My example is using the = sign for the delimiting character.
- Now setup the Metadata (IPTC) Template from the Image menu, with the matching code replacement variables in the fields.
  Eg from the example above, the Keywords field will have ={fbas}#1=, the Caption field will have ={fbas}#2=, the Persons Shown field will have ={fbas}#3= and the Photographer field will have ={fbas}#4=.
- Now you will open a contact sheet on the Tiff files in Step 4, select all and apply the Metadata (IPTC) Template. I recommend testing how the Metadata Template updates one image to make sure you have the correct variables in the matching fields.  If it updates the same as the original, then you should be all set for a batch update.

Best regards,

--Bob

[Jeff Wasserman]

Many thnx Bob. I will give it a try.

[Jeff Wasserman]

Unfortunately this on seems to only work if the inputted metadata is the same from image to image. In my case each image has unique metadata.

[ahoward]

Unfortunately this on seems to only work if the inputted metadata is the same from image to image. In my case each image has unique metadata.

Sounds like you missed a step, Bob's instructions are for exactly what you are trying to do. Might be best if you provided us with screenshots or a screen recording of you following Bob's instructions so we can tell you what to change.

[Bob Russell]

Hi Jeff,

  I have attached a Photo Mechanic preference import file that will add some snapshots to the Text Exporter and Metadata (IPTC) Template dialogs. Go to Photo Mechanic's Preferences or Settings from the Mac Photo Mechanic menu or Windows Edit menu. Click the Import button at the bottom to open a Browse dialog. Locate the PM_MD-xfer_snapshots.pmx file you downloaded in your Downloads folder and Open it. A list of 6 selected items will open next. Click the Import button to continue. Close the Preference dialog if it's still open. Now the Text Exporter utility will have 3 new snapshots in the Snapshot menu ( lightning bolt button ) at the bottom left.  My video example is using the Custom_Set_Xfer_10_H1 snapshot in the Text Exporter and the matching snapshot in the Metadata (IPTC) Template.  The Custom_Set_Xfer_Default snapshots will transfer all of the default fields.

Best regards,

--Bob

[Bob Russell]

It doesn't look like the pmx file made it on the last post.

[Jeff Wasserman]

Many thanks Bob! I realize I did miss a step in the process. That video and template are great. I will try it tonight.

[Jeff Wasserman]

No luck. I think I am doing everything as per the video but possible I am making an error somewhere. I've enclosed a screen grab of the result I am getting at the end of the process.

[ahoward]

It looks like you haven't set your Code Replacement delimiter to be '='

Edit -> Settings -> 'Set Code Replacements', and make sure the Delimiter character is =

[Jeff Wasserman]

Thanks! I will do that.

[Jeff Wasserman]

That was indeed my problem! Works great now. Many thanks.

[Stenis]

Yes. After you have added the metadata in Step 3, select the images and then use the Text Exporter Template from the Export utility, in the File menu.
- Add the IPTC fields variables to the center field, for each field you need to export. The tab variable will separate each IPTC field variable. Eg, {fbas}{tab}{keyw}{tab}{capt}{tab}{prsn}{tab}{phtg}       to export the keywords, caption, persons and photographer fields.  Export the text file.
- Go to the Edit menu -> Settings -> Set Code Replacement and Add the text file you just export. My example is using the = sign for the delimiting character.
- Now setup the Metadata (IPTC) Template from the Image menu, with the matching code replacement variables in the fields.
  Eg from the example above, the Keywords field will have ={fbas}#1=, the Caption field will have ={fbas}#2=, the Persons Shown field will have ={fbas}#3= and the Photographer field will have ={fbas}#4=.
- Now you will open a contact sheet on the Tiff files in Step 4, select all and apply the Metadata (IPTC) Template. I recommend testing how the Metadata Template updates one image to make sure you have the correct variables in the matching fields.  If it updates the same as the original, then you should be all set for a batch update.

Best regards,

--Bob

Unbelievable you have thought about a solution for this too :-) Impressed me!