Error when writing metadata to jpeg images

[gnoelken]

After recently evaluating IMatch I purchased it and decided to change from flat keywords/categories to a hierarchical structure. I changed a small sample as outlined here:



After writing back the metadata, several images had a yellow error icon as in this example:



When I view those files in Windows Explorer I see that they were not updated by exiftool, but the category view in IMatch still shows the hierarchical structure.

Hovering over the error icon I get this message:



I rescan the image as the error message suggests, but nothing changes.

I cannot rewrite the metadata because the "Unwritten Metadata" icon does not appear indicating there is new metadata to write.

I have run the Database diagnostics tool. Although some metadata errors were found, these images are not included in the "Pending Metadata Write-back" Collection.

I did find that, if I made a change to the metadata (e.g., add a description), the unwritten metadata icon appears and I can click it to update the metadata and the error icon disappears. When I look at this file in Windows Explorer, the description is written, but the flat categories remain (or, rather, exiftool did not reflect the IMatch database categories).

I don't see any way in IMatch to "force" exiftool to write (or rewrite) the changes that are recorded in the IMatch database. How do I correct these images?

Also, I attempted to find all images with an error using this procedure from Mario in an old post:

You are warming up a very old thread.

What do you want to archive? Find all files for which ExifTool has reported errors?

You can use the Filter Panel for this purpose:

1. Add a Value Filter
2. Select the tag Extra\Error
3. Select the Database Node in the Media & Folders View to bring all files in the database in scope (into the file window).



Note: To set the Extra\Error tag for the value filter, open the tag selector dialog, switch to the Search all Tags tab and enter extra into the group box to find all Extra tags:











[attachment deleted by admin]

When I do this 3 images appear:



These messages have error messages associated with them when I hover my mouse over the error icon.

None of the images with the error icon in my hierarchical structure categories (above) appear.

Any other suggestions for how to filter these images with the error icon? Going through the image panel and modifying each individual image as outlined above would be tedious. I estimate there are 30 - 50 of the jpg images.

Any help correcting this issues is much appreciated.

Thanks for any help.

Greg

[gnoelken]

Sorry...the images I included in my post did not appear. (This is my first post to the forum). I've updated my post and included the images as attachments (see below). I provided a URL between the image tags and expected them to be included. Are images not allowed in this forum?
Greg


After recently evaluating IMatch I purchased it and decided to change from flat keywords/categories to a hierarchical structure. I changed a small sample as outlined here:

(If no image appears here see attachment "Screenshot 2020-09-17 142158.jpg")

After writing back the metadata, several images had a yellow error icon as in this example:

(If no image appears here see attachment "Screenshot 2020-09-17 144319.jpg")

When I view those files in Windows Explorer I see that they were not updated by exiftool, but the category view in IMatch still shows the hierarchical structure.

Hovering over the error icon I get this message:

(If no image appears here see attachment "Screenshot 2020-09-17 154318.jpg")

I rescan the image as the error message suggests, but nothing changes.

I cannot rewrite the metadata because the "Unwritten Metadata" icon does not appear indicating there is new metadata to write.

I have run the Database diagnostics tool. Although some metadata errors were found, these images are not included in the "Pending Metadata Write-back" Collection.

I did find that, if I made a change to the metadata (e.g., add a description), the unwritten metadata icon appears and I can click it to update the metadata and the error icon disappears. When I look at this file in Windows Explorer, the description is written, but the flat categories remain (or, rather, exiftool did not reflect the IMatch database categories).

I don't see any way in IMatch to "force" exiftool to write (or rewrite) the changes that are recorded in the IMatch database. How do I correct these images?

Also, I attempted to find all images with an error using this procedure from Mario in an old post:

You are warming up a very old thread.

What do you want to archive? Find all files for which ExifTool has reported errors?

You can use the Filter Panel for this purpose:

1. Add a Value Filter
2. Select the tag Extra\Error
3. Select the Database Node in the Media & Folders View to bring all files in the database in scope (into the file window).



Note: To set the Extra\Error tag for the value filter, open the tag selector dialog, switch to the Search all Tags tab and enter extra into the group box to find all Extra tags:











[attachment deleted by admin]

When I do this 3 images appear:

  (If no image appears here see attachment "Screenshot 2020-09-17 153511.jpg")

These messages have error messages associated with them when I hover my mouse over the error icon.

None of the images with the error icon in my hierarchical structure categories (above) appear.

Any other suggestions for how to filter these images with the error icon? Going through the image panel and modifying each individual image as outlined above would be tedious. I estimate there are 30 - 50 of the jpg images.

Any help correcting this issues is much appreciated.

Thanks for any help.

Greg

[Mario]

1. Always include the IMatch log file (see log file) from the session where you experienced problems.
I contains very useful data, e.g. the precise error message from ExifTool/IMatch.

2.  IMatch Categories are not Keywords. Categories are never written to image metadata.

3. If you mean keywords, the @Keywords category hierarchy you see is created from the actual keywords in your files (or database).
See The @Keywords Category for all details.

4. If ExifTool ran into an error while writing one of your files: This can happen. Sometimes metadata in files is corrupted and you notice it only when you have to update the metadata.

5. To write back keywords, just mark them as modified in the Keyword Panel.
This is explained in the help and there is even a dedicated "Did You Know?" in the The 'Did You Know?'' App app, which I recommend highly for new users.

Just click on the little pen icon in the Keyword Panel and commit the changes with the toolbar button (green hook) as usual.
This marks all keywords as "updated" and the write-back pen will be enabled. The same works for all other metadata tags in the Metadata Panel.



If the metadata in the file is messed up, you may need IMatch to force-reload it into the database by selecting the file and pressing Shift+Ctrl+F5 > Reload Metadata.

[gnoelken]

Thank you for your prompt response Mario.

1. Always include the IMatch log file (see log file) from the session where you experienced problems.
I contains very useful data, e.g. the precise error message from ExifTool/IMatch.

I have attached the IMatch file and will do so if I have future issues.

2.  IMatch Categories are not Keywords. Categories are never written to image metadata.

3. If you mean keywords, the @Keywords category hierarchy you see is created from the actual keywords in your files (or database).
See The @Keywords Category for all details.

I misused the word Category and understand the difference now. But I did use the @Keyword category when making changes to my keywords.

4. If ExifTool ran into an error while writing one of your files: This can happen. Sometimes metadata in files is corrupted and you notice it only when you have to update the metadata.

5. To write back keywords, just mark them as modified in the Keyword Panel.
This is explained in the help and there is even a dedicated "Did You Know?" in the The 'Did You Know?'' App app, which I recommend highly for new users.

Thank you for this tip. That resolved my issue. I will take the time to review the "Did You Know?" App as well as the introductory videos and help index. Your online help and support is very thorough and complete.

If the metadata in the file is messed up, you may need IMatch to force-reload it into the database by selecting the file and pressing Shift+Ctrl+F5 > Reload Metadata.

I did rescan the files earlier, but the keywords do not change:

Keywords as they appear in IMatch:

Attachment "Screenshot 2020-09-18 085639.jpg"

Keywords of the same image as viewed in Irfanview:



Other images without the error icon have been updated properly:



Thank you again for your suggestions.

Greg

PS Not sure why my images don't appear. The URL works when I post in my browser. I did read the help section and followed it as the recommend:

[Mario]

I'm not exactly sure what I should look at. And I don't know if IrfanView supports metadata more modern than legacy IPTC.

Please show us the actual keywords in your file using a proper tool, like the IMatch Metadata Analyst or the output of the The ExifTool Command Processor.

When IMatch has written back the keywords correctly, they will be exactly the same as shown in the Keyword Panel.
Differences may be caused by issues like out-of-sync keywords in your images and many other things. Use the Metadata Analyst to test the image properly and then use the green "Copy Results" button to copy and paste warnings and errors found in your file.

I don't know what mean your images don't show.
Please do not link to images posted on external sites in your posts, if this is what you do.
Use the attachments available here in the community only.

[gnoelken]

I'm not exactly sure what I should look at. And I don't know if IrfanView supports metadata more modern than legacy IPTC.


Please show us the actual keywords in your file using a proper tool, like the IMatch Metadata Analyst or the output of the The ExifTool Command Processor.

I have updated all the files with errors using the procedure you have described. There are no more files with corrupt metadata/keywords.

When IMatch has written back the keywords correctly, they will be exactly the same as shown in the Keyword Panel.
Differences may be caused by issues like out-of-sync keywords in your images and many other things. Use the Metadata Analyst to test the image properly and then use the green "Copy Results" button to copy and paste warnings and errors found in your file.

OK...I will do this in the future if these errors appear again.

I don't know what mean your images don't show.
Please do not link to images posted on external sites in your posts, if this is what you do.
Use the attachments available here in the community only.

OK I will do so in the future. Below is a test with an attachment:



Thank you for your prompt reply and help.

Greg