Switch off automatic keyword

[Rene Toepfer]

Is there a possibility to switch off that IMatch reads keywords from the files while checking-in and adding it to the keyword list? I was looking in https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/#rmh_config_metadata.htm, especially paragraph "Keyword Import". As far as I understand, this setting it will not switch off but overwrite already existing keywords.

[Mario]

IMatch imports existing keywords from your images when it imports them. This is a very important step. Why would you want to ignore keywords in your files?
What is a "keyword list"?

[Rene Toepfer]

IMatch imports existing keywords from your images when it imports them. This is a very important step.

I have not said it is unimportant.

Why would you want to ignore keywords in your files?

If I have images by a stock it creates a lot of keywords I do not use. The next issue is that I have created keywords in the beginning - almost two decades ago - which are not valid anymore (my personal evolution ). Therefore they are structured in another order and/or invalid.
With importing the files these wrong keywords will be added to the keyword list. Afterwards I have to delete all these keywords manually.

What is a "keyword list"?

The list of keywords in Categories, see attachement.

[Mario]

You cannot suppress the keyword import. Or the import of other metadata, unless you explicitly disable it in the The Tag Manager
DO NOT, NEVER, EXCLUDE KEYWORDS OR OTHER STANDARD XMP METADATA. This would break many things in IMatch.

Anyway, IMatch is the best tool to get your keywords corrected and updated.

@Keywords will help you with this. Make sure you have read The @Keywords Category in the IMatch help system for important information and tips.

If you want to wipe keywords from your files, you can to that e.g. with the The Metadata Mechanic, which also allows to substitute keywords, append or prefix keywords etc.