Duplicate tags in layout warning

[ubacher]

When looking at metadata I get the warning Duplicate tags in layout.
It gives an example e.g.Composite\Exif-LightValue...

Attempted to remove the Metadata Browser panel in my layout (as suggested in the message) but could not find the way
to do that.

I am confused because I don't understand the problem.
I assume it is OK to have the same metadata tag shown in several different layouts.

[Mario]

Having the same tag value multiple times in the same panel can cause data loss.
This is why IMatch now checks for it and warns the user.

If you combine the Metadata Browser (which shows all tags) with custom panels, this will cause the warning.
To remove the Browser from your custom layout, just set it to "Hide":

[ubacher]

In the warning message it says "disable" the Metadata panel. Probably should say "Hide" instead.
Thanks

[Mario]

Noted.

[jthorsson]

I'm just curious, could loosing GPS data from images be because of this "duplicate tags" problem?  I am asking as I have some images who had GPS data but appear to have lost it.

[Mario]

Unlikely.

This warning only solves the problem that users put the same tag multiple times in a layout, and then accidentally fill in both values, overwriting the corresponding tag.

The only features in IMatch wich modify GPS tags are the Map panel, reverse geocoding (when enabled), Metadata Templates, AutoFill templates and the user (via the Metadata Panel).

I don't know which of these features you use or how GPS data could get lost.
Did you maybe modify the files externally? This will cause IMatch to re-import the file and metadata. And when no metadata protection is enabled (Edit > Preferences > Metadata 2) this might wipe GPS data which has not been written back.

[jthorsson]

I am not sure what happened, but files in few folders lost the GPS data, or at least iMatch is not able to access it. In some cases I can't find it in the metadata, but in, in other it still is there but iMatch still does not use it.  I am attaching the warning message I got regarding this - it specifies GPS data as you can see.
This is not a critical data loss, but I am curious how this can happen.  I am not aware of having done anything beyond the usual and have been using iMatch for quite a while, since v3.6 I believe.

[Mario]

Switch the Metadata Panel to the Browser layout to see all metadata IMatch holds in the database for the files.

other it still is there but iMatch still does not use it.

Use it for what?
Map Panel? Globe icon in the File Window?

XMP::exif\GPSLatitude\GPSLatitude
XMP::exif\GPSLongitude\GPSLongitude
XMP::exif\GPSAltitude\GPSAltitude

are the main GPS coordinates (location created).

If you switch the Metadata Panel to "IPTC Location" you can see both the "created" and "shown" tag sets.

[jthorsson]

Sorry for being unclear on this. iMatch does not show the globe icon for those files and does not locate them on the map.

[Mario]

This means that the tags I've listed in my reply are empty.
The only IMatch features which modify these tags are what I have listed above.
I have no real idea how the data could vanish accidentally. Unless you remember what you did / what happened / when this happened / ... there is little to work with. I don't recall a similar issue report either.

[jthorsson]

I have a script that populates some IPTC tags that I have been using for years. That is the only thing I change regarding the metadata. It does not touch the location data. The one thing that has changed is the computer I was using at the time this happened; I was using a XEON laptop I recently acquired.  We will see if this happens again.

[thrinn]

Sorry for being unclear on this. iMatch does not show the globe icon for those files and does not locate them on the map.

Just to be on the safe side: You are using the latest version (2023.1.22) I assume? And you also run a diagnostics regulary? I ask because there were some issues regarding "lost" GPS data in early versions of IM 2023 (see e.g.topic 13306). Not really a fault of IMatch, more to be blamed on camera and phone vendors... But these were solved long time ago.

[jthorsson]

I update anytime there is a new update. Free or not.

[Mario]

Not sure what your custom script (app?) is doing with metadata.
If you run it, does the GPS lat/lon get deleted?

Note that there are also Metadata Templates and the new AutoFill feature which can easily replace many custom scripts / apps written in the past.
Unless your script does more complex or clever things, that it.

[jthorsson]

"Script" is of course a severe overstatement. It is just a metadata template I have used for years. It does not affect the GPS data at all, only tags like headline, description, author, location etc.

[Mario]

If you can figure out when the GPS data becomes emptied, we have something to work with.
So far, it's all pretty cloudy to me...
when I can reproduce it, I can fix it.

[jthorsson]

Those are images I was revisiting after some months so I really don't know when this happened.

[Damit]

So, to recap, is it okay to have duplicate entries if you insure you don't fill out both? Sometimes I am just using the panel to display information and sometimes I want the same information listed in different sections where I have different things grouped together.  For example, my main metadata panel has the browser if I want to look at detailed information about all the tags, but I also have a section that only lists a few things that are important to me.  I would like to keep both without having to switch panels.  So, is it OK, so long as we never fill the same fields with different information?

[Mario]

Yes.