Applying Metadata Templates

[frankdarwin]

Hello,
I have created a metadata template to assign the author and copyright information.
To execute this template I follow the instructions in the IM-Help (https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/md_templates.htm).
Among other things, it says that the assignment can be done via the menu "Tools > Metadata Templates".
When I follow the description, I realize that there is no entry "Tools > Metadata Templates" in the "Tools" menu (see attachment "Tools.jpg").



As the photos to which I want to apply the template are all in different directories, I have created a category with all the photos to be changed. There are over 16000.

When I switch to the corresponding category and then to the Metadata Panel, then select all the photos, the message "Update" appears in the Metadata Panel.



This update takes forever!

What is my problem or my error?

[JohnZeman]

What version of IMatch are you using?  Your screen shot makes me think you might be using an older version of IMatch.

I'm using the current version 2023.12.2 and in it the command you want is under Commands in the menu.

In version 2023.12.2 you can also click the green icon at the top of the metadata panel to apply a metadata template.

Better yet, assign the metadata template you want to a favorite then all you have to do to apply it is to click the favorite button.

Applying a metadata template to over 16,000 files would take a very long time to do.  Instead I would apply it to photos in batches, maybe 200 at a time.  Afterwards I usually do a writeback before I move on to the next batch of files.

[JohnZeman]

It just occurred to me that you might be using the current version of IMatch but have not enabled the experimental features option which is why you don't see the same icons I do.

With experimental features disabled in preferences this is the button in the metadata panel that will apply one of your metadata templates.

[Mario]

There are several options to assign Metadata Templates.

1. Commands menu > Metadata Templates
(The entry in the Tools menu was moved to Commands a while ago and I have updated the help for IMatch 2024/2025 accordingly. Will do so for the old help when the next IMatch update comes out.)

2. The button in the Metadata Panel as shown in the help.

3. The Command Palette (just type in the name of your template)

To run a template on 1,600 files can be quick of fast. It depends on what your template does, if versioning is involved and other factors. Usually they are very fast and there are no other problem reports.

"This update takes forever" is relative.
Show us your template and the IMatch log file of that session so we can see what takes so long, if your database has 50K or 500K files, if your PC has four processors or 24 etc.

[frankdarwin]

"This update takes forever" is relative.

By "takes forever" I did not mean the time it takes to execute the template, but the time it takes to refresh the metadata panel after I have selected all 16000 photos with CTRL-A.


I am sorry that I searched for the execution of the template in the Tools menu. I could have thought of it myself by searching in the command menu. But that has now been done.

After I found what I was looking for in the menu command, everything worked as I had imagined. I also followed John's advice and created a favorite. Thanks John.

I will probably never again find myself in the situation of wanting to change 16000 photos with one template. This action only served to change the metadata of old photos whose content still originated from other programs.

Show us your template and the IMatch log file

Mario,
although there was actually no problem, just a misunderstanding on my part, I would still like to ask you to take a look at the template and the log file.
I am very interested to know how you rate the performance of my computer.
But please don't make a night shift out of analyzing the log file!
That takes time!

Thanks again for your help!

Frank

[Mario]

By "takes forever" I did not mean the time it takes to execute the template, but the time it takes to refresh the metadata panel after I have selected all 16000 photos with CTRL-A.

As long as IMatch is busy in the background doing stuff that may affect the Metadata Panel, it stays in the Updating mode. It should switch back to normal once the background processing is done.

Did you try to click on another file and back to see if this "clears" the panel?

The log file shows only a normal IMatch startup, no information about applying a template and updating metadata, so it is not helpful in this case. The system reports 12 cores and the database size is only 20K files. Everything should be super-fast, unless the L: drive containing the database is a very slow network-connected drive or something.

I've made a quick test.
For a database with 100,000 files I've applied a Metadata Template modeled after your screen shot (4 tags) to a folder of 1,300 files (80% RAW, 40% JPG). This took about 5 seconds. No difference between running it from the Commands menu or the Metadata Panel drop-down menu.

While the template runs, IMatch shows the wait cursor.
Metadata Panel does not show "Updating".

Since in your case you saw "Updating", processes in the background were running. Could be versioning, category updates, collection updates, data-driven category updates etc. It all depends on how your database is structured. But for a 20K database, nothing should take longer than a few seconds, even very complex data-driven categories.

[frankdarwin]

Did you try to click on another file

Yes, after selecting another file the metadata penel is clear again.

unless the L: drive containing the database is a very slow network-connected drive or something.

The "L" drive is a local drive on its own partition. It contains the database and all photo directories. I know that the database should be on a different drive for performance reasons.  But I deliberately chose this configuration because it simplifies my IM backup strategy.
Therefore, it is not important to me that this may lead to poorer performance.

The log file shows only a normal IMatch startup

I have executed the template again and then looked at the log file again. As far as I can see, there is no reference to the execution of the template in the log file.
Only when I wrote back all the metadata are there entries in the log file.
The new log file is attached.
It is not important for me anymore (all my questions have been answered satisfactorily), but maybe you can have another look at the logfile to say something about the performance of my system (no night shift!).

Thank you very much
Frank