Migrating Imatch To Other Photo Tagging Software

[Josebr]

Has anyone migrated their IMATCH to another photo tagging software? I ask for the following reason

1. I'd like to have a backup photo tagging software in case something happens to Mario. 

2. I wish to move away from Windows if Recall is forced on us. No I am not naive enough to think that Recall can be avoided. It has already shown up on hardware that is not made for it. See Titus videos on Youtube. And I don't trust Microsoft.  

[mopperle]

Has anyone migrated their IMATCH to another photo tagging software?

No, no need

I'd like to have a backup photo tagging software in case something happens to Mario.

https://www.photools.com/community/index.php/topic,3450.0.html

2. I wish to move away from Windows...

[Jingo]

Has anyone migrated their IMATCH to another photo tagging software? I ask for the following reason

1. I'd like to have a backup photo tagging software in case something happens to Mario.

So long as you write back your metadata into your images - any software that correctly reads XMP metadata will allow you access to this data. While I'll never leave IMatch for another product, I have tested this enough on many different software to confirm my metadata is 100% safe and available outside of the Imatch database.

[Josebr]

Can you please share which programs you were able to do this with?

Also, I don't know what you mean by 'write back" to images. I have used categories all these years and I don't think that they write to the image. I think there is a way to funnel categories into keywords. But I don't have a clue as to how that is done. So far I have tagged a few hundred thousand photos with imatch which is years worth of work. Also doesn't writing to image change their time stamp?

Ultimately I need to leave Windows if Recall gets implemented. 

[Mario]

Also doesn't writing to image change their time stamp?

Yes, as it should. Changing a file in any way will change the "last modified timestamp" in the Windows file system. Windows takes care for that.

Why id this a problem? Do you still rely on file system timestamps while using a DAM and real metadata?
When you write back, IMatch will embed XMP and other metadata in your images, including the two time stamps you see in the Metadata Panel (create date and date subject created). All this does not rely on file system timestamps, but instead of real metadata embedded in your images.

Can you please share which programs you were able to do this with?

All capable XMP-enabled software, from Adobe products, Serif, DAM systems, even Windows Explorer.

See Metadata for Beginners if you need some background information or a refresher about why metadata is so important.

IMatch categories are fine. But they are stored in the database and not written to your image files.
You can export your categories in various formats to text files, which makes them accessible for other applications and scripts.
You can create hierarchical keywords from categories with a Metadata Template in IMatch. This has been discussed multiple times in the community, e.g. in https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=10999.0

[Jingo]

Can you please share which programs you were able to do this with?

As Mario mentioned, any program with XMP reading ability shows the metadata in my files (written there with IMatch) perfectly... I only use Keywords so these are written directly to the files so I always know my photos have the latest and greatest metadata embedded within. This is also important to me as a "backup system" for the metadata... in IMatch, in IMatch database backups and within the images (and subsequent backups of those files as well).

Some real world usage situations: 

• When I upload my files to my online gallery - the metadata flows along and is shown on screen in the gallery. 
• When I wish to create vacation books - I can auto-create captions in Indesign using XMP metadata within the images.
• When I share images online for birding forums - I can create watermarks from the XMP metadata inside the images and provide information to other users.

I hope this is helpful!