Will my current workflow work in IMatch 2024?

[Grasbeak]

I have been using IMatch 3.6 since that version came out.  I didn't switch for a variety of reasons, mostly related to the fact that I was pulling my keywords and categories (taxonomy)out of an MSAccess database and I didn't know how to do that in IMatch5.  I currently don't use much of the functionality of IMatch, mostly simple searches.  

I was thinking it was finally time to switch to the current IMatch and to do my IPTC input thought IMatch.  I am not worried about importing my database as long as I can utilize my hierarchal IPTC data.

My biggest concern is if my IPTC data is suitable for importing.  My IPTC Category is hierarchal taxonomy, often with more than six levels, for example:

Plant.Tracheobionta.Seed plants.Magnoliophyta.Cyperales.Cyperaceae.Cyperus.Cyperus acuminatus Torr  & Hook  ex Torr (tapertip flatsedge) 


I am assuming that this dot-separated hierarchy format would be incompatable with IMatch2024, is that correct?

What I would like to start incorporating would be to have folders for voucher specimens within species folders and these would also be hierarchical; for example (specimen #999, spore, 200x magnification).

Any insight as to if my current IPTC is compatible with IMatch as well as suggestions for this workflow would be appreciated.  I will add that changing my current IPTC data with IMAtch 3.6 would appear to be a very significant undertaking.

Thanks in advance,

[Mario]

Which type of IPTC data do you mean?
IMatch 3 only supported the legacy IIM3 IPTC format and some old XMP, which has been legacy for a long time. IPTC has moved to XMP 15 years (?) ago?

IMatch 2023 can read your legacy IPTC data and will automatically migrate it also into the IPTC data part of XMP.

Plant.Tracheobionta.Seed plants.Magnoliophyta.Cyperales.Cyperaceae.Cyperus.Cyperus acuminatus Torr  & Hook  ex Torr (tapertip flatsedge)

I assume when you write about data, you mean keywords. Using long keywords in legacy IPTC was always a struggle because the old format had severe length limitations for both keywords (max. 64 characters) and the entire IPTC record. Some applications enforce this and when you open your files in these applications, keywords may be truncated.

IMatch 3 did not enforce these limits and neither does IMatch 2023. It will import your keywords and convert them into proper hierarchical keywords.

I am assuming that this dot-separated hierarchy format would be incompatable with IMatch2024, is that correct?

No. Make sure to configure the . as a hierarchy separator under Edit > Preferences > Metadata so IMatch knows how to handle it. See Metadata Preferences.

What I would like to start incorporating would be to have folders for voucher specimens within species folders and these would also be hierarchical; for example (specimen #999, spore, 200x magnification).

You can use the Renamer to create folders and move files on-the-fly based on your keywords.
This will take a bit of experimentation of course, but should be doable.

The general idea of a DAM is to organize your images and other files independent from their physical storage location. Creating complex folder structures is something people did 20 years ago, when Windows Explorer did not do metadata and DAM software was expensive. Think twice. A simple folder structure is usually a lot easier to maintain and backup. For the rest, use a DAM like IMatch.

NOTE: IMatch has no way to import your legacy database. I've included database converters for IMatch 3 databases in all IMatch versions till 2019. When IMatch became 64-bit only, the old converter was discontinued.

I suggest you make sure IMatch 3 has written all metadata.
Then install the free IMatch 2023 trial version and index one of your folders. This will immediately show you how IMatch deals with your legacy IPTC data.

[Grasbeak]

Thank you.  Mario.

I hesitated to try the current IMatch because of this note on the download page " If you have a licensed version of IMatch, do not install a trial version of a later IMatch version on the same computer."  I also assumed that my version was so old it would likely not be a problem (I recall one could run IMatch 3.6 and IMatch 5 at the same time).

Regarding this advice:  " The general idea of a DAM is to organize your images and other files independent from their physical storage location. Creating complex folder structures is something people did 20 years ago, when Windows Explorer did not do metadata and DAM software was expensive. Think twice. A simple folder structure is usually a lot easier to maintain and backup. For the rest, use a DAM like IMatch."  I should have said I also take advantage of those IMatch capacities.  All my taxonomy/location etc folders are all virtual folders in the DAM, all photos are actually housed in pretty basic Windows folders such as "summer 2024".  Only 2-4 such Windows folders are created in a given year.  The notable exception is photos taken for photostacking; each stack usually gets its own windows folder.


Brad

[Grasbeak]

Which type of IPTC data do you mean?
IMatch 3 only supported the legacy IIM3 IPTC format and some old XMP, which has been legacy for a long time. IPTC has moved to XMP 15 years (?) ago?

IMatch 2023 can read your legacy IPTC data and will automatically migrate it also into the IPTC data part of XMP.

I am pretty certain that I mean the legacy IIM3 IPTC format.  I didn't realize that XMP was now also referred to as IPTC.

I used IPTC "keyword" for an abbreviated hierarchal location.
I used IPTC "Caption" for notes/photo caption
I used IPTC "sublocation" for a precise location description
I used IPTC "Date Created" to enter a date created for scans for photos taken on film
I used IPTC "Urgency" as a rating field
I used IPTC "Province/State" for Province/State (or country)
I used IPTC "Category" for hierarchal taxonomy
I used IPTC "Copyright Notice" for Copyright
I used IPTC "Object Name" for a brief description (i.e. species name or person in photo)

I assume when you write about data, you mean keywords. Using long keywords in legacy IPTC was always a struggle because the old format had severe length limitations for both keywords (max. 64 characters) and the entire IPTC record. Some applications enforce this and when you open your files in these applications, keywords may be truncated.

IMatch 3 did not enforce these limits and neither does IMatch 2023. It will import your keywords and convert them into proper hierarchical keywords.

For taxonomy I did mean IPTC "Category".  IMatch at that time allowed you to import IPTC Category, IPTC Supplemental categories, IPTC Keywords, and IPTC Urgency into IMatch Categories.  I used Keywords for location info, Categories for taxonomy, and Urgency for an image rating.

I am assuming that this dot-separated hierarchy format would be incompatable with IMatch2024, is that correct?

No. Make sure to configure the . as a hierarchy separator under Edit > Preferences > Metadata so IMatch knows how to handle it. See Metadata Preferences.

This part seemed to work fine based on the location information in my IPTC Keyword field (only one or two levels of hierarchy).

Of the IPTC fields listed above:
"Keywords" and "Date Created" seem to come into IMATCH2023 just fine.

I have not yet found the other IPTC metadata in its new XMP form.  The new version of IMAtch will take me some time to figure out.  I am hoping that once I find this metadata there is an automated way to import XMP "Category" and "Urgency" or whatever they are called now, into Keywords/IMatch categories.

Thanks,

Brad 

[Grasbeak]

Sorry about the repeated posts.  I thought it may be worth an update after finding most of the metadata.

From above:
I used IPTC "keyword" for an abbreviated hierarchal location.  Imports into IMatch Categories as it should
I used IPTC "Caption" for notes/photo caption  Imports into the "Description" field under "Core Data"
I used IPTC "sublocation" for a precise location description   Imports into the "Location" field under "Core Data"
I used IPTC "Date Created" to enter a date created for scans for photos taken on film   Imports into the "Date Created" field under "Core Data"
I used IPTC "Urgency" as a rating field
I used IPTC "Province/State" for Province/State (or country)   Imports into the "State" field under "Core Data"
I used IPTC "Category" for hierarchal taxonomy
I used IPTC "Copyright Notice" for Copyright   Imports into the "Copyright" field under "Core Data"
I used IPTC "Object Name" for a brief description (i.e. species name or person in photo)  Imports into the "Title" field under "Core Data"

[Mario]

Is there a question?
The legacy Urgency, Category and Supplemental Category fields where dropped by the IPTC in the old IPTC standard many years ago.

See: https://www.iptc.org/std/photometadata/specification/IPTC-PhotoMetadata-2021.1.html for reference.

Urgency is imported into
IPTC::ApplicationRecord\10\Urgency 
and mapped to
XMP::photoshop\Urgency\Urgency\0

(Both considered legacy, no longer used and not part of XMP IPTC or IPTCExt).

Category is imported into
IPTC::ApplicationRecord\15\Category
and mapped to
XMP::photoshop\Category\Category

Tip: IMatch can import legacy IPTC categories as keywords when enabled under Edit > Preferences > Metadata.

Supplemental categories are imported into
IPTC::ApplicationRecord\20\SupplementalCategories
and mapped to
XMP::photoshop\SupplementalCategories\SupplementalCategories

(All legacy and not part of XMP IPTC or XMP IPTCCore).

Tip: Switch the Metadata Panel to the Browser layout and then press <Ctrl>+<F> to search for values.

IMatch is proud of it's excellent support even for metadata 10 or 20 years out of date. You will have a lot less luck with other software out there. IPTC went to XMP 20 years ago.