2025.1.14 - Question: Difference PersonInImage and region metadata

[Uwe]

Hello,
In Imatch, for example, two persons (P1 and P2) are assigned to the photo in such a way that both the tag PersonInImage and the corresponding region data exist in the metadata of the file. If this photo is now edited, e.g. by an application outside of IMatch (e.g. XnView etc), in such a way that one person (P1) is deleted from the PersonInImage tag, then the region data of P1 and P2 remain in the metadata of the file. From XnView's point of view, this is not relevant, as the region data is not included in XnView's range of functions (no face recognition). From an overall perspective, however, this could be described as inconsistency. If this photo is now updated in IMatch using CTRL-Shift-F5, Imatch processes it as follows. The region data for P1 and P2 are read and the person deleted by XnView (P1) is added to the PersonInImage tag again.
My question: which tag(s) should be 'master' from IMatch's point of view - the region data or the PersonInImage tag? Or can I specify this in the settings?
Regards, Uwe

[Mario]

What a mess. Why would you even do such a thing?

IMatch produces PersonInImage from XMP face regions. See The PersonInImage Tag for details, and Import IPTC PersonInImage for related settings.

If you then decide to delete the content of the PersonInImage tag in another application, or maybe just remove one person, or maybe even add Peter, Paul and Mary to that tag, that's up to you.

Best to not break metadata by using sub-optimal tools in your workflow. Carefully look at what other changes XNView does to the metadata in your file - I'm not sure if it keeps linked tags in native and XMP in sync and all that.
Don't come calling for IMatch to detect and sort out mess made by other software. Even IMatch has limits and metadata is complex enough as it is, without too many cooks ruining the soup.

[Uwe]

Thanks for the information. No my fault, made by other person.