My IMatch Workflow: From ingestion to filing

[dcb]

Having used IMatch for many years, I have posted my workflow a couple of times. As Mario adds new features, my workflow improves. I'm updating the latest version in place and so have it documented the best it has ever been. I hope it's useful, especially for newcomers, to see what IMatch can do.

https://quantumgardener.info/notes/mediabank

[hro]

This is awesome. Many thanks for sharing, gives me a lots of clues how I can improve my workflow.
Greetings from Aotearoa.

[Mario]

Thanks for sharing . Very nice work

[Tveloso]

Very nice indeed!  Thank you for posting this.

Your document mentions that you usually must correct the Date in .MOV files from iPhones.  I had the same experience, but (maybe three years or so ago) found that the correct date was present in this tag:

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QuickTime::UserData\date\DateTimeOriginal\0
...corresponding to this tag in the ECP:

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[UserData]          - Date/Time Original
...and it included the correct UTC Offset.  I even created a Metadata Template to set the XMP DateTimeOriginal from there.

But after a while, that stopped being necessary, and Apple seemed to now deliver the correct Date in this tag (also including a UTC Offset):

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QuickTime::ItemList\creationdate\CreationDate\0
...(which I believe corresponds to this ECP output):

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[Keys]              - Creation Date
...and IMatch sets the correct date at ingest for .MOV files.

The ItemList CreationDate seems to be present in all files I get from my own phone now.  But files shared via iMessage, or iCloud Shared Albums sometimes still contain the UserData DateTime Original tag instead (I have files from as late as this past summer - in the northern hemisphere - for which that's the case)

[Mario]

One would assume that, after 20 years, Apple took notice of XMP metadata and just used the portable and well-supported IPTC timestamps there. Instead of tags hiding behind shifting keys or user metadata segments.

I'm no fan of this.
Why make things more complicated as needed...?

[PandDLong]

Having used IMatch for many years, I have posted my workflow a couple of times. As Mario adds new features, my workflow improves. I'm updating the latest version in place and so have it documented the best it has ever been. I hope it's useful, especially for newcomers, to see what IMatch can do.

This is awesome. 

It is useful - and not just for newcomers.  Although I have been using iMatch for a few years for a very similar purpose, I am always learning new solutions to old challenges and need solutions for new challenges. One of the things I have come to appreciate with iMatch is that I can decide to "change my standard" and retrofit it to the existing database. Albeit I am much behind you in terms of volume with 20,000 images and less than 4,000 catalogued to FINAL.

'Pets' caught my attention as that is a current area of reconsideration for me - I am not happy with my initial decision to use keywords.    Am I understanding correctly - you are using the iMatch 'People' function for pets?

Your approach to 'Uncertain Dates' also got my attention.  I too have chosen the Circa Date tag to capture information but have situations that need more context - your use of the Coverage tag is an idea I will need to contemplate further.

Thank you for sharing.

Michael
Alberta, Canada

PS.  Appreciated the picture from Kangaroo Island as we spent 18 months in Adelaide, SA.  Kangaroo Island was a must mini-trip for us - well worth the visit.

[dcb]

Firstly, sorry for the delayed response. I had forgot to request notification of responses

'Pets' caught my attention as that is a current area of reconsideration for me - I am not happy with my initial decision to use keywords.    Am I understanding correctly - you are using the iMatch 'People' function for pets?

Yes. Pets are people. It's a bit messy because face recognition doesn't work, but it does give me the advantage of attaching dates of birth/death and keywords to them.

So Georgie, is also keyworded "nature|animal|mammal|domestic dog". She is gender female, in our family, the Pets group (for People) and the Pets|Dogs category. That saves a lot of manual entry.

I've updated the original post with better examples.

Having date of birth is a really nice benefit. Especially photos of her cuddling with our girls.

Glad you enjoyed Kangaroo Island.

[dcb]

Very nice indeed!  Thank you for posting this.

Your document mentions that you usually must correct the Date in .MOV files from iPhones.  I had the same experience, but (maybe three years or so ago) found that the correct date was present in this tag:

Code Select Expand

QuickTime::UserData\date\DateTimeOriginal\0
...corresponding to this tag in the ECP:
...

I'm sure I went down that path at some point. Thanks for the suggestion. Things may have changed. For now, at least I know what I have is working. It's not perfect, but as Mario points out, Apple argh!

The issue is even if the correct date and time is there, it's not in the standard fields that EVERYONE else uses. So it's either add TZ offset, or copy. I'll check it out next time I'm working on photos.