The metadata written in software XY does not show in IMatch

[Mario]

User:

Hi,

I am having problems with xmp description field not importing into imatch.

I first Rate images & add title & description in *SOFTWARE* saved to xmp sidecar,  then import them into imatch. Imatch reads in the meta data but the problem is that the image description is not read from the xmp file but uses "OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" which comes from the camera. Is there a way to get rid of the OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA  and use the xmp description?

Mario:

Hi, User

The problem is obvious. Apparently your other software does only update the XMP metadata, but does not synchronize existing EXIF/IPTC/GPS data inside the image. This way you end up with two out-of-sync metadata sets for your file. Your file has two descriptions...

When IMatch ingests an image it produces a high-quality XMP metadata super-record by importing existing XMP metadata and performing the mapping between EXIF, IPTC and GPS based on the rules and recommendations of the metadata working group. This means, for example, that the EXIF description field ("Olympus...") is mapped to the XMP description field, unless there is also a legacy IPTC description, which overrides the EXIF description.

When you modify the description in IMatch and IMatch writes the data back, it maps the XMP description into the EXIF and IPTC description, again applying the Metadata Working Group rules and the XMP standards. This ensures that the description tag (and about 50 other tags) are always synchronized properly.

Since your other software does not update the EXIF data in the image, you can either:

a) Use only IMatch to edit metadata (recommended) or

b) Configure IMatch to not using the Metadata Working Group rules (not recommended)

c) Under Edit > Preferences > Metadata 2: File Formats change the metadata options for ORF files to use the "Favor XMP sidecar" setting. This will force IMatch to use whatever is in the XMP sidecar, ignoring the embedded metadata in your image files. This may cause synchronicity issues on the long run, though. Depending on your workflow and software environment.

Metadata is a complex beast, and not all software does manage it in the same way or standard conformity. IMatch uses high-standards to ensure that the metadata you produce is compatible with the widest range of applications and services, now and in the future.