How to copy different sets of tags between images

[scw2wi]

What's the best way to copy dynamic sets of metadata tags between images?

If I always want to copy the same set of tags the answer is easy,
in this case I would simply create a metadata panel with exactly the tags I want to copy.

But if the set of tags will vary each time, always creating a proper panel might not be the best solution.

Is there any App or Script available to do this job?

Walter

[Mario]

Copying different sets of tags between files is a rather uncommon task. Metadata Templates or the Paste Attributes command are the most likely features to handle this.

[scw2wi]

Yes I know it's rather uncommon, so I was not expecting to find an immediate solution.

Metadata Templates are fine and I'm using it, but just for an initial prefill.

I have created some scripts already and feel very comfortable with scripting development now.
For this solution I am rather thinking of an App that can copy the selected metadata to clipboard,
and pasting from clipboard will work as usual if I would have copied all shown metadata from dialog.

Since it's my first App it will take more time but I'm interested to learn about Apps.

Walter

[scw2wi]

My first App to copy metadata to clipboard is already working, but only half way.

If I copy metadata to clipboard via the Metadata panel, all shown metadata fields are copied.
The clipboard content can then be copied to other pictures via the enabled Metadata panel paste button.

If I copy metadata to clipboard via my App with IMatchLib.application().ClipboardCopy
the content of the clipboard looks the same (also in the NirSoft tool Insideclipboard) - except of the number of entries,
but since the paste button in metadata panel does not get enabled, I cannot copy this clipboard content to other images.

What am I doing wrong or how can I copy data to clipboard so that this paste button get's enabled?

Walter

[Mario]

The CopyToClipboard method copies text data into the clipboard. It is intended to allow scripts to easily transfer text data to other applications.
When you use copy/paste commands inside IMatch, IMatch copies binary data in various IMatch formats, with much more info than simple text. The metadata panel only understands these rich binary formats, it does not allow to copy TEXT data from the clipboard.

[scw2wi]

OK, I understand.

The NirSoft Tool InsideClipboard does not show this rich binary data but the "Free Clipboard Viewer" does.

Maybe the best solution is, that if I use CopyToClipboard in my App, I should also implement a PasteFromClipboard routine which understands the plain text data.
This sounds not so easy but I do not have a good idea for a better solution because I cannot create this rich binary format with my App code.

Walter

[Mario]

You are in control of what you copy and paste.
If you copy text in a specific format in your "copy script", your "paste script" can simply retrieve the data from the clipboard and then uses the Metadata classes to update selected files.