Metadata Problems?

[Mario]

If you experience problems with metadata, like
- error reports from ExifTool
- error reports from IMatch
- Yellow Warning Icon in the File Window
- write-backs that don't stick (the write-back pen re-appears[/b] after write-back)
- ...and similar issues

please include a minimum of information in your community post:

• 
  a debug log file of an IMatch session where you performed a write-back for one of the 'problem' files.
  See log file


• the contents of the ExifTool Output Panel panel.
  Here IMatch shows which tags it is writing and warnings/error messages returned by ExifTool. Just copy/paste the contents of the panel into Windows Notepad and attach the result to your post.


• 
  run the Metadata Analyst app for one of the problem files.
  Enable the switch at the top to show only error messages and warnings. If error messages or warnings are displayed, make a screen shot of the Metadata Analyst (with <Alt>+<PrintSn>), save as a JPEG file and attach to your post.


• 
  if possible, upload one of the problem files to your cloud space and include a link.
  If the file is small enough to attach to your post, make sure you ZIP it before attaching. This avoids metadata being stripped by the community software.
  If you have no cloud space, you can send the file via email to our support address (support email address). You must include a link to your community post so we know what to do with the file.
  

This information should show us what's wrong and allows us to help you better.

[GERMAN]

Wenn Sie Probleme mit Metadaten haben, wie zum Beispiel
- Fehlerberichte von ExifTool
- Fehlerberichte von IMatch
- Gelb Warnsymbol im Dateifenster
- Rückschreibungen, die wiederholt werden müssen (der Rückschreibstift erscheint nach der Rückschreibung wieder)
- ...und ähnliche Fragen

Bitte fügen Sie Ihrem Beitrag ein Minimum an Informationen bei:

• eine debug-Protokolldatei einer IMatch-Sitzung, in der Sie eine Rückschreibung für eine der 'Problem'-Dateien durchgeführt haben.
  Siehe log file


• der Inhalt des ExifTool-Ausgabe-Panel-Panels.
  Hier zeigt IMatch an, welche Tags es schreibt und welche Warnungen/Fehlermeldungen von ExifTool zurückgegeben werden. Kopieren Sie einfach den Inhalt des Panels in Windows Notepad und fügen Sie das Ergebnis an Ihren Beitrag an.


• 
  Lassen Sie die Metadaten-Analyst App für eine der Problemdateien laufen.
  Aktivieren Sie den Schalter oben, um nur Fehlermeldungen und Warnungen anzuzeigen. Wenn Fehlermeldungen oder Warnungen angezeigt werden, machen Sie einen Screenshot des Metadaten-Analysten (mit <Alt>+<Druck>), speichern Sie ihn als JPEG-Datei und hängen Sie ihn an Ihren Beitrag an.


• 
  wenn möglich, laden Sie eine der Problemdateien in Ihren Cloud Space hoch und fügen Sie einen Link hinzu.
  Wenn die Datei klein genug ist, um an Ihren Beitrag anzuhängen[/i], stellen Sie sicher, dass Sie sie vor dem Anhängen ZIP-komprimieren. Dadurch wird vermieden, dass die Metadaten von der Community-Software entfernt werden.
  Wenn Sie keinen Cloud Space haben, können Sie die Datei per E-Mail an unsere Supportadresse (support email address) senden. Sie müssen einen Link zu Ihrem Community-Post angeben, damit wir wissen, was wir mit der Datei tun sollen.
  

Mit diesen Informationen können wir Ihnen besser helfen.

[Stevef48]

Since upgrading to imatch 2021.11.4 I have around 800 files that are still in the Pending Writeback collection after several writeback attempts.
e.g. M5260700.ORF I have uploaded it and the associated jpg and xmp files to:- https://www.dropbox.com/s/z6y872mpfarblrt/M5260700.JPG?dl=0
Please let me know if I can provide any more data.
Thanks
Steve
Stay Safe

[Mario]

I've downloaded the file and ran the Metadata analyst.

Warning: [GPS] Date missing.
Warning: [GPS] Time missing.
Warning: [XMP] [IFD0]:Artist and [XMP-dc]:Creator (embedded) mismatch.
Warning: [XMP] [IFD0]:Artist and [XMP-tiff]:Artist (embedded) mismatch.

No GPS timestamps, but that's not uncommon.
The Author tag in XMP had maybe 30 extra blanks (spaces) at the end. This is why the MDA reports a mismatch. The XMP data was not produced by IMatch.

I change rating, label and some other info.
Write back. Successful. Pen does not reappear.

I restore the original file.
I edit the Author in the Metadata Panel and write back.
Write-back successful, pen does not reappear.

I see no issues with this file.

[Stevef48]

You said "I see no issues with this file.", which is great. It doesn't explain why it and 800 others still have pending data in Hierarchical Subject and Subject fields. The data in the jpegs should be identical and they have been successfully written.
I tried removing the extra spaces in Artist and adding ratings to the files, which made very little difference. Maybe one file disappeared from the list.

I went to export a list of the files and noticed that there is a field {File.PendingUpdate}. Does this flag mean that the file needs Metadata Writeback? The field contains 'No' for all of the images, see attached file.

I'm still no closer to finding out why these files, which are RAW files from 3 different cameras, are still in the pending writeback collection.

It's also puzzling that the example file has no GPS timestamp. The GPS data was entered by iMatch using the attached GPX file. The time when it was taken is between two entries and the location data seems to also be between those entries. NB Times in the GPX are UTC and the camera used BST (UTC + 1).

[Mario]

You have uploaded a file.
I have downloaded and tested the file.
I see no problems with the file. Nothing that could cause errors during write-back or any other issues.
No out-of-sync keywords or anything.

Did you run a database diagnosis recently?
Files wrongly marked as pending write-back are resolved by the diagnosis.

I went to export a list of the files and noticed that there is a field {File.PendingUpdate}.

No need to guess. The Variables help topic has the answer:

File.PendingUpdate   If the file needs to be refreshed/reloaded, this variable returns "Yes", else "No".

You probably want to use the correct variable instead:

File.MetadataModified   Returns "Yes" if the file has pending metadata updates (pending write-back), else "No".

Do the files in the pending write-back collection show the pen icon in the File Window?
Select all files in the collection and then run Commands > Write-back > ... selected files.

If the files are written but the write-back icon remains and the tooltip lists keywords as you explained above, the problem is that the flat keywords and hierarchical keywords in your files are out-of-sync and IMatch is unable to resolve the problem itself. This may be due to your thesaurus and your flattening options (Edit > Preferences > Metadata). See my initial reply at the start of the thread and the corresponding entry in Metadata Problems and Pitfalls: Keyword Problems

[Stevef48]

The Pending Writeback collection was empty before I upgraded to the latest version of Imatch. The affected images have not been updated since their associated JPEGs were updated, yet no JPEGs appear in the collection.
If preferences are the reason why metadata writeback isn't sticking, why are only c800 files affected? Later raw images have been successfully updated, but these were treated exactly the same as files in the collection. I removed xmp protection and 14 files disappeared from the collection after writeback.

I have performed database diagnosis, it made no difference.
Deleting all .xmp files also made no difference. Imatch created new .xmps, but the files remain in the collection. I used the Exiftool command processor to "Delete legacy IPTC (IIM) metadata", for the first 15 files, the result was that they were all ignored, however "Delete XMP Metadata" seems to have fixed the problem. I will run that on the other files, in small batches, and update this thread if it works.
Imatch is the only software that I know how to use to process metadata. In September I successfully used exiftool to correct the issues that then affected writeback, but I don't know enough to confidently fix this issue.
Steve

[Stevef48]

Deleting all xmp metadata has solved the problem.
Steve