Deleted Keyword(s) Persist Upon MD Write-Back

[Darius1968]

Attached, is the MD Analyst Result for a problem file. 

Here, I simply try to remove just one keyword by deleting one of the file's categories (under @Keywords), at which point, the file is now in Collections>Pending Metadata Write-Back.  Which is expected. 

Hovering the cursor over the pen-icon, "...
List of tags to write: 



• IPTC::ApplicationRecord\Keywords
• PDF::Info\Keywords **
• XMP::Lightroom\HierarchicalSubject
• XMP::dc\Subject   ..."
What's strange about this list is the "PDF" entry: 
I tried - via VarToy - to view the content of this tag.  But, there are no contents to be displayed.  In fact, using the tag selector to select all PDF tags, leaves nothing to be displayed, for each case. 

Anyway, performing a write-back for the file just causes the keyword to return. 
I did use ECP to delete all legacy IPTC metadata.  But, this also doesn't help. 

So, what do I have to do to this problem file to make it so that I can edit keyword(s) and/or metadata? 

[Mario]

Please use the GREEN BUTTON at the top of the Metadata Analyst to post results.
It is no fun wading to dozens of kilobytes of metadata in the JSON file to find issues.

Which applications did you use on that file? Having a PDF metadata record in an image is quite unusual....

[Darius1968]

I didn't use any application on that file myself.  I got the file from a friend.  And, I don't know any details about what he might have done with it. 

[Mario]

Then the only way to learn more about this problem is to analyze the file here in the lab.

Or, use the ExifTool command processor (make a backup copy of the file) and try to strip the PDF data via

# im-warn
-overwrite_original_in_place
-pdf:all=
-charset
filename=UTF8
{Files}

and probably you should also get rid of the legacy IPTC data (it's legacy for 20 years):

# im-warn
-overwrite_original_in_place
-iptc:all=
-charset
filename=UTF8
{Files}

[Darius1968]

Please use the GREEN BUTTON at the top of the Metadata Analyst to post results.

I can't find any green button at the top of MD Analyst.  (The only green button is "Copy Results". 
I chose the option to save report.  Then, there was another green button:  "Save Report". 
With the text: 
"Click the button to save the results to a text file on your disk.
This file can then be uploaded to the IMatch community or sent to photools.com support as needed."  This is where that JSON file was generated. 

[Darius1968]

Okay.  I tried both command sets in the ExifTool Command Processor. 
The PDF set gave a result that there were no changes, and that the file was not updated.  The IPTC set did work.  However, again, the write-back left the file in its prior state. 

If it means anything, all fields - in Metadata Panel>Browser - have the padlock icon, and cannot be edited.  Would this be why the ECP is not successful?  If that's the reason, how do I change the file so those fields aren't any longer locked? 

[Mario]

I mean this green button:



Without having the actual image here for analysis, there is nothing more I can do. Fixing metadata mess is always time-consuming and I never know beforehand what the problem with the file is.
Sometimes wiping all metadata and then re-applying the XMP is the only solution. Too many niche and consumer apps did too much damage to too many files over the years.

[Darius1968]

So.  Then, if I decide to just wipe all the data from the file, and then re-apply just the entire XMP data set, can I use "paste attributes"? 

[Mario]

I would use the Delete All Metadata ExifTool Command Processor preset.
Then copy Attributes as needed. Or just mark relevant XMP values in the MD panel as modified (click the pen in front of the tag) and let IMatch write-back.
Many ways to achieve this, depending on the situation and the metadata you consider important.