Updating keywords more efficient?

[rienvanham]

Hi Mario,

I have (let's say) 100 files in a folder. None of them have unwritten keywords (so, no pencil is visible on all of them). 90 of them have the keyword "Fietsvakantie Donau"; 10 not. I select ALL the files (CTRL-A). The keyword "Fietsvakantie Donau" is in Italic. I click on this keyword. It becomes "normal". I click on save. Now all of them have this keyword.

What I find "unefficient" is that ALL files now have the flag (pencil) to indicate that there is unwritten data present. Why is that for the 90 files that aren't actually changed?

Thanks on forehand,

Rien.

[Mario]

A apparently simple task as adding a keyword to a set of files is internally much more complex.
For display in the KW panel, IMatch merges the keywords found in the selected files. This is what produces the italic keywords which tells you which keywords are not assigned to all files.

When you make changes and save them, IMatch triggers a quite complex process which updates the keywords.
Adding a keyword to a file involves the thesaurus, it might trigger keyword links, apply synonyms and whatnot. Propagation to versions may be required. Mind-boggling complexity is at play here.
Whenever IMatch updates metadata, it updates the internal metadata timestamp (which is part of XMP) and also digests (check sums).
It does not attempt to figure out if the recent change actually modified a keyword or synonym or digest. "Update metadata" is one atomic complex operation, it is the same for all tags, not only keyword. Keywords are just an extra complex part of the overall update metadata for a file process.

It marks the file as pending in all cases. Maybe this can be improved, maybe not. It is complicated.

Feel free top add a feature request so I can lean how many people often encounter this specific situation and if they also want me to look into improve this.

[rienvanham]

Hi Mario,

Thank you for your extensive explanation. I didn't realise that it was so complex.

I think it's better to spend your time on other functionality.

I'm almost ready updating my files with keywords so it's not a big need for me.

Cheers!

Rien.

[Mario]

I agree.

Consider cases like the user changes the thesaurus, which affects keyword assignments.
Now he selects 100 files and "merges" in A. 50 of the files have keyword A already, but due to the new thesaurus settings, they would receive synonyms "b" and "f" when assigning A.
If IMatch would not assign A (actually, assign the whole keyword as seen in the KW panel), the synonyms would not be assigned => problem.

Same for other changes like flatten  settings, removed or renamed synonyms, modified keyword links or the user not using the KW panel but using drag & drop or copy & paste in the @Keywords category hierarchy.
The current workflow "just works" and deals with all the complex things nicely.