Unwritten metadata

[robbo56gbr]

I have a number of files which have an entry in the Core Data description field.
When I command meta data write back the pencil icon briefly disappears. The meta data pane displays updating, then the pencil icon returns. The tooltip tells me it is XMP::dc\Subject that needs updating.

Can anyone suggest why this operation is unsuccessful?

Many thanks

[Mario]

That's quite common if your flat and hierarchical keywords are out of sync. This mostly depends on which other software you have used before on your files. Many applications do 'weird' things or, plainly, give a shite.

Start with Files Pending Again After Write-Back and let us know if this helped.
The Metadata Analyst in IMatch will help you to check your files for metadata problems.

[robbo56gbr]

Thank you Mario for pointing me to the resources.
I have used both Exif Tool command processor and Metadata Analyst and it points to out of sync IPTC Digest

Here is the report:
Metadata Analyst Results. Version 2021.18.3. 2/21/2023 5:00:31 PM
File analyzed: J:\Archive\RAWS\2023\Q1\2023-02-10\20230210-GR-002.CR2
Errors: 2
Warnings: 22

Warning: [System] File has unwritten metadata (pending write-back).<br/>The metadata loaded from the image and the data in the database may not match.
Warning: [Metadata] Warnings: 'IPTCDigest is not current. XMP may be out of sync'
Warning: [GPS] Date missing.
Warning: [GPS] Time missing.
Warning: [GPS] Latitude missing.
Warning: [GPS] Latitude Ref missing.
Warning: [GPS] Longitude missing.
Warning: [GPS] Longitude Ref missing.
Warning: [GPS] Altitude missing.
Warning: [Legacy IPTC] Character Set Encoding: unspecified.
Warning: [XMP] Embedded XMP record (XMP Core 5.6.0) and XMP sidecar file (photools.com IMatch 21.18.0.3 (Windows)) found.
Warning: [XMP] Embedded XMP rating is 0.
Warning: [XMP] [ExifIFD]:DateTimeOriginal not mapped to [XMP-exif]:DateTimeOriginal (embedded).
Warning: [XMP] [IFD0]:Copyright and [XMP-dc]:Rights (embedded) mismatch.
Warning: [XMP] [IPTC]:CopyrightNotice and [XMP-dc]:Rights (embedded) mismatch.
Warning: [XMP] [IFD0]:Artist not mapped to [XMP-tiff]:Artist (embedded).
Warning: [XMP] [IPTC]:By-line not mapped to [XMP-tiff]:Artist (embedded).
Warning: [XMP] [IFD0]:Orientation not mapped to [XMP-tiff]:Orientation (embedded).
Warning: [XMP] [ExifIFD]:UserComment and [XMP-dc]:Description (embedded) mismatch.
Warning: [XMP] [ExifIFD]:UserComment and [XMP-dc]:Description (sidecar) mismatch.
Error: [Keywords] Different XMP keywords in embedded XMP record and sidecar file.
Error: [Keywords] Different keywords in IPTC and XMP (embedded).
Warning: [Detailed Validation] Non-standard format (undef) for IFD0 0x8649 PhotoshopSettings
Warning: [Detailed Validation] IPTCDigest is not current. XMP may be out of sync



I am not totally clear on what action to take to resolve this, again any guidance will be appreciated.

Ideally I am happy to lose all keywords then re tag the file in IMatch

[Mario]

Your CR2 file has an XMP in a sidecar file and an embedded XMP record (CR2 files, like all RAW files) are supposed to have XMP data only in sidecar files. This produces two sources of metadata for your file. Never good.

Then:

Code Select Expand

Error: [Keywords] Different XMP keywords in embedded XMP record and sidecar file.
Error: [Keywords] Different keywords in IPTC and XMP (embedded).
There is a legacy IPTC record in the CR2 (unusual) and the keywords in that record differ from the keywords in the embedded XMP record (if there are any).The keywords in the embedded XMP record also differ from the keywords in the XMP sidecar file. So, 3 different sets of keywords, apparently.

And the IPTC digest (checksum) is out of sync with the IPTC data. Which suggests a rather 'sloppy' implementation of metadata support.

What software did you use on that CR2 file before?

The embedded XMP record in the CR2 was written by some software that used a version of the Adobe XMP toolkit. But did not bother to properly map between IPTC and EXIF. And there seems to be an empty (?) GPS record, with all the fields missing, except perhaps the version number. A mess. Sigh.

The XMP sidecar was written by IMatch, so it will be OK. But embedded XMP and IPTC data is considered more important and thus will override some data of the XMP file.

I would delete the embedded XMP record in the CR2 file and also the legacy IPTC. You can do that with the ExifTool Command Processor in IMatch. "Delete XMP Metadata" and "Delete Legacy IPTC Data" the presets are named, I guess.

Afterwards the CR2 file has only embedded EXIF and GPS data plus Canon's maker notes.
IMatch then rescans the file and when you write back once, ExifTool syncs the XMP data with the EXIF/GPS data in the CR2 and all should be alright.

Try with some test files first (make copy of the CR2 files with the issues).

[robbo56gbr]

Thanks for very swift response. I think the culprit must be Photo Mechanic as I was trialling that last week before settling on iMatch which I find to be in a completely higher league!

Luckily I only used it on 1 small folder so should be easy to fix. It certainly highlights the complexity of the metadata methods and choices (some of which are clearly bad ones !) A little knowledge is a dangerous thing !

I will let you know how I get on with the tidying up

Thanks again.

[Mario]

Photo Mechanic is (or was?) a software used by many Photo Journalists. It's main feature is speed, because PJ deadlines are very short. Not sure how good or complete it's metadata management capabilities are. From the MDA report, there are some things that need improving.

IMatch's main goal for maintaining and writing metadata is rich and complete. Produce the richest XMP record (by importing all of EXIF, legacy IPTC, GPS) and write metadata in a way that makes it as widely compatible as possible. Also make sure that native EXIF/GPS/IPTC embedded in the image matches their counterparts in XMP. This ensures that the metadata produced by IMatch is accessible by the widest range of applications and services.

I don't do half-arsed metadata and I don't use metadata to lock users into IMatch.
I prefer happy users, even if they become former users because they decide/have to switch to another DAM.

[robbo56gbr]

Mario, I followed your method and all is good now. Thanks for helping so swiftly. It has given me some better insight into how metadata can be arranged and the approach IMatch takes with it

[Mario]

Very good.
I recommend reading Metadata for Beginners in the IMatch help. This topic explains how metadata works and what IMatch does with it.