Difficulties batch editing IPTC data.

[martinlooker]

I'm trying to edit IPTC data with the following workflow and am having some difficulties, maybe someone else does something similar and can offer suggestions:

1. Starting images have no IPTC data.
2. Load a preset to set originating program, (to a token I use in renaming the files that is camera specific), and also the copyright with my name. Then apply to selected.
3. Load a preset to set city, state and country. I take the majority of my photographs in only a few locations. Then apply to selected.
4. Edit the caption. Then apply to selected.

When I apply the the changes I select Leave exisiting entry if new entry is empty and Only replace existing fields that are empty. This works on most images but I find images where the first loaded preset data is blanked, these are possibly the image I had selected when I loaded the second preset data. This always happens if I edit a single image.

What I'm trying to do is build up this data from some common presets.

If anyone has suggestions for a better way to work this I'd be intrested.

A BB enhancement that would allow me to work the way I want would be to add a check box next to the load preset button, when checked this would not replace a populated field in the IPTC window with an empty field from the preset file.

A similar option might be to only load data from the preset into blank fields in the IPTC window.

These are essentially a merge from preset option.

[martinlooker]

Just to confirm what is happening.

Upon loading the second preset, it blanks out the fields that were applied in the first preset in the IPTC window. The blank fields are then only applied to the selected image when doing a batch edit, the other images retain their fields set from the first preset.

It seems BB is treating the selected image differently from the other images when doing a batch edit.

[Ferdinand in Paris]

If I understand you correctly, then I asked for this feature over a year ago on the old forum.

I had a set of images, where some fields were the same and some were different. I wanted to edit and change the common field or two, and not the others. I think this is essentially your problem.

This is tough to do in BB, but easy in Imatch. In BB, what I use is a dummy image, with only blank IPTC fields, except for the ones that I want to change. That way I can select "leave existing entry when new entry is empty" but NOT "Only replace existing fields that are empty". This works, but is a pain because you need a dummy image, and need to reblank the IPTC fields after each operation.

In Imatch, you can select an option in the IPTC edit dialogue wherein IMatch examines the IPTC template for the image whose IPTC data you edited, identifies the fields that have changed, and only changes those fields in the other selected images. This works a treat. BB needs this option in its batch IPTC edit dialogue.

F_P