Filling in EXIF data in bulk...

[damppaper]

Hi,

I was wondering if there is a way to fill out common EXIF data in bulk. Details such as name, address, telephone, email and all the other EXIF data that never needs changing from photo to photo. Especially Copyright statements, which can be lengthy.

I can do it in Bridge for a selection, but is there a way to do it via 'batch' in CS2 or something so that it leaves only differing sections such as 'title' and 'description' blank.

Please help as my fingers are getting shorter!!!:cry:

Damppaper...

[keenasmustard]

Yes... I was just learning how to do this myself.

Create an action in PS.
-Open the first file in your batch.
-Go to you Action pallete. (if it's not open, go Windows-Actions)
-Create a new action (Little page tab left of trash can) and give it a name.
-Once you click OK, you'll see the red record button is on and you are now recording.
-Go File-File Info. All of your EXIF info pops up. Fill it out to your heart's content, then click OK.
-File-save as... follow whatever save method you choose... picking the folder you want your files into etc etc.
-Close.
-Click on the stop button in the Actions pallete.

Batch Process.
-File-automate-batch
-Make sure the action dropdown shows your recently created action.
-In the source box, under folder, click choose.
-Browse for the folder where your images are that you want to fill in the EXIF data.
-In the destination box, leave the destination as "none". You should have entered the correct destination you wanted to save your files into when creating your action; therefore it the action will instruct PS to save them there.
-Click OK.

Voila!

Let me know if you have any problems. Anyone who thinks what I've described is wrong, let me know, 'coz I'd like to know a better way too! :)

[DavidW]

You don't mean EXIF, but IPTC - though this is actually a generic question about adding metadata.


You can create metadata templates in Bridge. Select at least two images, then go into File Info. Fill in the items you want your template to fill in, making sure that the ones you want filled in by the template are ticked (checked if you're in the US). Up at the top right of the window is a right pointing arrow which brings up the menu. Bring up the menu, Save Metadata Template... and save the template.

To use the template, it's simply a question of selecting the files you want to apply it to (you can Select All on the Edit menu, or with CTRL A), then Tools -> Append Metadata and choose your template.



David

[damppaper]

Thanks, both those replies are excellent and i'll try them both and see which works for me best, thanks very much :)

Damppaper...

[keenasmustard]

Thanks David. Your way seems much more simple than mine. That's the problem with PS- there are so many ways you can skin the cat. It's just finding the fastest way that's tricky!

[Mr. Pickles]

For those without PS or Bridge, you can use PixVue (http://www.pixvue.com/), and it does more than just metadata.

Much of PixVue's functionality revolves around image metadata. Therefore, to get started, you will want to describe your images.

Once image metadata has been added, you can view it in a variety of ways, right in Windows Explorer.

As you accumulate a large number of images, the ability to search for particular images becomes important. PixVue helps with search in a number of ways:

You can use the Windows indexing service that is built into Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Desktop search applications will quickly find images annotated with PixVue. Such applications include offerings from Microsoft, Google and Yahoo among others.

PixVue also provides an alternate means of organizing and searching for images. Using PixVue's Galleries, it is possible to perform detailed searches for images stored not only on local hard drives, but also on removable media such as CDROM and DVD.

Note :
It should be noted that there is no standalone PixVue.exe application. For this reason, there is no application to be found in the Windows 'Start' menu. Instead PixVue extends the Windows Explorer (right-click), enhancing its functionality in relation to digital images.

[thesupe87]

another good one is www.irfanview.com FREE also :)

[Mathiau]

great info here!

[jevidon]

be careful not to use "replace metadata" as it sometimes has the unfortunate ability to change some of your EXIF info. I was using it to wipe out previous changes made to individual photos but noticed that it did an overwrite of my Lens Info as well.