Private metadata in Lightroom?

[Nortelbert]

Hi all,

The DAM book by Krogh recommends using a program that can make use of private metadata. The Lightroom 2 SDK indicates that such a thing is possible, but I don't think it is built in. Does anyone know if there is a way of making metadata private?

TIA

[ifonline]

The basic concept of private metadata is metadata which is not embedded into the image file. Therefore, any metadata could be private in that you don't have to embed metadata if you don't want to. However, because there isn't currently the ability to have custom metadata fields in Lightroom 1 or 2, you can't have private metadata that doesn't embed into the file and typical metadata fields that do embed into the file at the same time.

This is something that has been requested a bunch, however, so I would expect to see this feature at some point. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.

[davidcrebelxt]

check this LR plugin out:
http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/metadata-wrangler/

I haven't tried it myself yet, but its supposed to let you strip selected metadata fields upon export.

[rfreschner]

It's been a while since I read Peter's book but, if I remember correctly, he was speaking in regards to private keywords. LR gives you the option of specifying whether or not keywords are exported from the catalog with the file, so I would think that is the ability you're looking for.

[Nortelbert]

It's been a while since I read Peter's book but, if I remember correctly, he was speaking in regards to private keywords. LR gives you the option of specifying whether or not keywords are exported from the catalog with the file, so I would think that is the ability you're looking for.

Yes, that's right; the example he gives is if you have a keyword stating "ugly" and you don't rally want that exported :-)

Lightroom itself can minimize metadata and the plug-in seems to be an all or nothing for various types of EXIF or other data.

Thanks so far, any one else can feel free to jump in :-)

[Nortelbert]

The basic concept of private metadata is metadata which is not embedded into the image file. Therefore, any metadata could be private in that you don't have to embed metadata if you don't want to. However, because there isn't currently the ability to have custom metadata fields in Lightroom 1 or 2, you can't have private metadata that doesn't embed into the file and typical metadata fields that do embed into the file at the same time.

This is something that has been requested a bunch, however, so I would expect to see this feature at some point. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the info... I was under the impression the SDK would allow for custom metadata, but I may have misread that.

[davidcrebelxt]

Yes, that's right; the example he gives is if you have a keyword stating "ugly" and you don't rally want that exported :-)

Lightroom itself can minimize metadata and the plug-in seems to be an all or nothing for various types of EXIF or other data.

Thanks so far, any one else can feel free to jump in :-)

Take another look at what rfreschner was talking about, it may actually be what you were looking for.

LR gives you the option of specifying whether or not keywords are exported from the catalog with the file.

To do this, go to your keyword list, right-click on a keyword to keep private and choose 'Edit Keyword...' there is a checkbox marked 'Include on Export' uncheck it and it won't exist in the exif metadata of exported files.

That method combined with metadata wrangler may be able to remove most of the exif fields you want to be kept private...

[ifonline]

This is a good point, as keywords can be kept private. I was thinking in terms of other custom metadata, however, that currently can't be entered into Lightroom.

[Nortelbert]

Take another look at what rfreschner was talking about, it may actually be what you were looking for.



To do this, go to your keyword list, right-click on a keyword to keep private and choose 'Edit Keyword...' there is a checkbox marked 'Include on Export' uncheck it and it won't exist in the exif metadata of exported files.

That method combined with metadata wrangler may be able to remove most of the exif fields you want to be kept private...

Oh cool... I wasn't aware of the right-click option. Thanks for your help, I'll try it when I get home from work :-)