Comments - suggestion for future version [DONE]

[mhwarner]

While the new text macros using JPEG EXIF info are a welcome addition to version 5, it would be nice to use data stored in the IPTC fields as well. Many professional photographers, myself included, use the IPTC information to store keywords, captions, etc. I have one web page creation program (Arles Image Web Page Creator) that allows the use of either type of data (EXIF or IPTC) for automatic comments. I wonder if this would be possible in a later version of the program. It would save an extra step of transferring the comments from IPTC to EXIF fields.

Thanks for considering this.

[Kalain]

Hi,

While the new text macros using JPEG EXIF info are a welcome addition to version 5, it would be nice to use data stored in the IPTC fields as well. Many professional photographers, myself included, use the IPTC information to store keywords, captions, etc. I have one web page creation program (Arles Image Web Page Creator) that allows the use of either type of data (EXIF or IPTC) for automatic comments. I wonder if this would be possible in a later version of the program. It would save an extra step of transferring the comments from IPTC to EXIF fields.

Thanks for considering this.

This is out of the topic but which software(s) do you use to manage and edit IPTC fields ?

I'm quite interested because I have been looking for ages without to find a software which suit to me. :(

To be honest, I think I have tried all of them. May be not yours ? who knows !!!

Thanks

Alain

[mhwarner]

Hi,

This is out of the topic but which software(s) do you use to manage and edit IPTC fields ?

I'm quite interested because I have been looking for ages without to find a software which suit to me. :(

To be honest, I think I have tried all of them. May be not yours ? who knows !!!

Thanks

Alain

I have used ThumbsPlus for my image management needs for many years. While perhaps not as sophisticated as iView Media Pro (now owned by MicroSoft) or iMatch or even idImager, it has a lot of functionality which perfectly suits my needs. I do have the free version of idImager and I also have purchased ACDSee Pro. I have an old license for iMatch as well, but haven't used it recently. I guess the new Photoshop Lightroom is good at this as well, and if you have Photoshop, of course you can also use Bridge. The CS3 version is faster than older versions,

The things I like about ThumbsPlus is that it is relatively intuitive (which means I can have my husband, who is almost computer illiterate, use it to print proofs for me on photoshoots). I can select a group of photos and add IPTC (or JPEG EXIT if need be) captions and keywords, I can create virtual galleries, do batch functions like renaming, basic editing if I am in a hurry, create quick, simple slideshows for display at the events for which I shoot (I always use PTE for the final product), resizing (for PTE shows), etc. If you haven't tried it, you can look at it and download a trial version here: http://www.cerious.com I have thousands of images and have never run into any speed issues. The thumbnails are stored in a Microsoft Access database and once created, the program opens them very quickly. If you want to fool with the database itself, you also have that option although I have never had the time or the inclination to do so. It is easy to back up the database(s) as well.

While it doesn't do everything I would like, it does the things that I need it to do well and doesn't cost a fortune (around $49US for the standard version, $89 for the pro). Each program seems to have some outstanding feature so you have to try them and make your selection on the way you work and what is most important to you. Sometimes, using more than one makes sense. For instance ACDSee Pro has a neat shadow-highlight tool that is much quicker than processing a bunch of photos in Photoshop, as well as the ability to create flash slideshows, and the ability to resize the thumbnails on the fly (much like the lightbox in PTE), but it only seems to have one window, so if you are editing a picture, you can't easily get back to your thumbnails. I use it for those things sometimes, but I don't bother with doing cataloging in that program. With ThumbsPlus, you can have multiple windows open and keep the thumbs catalog open while you edit or examine individual shots. I have also set up a print format to quickly print out proofs 9-to-a-page on my photoshoots. TP is the quickest way for me to accomplish the most things that I need to do in the least amount of time. And I am always surprised that in all the reviews of digital asset management, it never seems to be mentioned. Too bad, because I think a lot of folks are missing out on a great product.

Again, these things are very much up to individual preferences and the way you work, but if you haven't tried it, take a look.

[Kalain]

Hi,

Thanks for your answer.

I have used ThumbsPlus for my image management needs for many years. While perhaps not as sophisticated as iView Media Pro (now owned by MicroSoft) or iMatch or even idImager, it has a lot of functionality which perfectly suits my needs. I do have the free version of idImager and I also have purchased ACDSee Pro. I have an old license for iMatch as well, but haven't used it recently. I guess the new Photoshop Lightroom is good at this as well, and if you have Photoshop, of course you can also use Bridge. The CS3 version is faster than older versions,

Well, I have tried all of them. The less worst from my point of view is Iview but not the perfect one. Does it exist a perfect software ? I should say yes. The perfect software is the one which suit you.

For Iview I got a beta tester license (2.6 version) but developpment team didn't include an important missing feature in 3.xx versions. now as it's owned by microsoft, i think things will be a bit worse during a lpas of time. (Just look at forum to see how many people are complaining about the software. )

The things I like about ThumbsPlus is that it is relatively intuitive (which means I can have my husband, who is almost computer illiterate, use it to print proofs for me on photoshoots). I can select a group of photos and add IPTC (or JPEG EXIT if need be) captions and keywords, I can create virtual galleries, do batch functions like renaming, basic editing

I will have a look at TP.

if I am in a hurry, create quick, simple slideshows for display at the events for which I shoot (I always use PTE for the final product), resizing (for PTE shows), etc.

You can already resize pictures under PTE.

if you are under XP, install freeware "resize picture" from Microsoft Powertoys, so under PTE when you are browsing for pictures, instead to add a 6M/8M/10M pixel image, just right clic on image and select "Explorer" and select "Resize Pictures" and choose the final format.

TP is the quickest way for me to accomplish the most things that I need to do in the least amount of time. And I am always surprised that in all the reviews of digital asset management, it never seems to be mentioned. Too bad, because I think a lot of folks are missing out on a great product.

The easiest and most powerfull way to organise pictures is to drag and drop them into a keyword, place, event, ... lists. That's what doing IVMP but you can't filter the list before. :angry:

Thanks.

Alain

[Kalain]

Hi,

While the new text macros using JPEG EXIF info are a welcome addition to version 5, it would be nice to use data stored in the IPTC fields as well. Many professional photographers, myself included, use the IPTC information to store keywords, captions, etc. I have one web page creation program (Arles Image Web Page Creator) that allows the use of either type of data (EXIF or IPTC) for automatic comments. I wonder if this would be possible in a later version of the program. It would save an extra step of transferring the comments from IPTC to EXIF fields.

Thanks for considering this.

I agree with you but there is BIG problems because if you want this feature easy and efficicent to use, you first need to scan directories, to extract all IPTC filds and create a database. So when in PTE you search some images by IPTC fileds you just use an search inside internal data base to get some fast answers.

I have been hardly involved in such softwares (with Iview Media Pro up to be acquired by Microsoft, but also and still with Picajet http://www.picajet.com/en/index.php as a beta tester and co developper, consultant) and I can tell you this is no so easy to implement.

For sure I'd like to see such feature in PTE, but I'm afraid this would be a too HUGE amount of work.

Alain

[Igor]

Done in version 7.0 Beta 16

Today later.