Filter showing files where two metadata fields don't match?

[CVKen3]

I could use a filter that only shows photos where two metadata fields (in the same file) are different. I don't think this is possible, at least I haven't found it.

Why? I have my photos on a Synology NAS for remote access. When I change a photo Description or Date using Synology Photos, I end up a file where the XMP Description is different from the EXIF ImageDescription, or the XMP CreateDate is different from the EXIF Date/Time Original.

When at home, I have direct access using iMatch via a mounted drive. I can find these by looking at recently changed files, but if I've changed a batch of files using iMatch or wait a month before checking, it can be hard to locate them.

I use Synology Photos to allow my family easy access to the photo library, allowing them to label files and update dates of old files. I use iMatch personally at home because it's so powerful and I can get a ton done in a short amount of time.

[Mario]

Tip: When you select both files, the Metadata Panel shows (Multiple Values) for all tags not matching.
You can create a Metadata Panel layout showing just the tags you are interested in and then use it to compare two or more files.

And there is also this feature request: https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=11431.0 which links to this app (https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=11414.0) which does this already.

[CVKen3]

I originally posted this as a comment to those other threads, but it's not the same.

I'm asking to detect if two metadata fields *in the same file* are different.

That is, iMatch synchronizes date and description fields when the metadata is written to the file, but I might also use another program that doesn't. I'd like to detect this condition (often when the EXIF value is different from the XMP value), and display those files.

Clearly not much demand for this, other than me.

[Mario]

Maybe not mixing software then?
If you know the other software does not adhere to the standard and messes up the metadata, maybe it is better to modify metadata only in IMatch?

You can use Variables easily to compare two tags (with the is function) and then show a warning message or an special icon in the File Window.
Check out Using Custom Icons in the File Window for a start.
No app or extra feature needed.

[CVKen3]

So many features, it's hard to learn them all! Thanks for the pointer.

FWIW, my "other software" is a Synology NAS that gives my parents a simple way to label or adjust dates on pictures over the internet. Generally iMatch and Synology Photos co-exist pretty well, but occasionally there are issues. Yes, I have an iMatch Anywhere license, but it seemed too complicated for them. They can barely manage a Google Photos type of interface. (Of course, I haven't looked at iMatch Anywhere for some time. Assuming it doesn't have an "old persons" mode!)

Thanks again for taking the time to answer.

[Jingo]

So many features, it's hard to learn them all! Thanks for the pointer.

FWIW, my "other software" is a Synology NAS that gives my parents a simple way to label or adjust dates on pictures over the internet. Generally iMatch and Synology Photos co-exist pretty well, but occasionally there are issues. Yes, I have an iMatch Anywhere license, but it seemed too complicated for them. They can barely manage a Google Photos type of interface. (Of course, I haven't looked at iMatch Anywhere for some time. Assuming it doesn't have an "old persons" mode!)

Thanks again for taking the time to answer.

I find IMA pretty easy to navigate and update keywords for - but they would need to VPN into your system in order to start it all up which could add to the complexity.

[Mario]

I guess he already has a VPN running if he exposes his NAS to the Internet. All else would be pretty dangerous.

[PandDLong]

You can use Variables easily to compare two tags (with the is function) and then show a warning message or an special icon in the File Window.
Check out Using Custom Icons in the File Window for a start.
No app or extra feature needed.

I will add an endorsement of Mario's recommendation. 

I built a File Window layout expressly to do a QA on my metadata.  After some experimentation and use, I ended up with a layout that:

     - has lots of thumbnails per row
     - No clutter - ie. no icons, no label/rating bar, no categories
     - Simple header to provide some relevant identifying data
     - Each footer (left and right) is Custom with multiple regular expressions to check tag values
           - Each check displays an icon if it needs attention (fails QA) and displays nothing otherwise

The failures really jump out on the screen and I can do a QA check on a few hundred images very quickly.  If there are not too many problems, the fixes take little time and then you have a clean file window free of QA fail icons.  When I have a repetitive issue across many photos, I will select all such photos to put them in a results window and fix them all at once.

Happy to send you examples of the regular expressions if that would be helpful.

Michael

[Mario]

Maybe a good idea to write a short FAQ in the Metadata FAQ Board?

[sinus]

Happy to send you examples of the regular expressions if that would be helpful.

Michael

That sounds very interesting.
If you could write the expressions or even better upload the layout, that would be cool.

[PandDLong]

I have attached the File Window exported layout.

The intent is to be able quickly scan through a volume of pictures and identify issues with the quality of the metadata (by my standards).  Essentially, an all-black display under each image is good.  I used words and letters first to represent QA issues and it was okay but I found icons much better  - an icon being displayed does jump out on the screen more and conveys information very well.   Some specific context:

     - The date in the top left may display as black text on orange based on a custom workflow tag  (meant to grab my attention) - I left this in the export as it took me awhile to figure out how to do optional background colours for a piece of data and someone may find it useful.

     - The people in image tag is displayed in the header - it is the one piece of data that requires some attention for a "manual" QA.   People are in a minority of my pictures so it doesn't slow me down much to look at that data and the picture to confirm all is good.

     - The Title is used as part of the file name so it can't contain illegal characters and I constrain it to a length limit

     - I populate both the Location Created and Location Shown geotags.  I typically use the shortcodes for the Location Shown tag names

     - I use one of the "free" Location Created tags to store an indicator on the source of the GPS data (this is mandatory in my workflow)


The QA check portion is in the footers and each failure will result in an icon being displayed.  The checks primarily are for ensuring the tag has data (exceptions noted below).  In brackets is the file window position and name of the icon used.

•   Title (F1L – edit)
      o   Invalid characters for file name (F1L - danger)
      o   Over character limit (F1L – knife)
              •   extra letters then displayed
•   Keywords (F1R – key)
•   GPS Latitude (F1R – globe)
•   Photographer (F1R – designer)
•   Rights (F1R – properties)
•   Create Subject Date
      o   Too short to have time zone (F2L – time)
•   Country Code Matches in both tags (F2L – globe)
•   Location Shown City (F2L – picture)
•   Location Shown State (F2L – picture)
•   Location Shown Country (F2L – picture)
•   Location Created City (F2R – camera)
•   Location Created State (F2R – camera)
•   Location Created Country (F2R – camera)
•   Location Created GPS Source (F2R – measure)


For the icons, I have included the full path name, I am sure an improvement would be to put the icon files in a folder such that the full path doesn't have to be given.

Thanks to Mario and Markus for the information they have posted previously for the inspiration and the examples which allowed me to put this together.   I did struggle a bit with the icon display and you will note that sometimes the icon is referenced directly in the expression and other times it is part of a pereplace in the expression.   There was some back and forth on the syntax to have after the icon name - examples on this site have a couple different methods.  I did experiment as one format worked but not the other - ironically a few months later both formats work on my system.

I will add that since I have figured out icons, I use them in a number of File Window layouts and find them quite useful - a lot of information can be conveyed quickly in a small amount of space.

Last, but certainly not least, I downloaded the icons from the web. Credit to aha-soft and the webpage was: http://www.small-icons.com/stock-icons/32x32-free-design-icons.htm


I hope this is useful to others in the iMatch community.

Michael

[PandDLong]

Mario - I am happy to post this as a stand-alone post in a FAQ board - which one would you like me to post it in?

[Mario]

See the link in my post above.

[Jingo]

Thx for sharing - always interesting to see what others do with their layouts!  Fyi - anyone that would like to use the layout will need to go in and edit the image location path for each icon.

Since we're sharing - I'm happy to repost my imfwl that I use as well if there is interest... editing would be needed for icon paths as well but it is always nice to see what code is involved for certain items...

[PandDLong]

Yes, please repost it.

Do you know if there is a default search path for the icon file - so one doesn't need to specify a fully qualified path name?  I tried to find documentation on that topic but came up with nothing.

I am making a few changes to my FW and I will post to the FAQ with some better documentation once I am done (including the file path simplification I am hoping).

Michael

[sinus]

Michael
I could look at your layout only quickly, seems to be very interesting, thanks for sharing.
Looking forward for your FAQ-post.

Jingo: you forgot to attach your imfwl? The pic looks fine 

[Jingo]

Jingo: you forgot to attach your imfwl? The pic looks fine 

Ooops!  Attached.. enjoy all!

I've tried to use Application / User Variables to define a path and append some specific icon but that didn't work.  I suppose the variables could be defined fully in the variables... need to give that a whirl

[jch2103]

Thanks, very interesting. What did you use as a source for your icons?

[Jingo]

To be honest.. I'm not sure.  Any 16x16 png's will suffice though... I know I converted the color ones I was using to B&W in order to show them as "inactive" when the false value is hit...

[PandDLong]

Thanks for posting.  The idea of black and white vs. colour is a good one.

I believe I have found a simpler route to specifying the icon file. 

If one places the file in the same folder as iMatch it will be found with just a simple file reference (eg. <Image Source='icon-name.png'/>).  But I prefer to not put my own files directly into a program's file folder as it may cause issues - or stop working after an upgrade.

So, the following also works and keeps it a bit independent of iMatch - but one still needs Windows 10 administrator privileges to do (at least I did on my machine).

    1. I created a folder within the 'photools.com' folder along side the 'iMatch6' folder.
    2. I named it 'my icons'.
    3. I copied the icons I use into that folder.
    4. In iMatch the file reference is now <Image Source='..\my icons\icon-name.png'/>

Initial testing has it working fine.

I am interested in Mario's perspective if creating that folder raises any concerns given it is inside the 'photools.com' folder.  Or is it fine to put directly into the same folder as the iMatch executable?


Michael

[Mario]

I generally don't recommend putting stuff inside the photools.com folder.
Windows Installer may decide to remove it when an update is installed or you run a repair on the installation.

I would put an "IMatch_Icons" folder in the Windows Documents folder (e.g. c:\users\Mario\Documents\IMatch_Icons" and use that.