Hi. I'm learning IMATCH. I've noticed when I have photos with keywords with periods in them, those are interpreted as @Keyword categories. Is this expected and why? I have many keywords like this. How should I modify them before importing for them to be retained? (I'm familiar with using exiftool.)
As explained in the IMatch help (@Keywords Category (https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/cat_keywords.htm?dl=hid-1)), the @Keywords category automatically mirrors the hierarchical keywords IMatch maintains for your files (period or not). This conveniently automatically organizes your files by keywords and gives you access to a number of additional commands and features.
See The @Keywords Category (https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/cat_keywords.htm?dl=hid-1) for detailed information about this IMatch feature.
The ; is used by the Metadata Panel to separate keywords for display purposes.
Please always use the Keywords Panel (https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/md_keywords_panel.htm?dl=hid-1)to add, edit and modify hierarchical keywords.
I apologize I must not have explained the scenario well enough. I'm talking about adding a new folder with images and what the indexing or ingesting process does to the keywords in that document.
IMatch appears to convert periods to hierarchy indicators. Please see the sample I attached of keywords before and after. Thank you.
If you use 'real' periods in your keywords flat keywords (very unusual), make sure IMatch does not interpret them as hierarchical separators.
Open Edit menu > Preferences > Metadata and remove the tick in front of . in the hierarchy separator setting. Commit by pressing OK.
Now select the files where you have used . in keywords in a File Window and press Shift+Ctrl+F5. Use the "Reload Metadata" option. This reads the metadata again, this time not interpreting . as a hierarchy separator.