Location Tags sometimes contain a trailing semicolon (delimiter) within the data

[Tveloso]

I haven't been able to pin down when/how this happens, but occasionally I'll get a trailing semicolon in Location Tags (except for the Country Code).

When this happens, the Locations section of the Dashboard contains two entries for the Country involved - one with, and one without, the trailing semicolon. 

I noticed this for a handful of files (less than 10) a few weeks ago, and meant to post about it then, but then forgot about it, after I corrected the condition.  I also recall seeing this a couple of other times in the past.

I now have this condition, for just one file:

   

While it's possible that this one file is just "a left over" from that previous occurrence a few weeks ago, I feel like this is a new file "that just popped up"...(as I was pretty sure I had successfully removed the condition from all the files back then).

The History does show an update for the file in question just a few days ago (but I don't recall doing that):

   

Usually once a file is moved (as shown above, taking place for this file, on 12 August of last year), I don't update it again (there are plenty of exceptions to that though).

Interestingly, the Composite Tags in the 1 Default MD Panel Layout, show the trailing semicolons (in the Country, State, City, and Location tags - but not in Country Code):

   

...but the 6 IPTC Location Layout does not show them for the same file (I imagine they're being treated as delimiters there):

   

But if I select the Database Node in the Media & Folders View, and use a Variable Filter for say the City, both of them report the presence of a semicolon (for a single file - in agreement with the Dashboard):

   

I'll keep an eye on this, and will post a bug report if I'm able to find what causes this.  But perhaps other users could maybe check to see if they have this condition in the Dashboard, or using a Variable Filter with one of these variables:

Code Select Expand

{File.MD.Composite\MWG-City\City\0|contains:~;,has semicolon,}
{File.MD.XMP::iptcExt\LocationShownCity\LocationShownCity\0|contains:~;,has semicolon,}


[Mario]

How do you set location data?
Reverse geocoding?
Manual input in Metadata Panel using the "6. IPTC Location" layout?

Location data in IPTC is repeatable, in which case ExifTool produces a semicolon-separated list for each tag...
Have you check the files in that Metadata Panel layout?

[Tveloso]

I use a mix of IMatch features to populate location data.  Reverse Geocoding, IMatch Locations (almost always applied at ingest, by a MD Template), and via direct maintenance of the location Tags (often with Autofill).  When direct maintenance is used, it's almost always to the Composite Tags in the 1 Default MD Panel Layout.

The file in question here didn't have GPS data, so it would have been done via direct maintenance (almost certainly in the Composite tags).

I do also occasionally use the 6 IPTC Location Layout, but not as often.

The thing is, I feel as though this file just got the trailing semicolons recently, without my having made any updates?...(the History for it does show an update just a few days ago, on 2 April - does that indicate it was done interactively by the user?...or could some other "internal process" in IMatch also record such a change to the History?). But it's very possible I made that update, and just don't remember that file as one I worked with.

[Mario]

Try not to use Composite tags. They don't play well with repeatable and structured tags like LocationShown / LocationCreated.

[hluxem]

I can confirm that I have seen an extra semicolon before. Unfortunately, I was never able to figure out what triggers it. For me it happened randomly when copying location data to multiple files using the 6 IPTC Location layout. I think only one of the selected files the data was copied to had one or more tags with the semicolon and/or duplicated tag. 

I use a data driven location category. It is easy enough to find the semicolon with the Category Filter Panel if I don't catch it right away.

Heiner

[PandDLong]

I have also had this happen.   Sometimes the tag will have the same value twice with the ; delimiting the two values. I have also found it in the Creator field - it is another repeatable tag.

I have never spent any time to try and figure out why...  I just assume it is user error.

I use a data driven category to find them and every few weeks (or months) I do a quick check to find and fix.


Michael

[Mario]

I have never seen that. Which does not mean it cannot not happen.
If somebody finds operations/commands/steps that cause this, let me know.

If a repeatable tag has multiple values, even empty ones, IMatch separates them via ; in features like the MD Panel.