Managing Categories

[Rick]

Noob here ...
What is a good strategy for managing categories? I know how to make a list with sub categories but if someone sends me (say) 100 photos, as soon as I open the folder my category list is LOADED with other people's categories that have no meaning in my work flow
... and I can only delete them one at a time which is useless as they will just reappear next time I touch that folder

So can someone explain or point me to instructions for
maintaining a list of MY categories withouts being bombed by data from others as I unpack their photos and art
Delete said categories easily
STRIP the categories from incoming photos

And sets ... I am not finding any real info about sets. I can create them all day long but cannot add anything nor figure a good way to use them

Yes I searched first and I have read some of the manuals although not yet completely AND did a Google search. Any hand holding would be appreciated
I came from ACDSEE and did not have this issue and for the record, XnView is superior to that commercial product
Thanks
Rick

[michel038]

Hello
To avoid this :

as soon as I open the folder my category list is LOADED with other people's categories that have no meaning in my work flow

you must unmatk the first option in Tools, Settings, Metadata (Import XMPsubject or IPTC keywords to DB categories)

For categories sets, I don't know, never used them ...

I wrote a heavy help file (link below) in french that Google can translate (paste the link only in G.translate)

Michel

[Rick]

Hello
To avoid this :

as soon as I open the folder my category list is LOADED with other people's categories that have no meaning in my work flow

you must unmatk the first option in Tools, Settings, Metadata (Import XMPsubject or IPTC keywords to DB categories)

For categories sets, I don't know, never used them ...

I wrote a heavy help file (link below) in french that Google can translate (paste the link only in G.translate)

Michel

That worked! Thank you so much for getting back to me. I will run the document through Google translator
Thanks again!!

[XnTom]

Thanks from my side as well

I don't get that many material from others but I made the same experience and I have set the corresponding option as well to keep my category tree clean. But there is a side effect to it:

If somebody needs to create picture with embedded category information, you can always switch back the option in the preferences, but then ALL your category data is written in the files. Is there an easy way to do this selectively ? Example:

My girlfriend runs a flower shop and she wants to use a tablet with a categorized photo collection for event consulting (wedding etc.) and I do all the photos for her. For me I am using a rather complex category structure and the categories needed for the flower shop are part of this structure.

Is there an easy way of creating picture files that contain embedded category data, but only from a selected set, e.g. from a particular branch of my category tree ?

[michel038]

Is there an easy way of creating picture files that contain embedded category data, but only from a selected set, e.g. from a particular branch of my category tree ?

You can delete categories with Xnviewmp in the tablet (option "export DB category to xmp and iptc" disabled), but all keywords will remain in photos.
in this way, the appearance of the categories is simple, and no processing is needed on the photos.

If you really want to clean keywords, 1) enable the "export ..."option. 2) select a category you want to remove in "categories filter" . 3) select all pictures found. 4) unmark this category in "categories" panel. 5)when selection is released, xnviewmp will update keywords.