Easy copy keywords to new image

[mkc73]

I often create a new image in a folder with other images of the same type and want to copy the keywords across from another image. So I select both images and then click on each ungreyed keyword in the Assigned tab so that keywords are all set in both image and all greyed out. That's fine but gets annoying when there are 30 different keywords to copy and often click one too many times so that the keyword gets unset in both images.
I would love a 'set all' button to copy all keywords between selected images.

[michel038]

Are there any other metadata in the source file ? Or only keywords (iptc ? xmp ?)
Are you using hierarchical keywords ?

If there are only flat keywords, you can
select the new one and another one,
use Metadata > Edit iptc
use right or left arrow to display the source image in preview
and click "write all"
Depending on the options of the last tab of this dialog, all the iptc and/or xmp metadata of the displayed one will be written in all selected files
(Exif data will stay unchnanged)

[mkc73]

Many thanks - that seems to do what I needed. Though I'd still like a button on the assigned tab to do the same thing rather than select metadata tab, select edit xmp, select keywords tab, check apply parent categories box, use arrows to select the right image, select write all (though note that would not quite have the same effect in the case where different keywords were set in different images).

However i am now getting confused again between what is in the catalog and what is in the xmp data. you may remember I write out the XMP data to the images. If for instance I clear the xmp data using xmp edit, the catalog does not get updated i.e still has the xmp keywords set but the xmp data in the image file is cleared. This seems to be also true when writing the keywords to the new file - the catalog does not get automatically updated. So the catalog and the XMP data are out of sync.

[michel038]

I think you have to tick "Import" xmp, in Settings, Metadata ...
So, XnViewMP reads xmp keywords and updates the catalog.
(This works also when you browse any folder, even if you didn't want to)
For the photos that are already out of sync, you can use "update catalog from files" menu

You are right, import a set of keywords from a source picture is actually tricky.

[mkc73]

I already have that enabled i think:
Settings/Metadata/Categories XMP:subject Import and Export enabled

[michel038]

Another way is to use ExifTool ...

Code: Select all

exiftool  -TagsfromFile "C:\Users\user\Pictures\source.jpg" "-xmp:subject" "F:\Photos\2026\test\target1.jpg" "F:\Photos\2026\test\target2.jpg" 

Not easy ...


Maybe easier with my own software https://orchisere.fr/logiciels/html/CCE.htm
It's an exiftool command builder (and runs)
It works on Windows where java runtime is installed (most of PC have already java runtime installed)

ecbu.jpg

1 Select in Xnview or a file explorer the files to update , drag and drop them into the first area
2 select process (edit metadata)
3 select option (metadata from a file)
4 select group (xmp)
5 only if necessary, replace "xmp:all" by "xmp:subject" in the command line (maybe add "xmp-lr:HierarchicalSubject" )
Hover other checkboxes and options to view tooltips ( in "Exiftool options" like -P or "ignore_original file creation" )
6 Click OK

7 check the result (with "View metadata" process) and use "Undo" button if it's not right ...
8 If ok, delete _original files
9 Use "Update catalog from files" in XnViewmp

[mkc73]

many thanks.