IPTC: Updating XMP destroys some of it

[marjoleink]

Hello,

I'm a long-time user and fan of XnView, but unfortunately I now have a problem to report.

I have started to add IPTC data (and other meta data) to my photographs. My strategy for this is:

1. use Phil Harvey's ExifTool for 'bulk' operations, such as location and creator data which can be added a whole directory at a time or even across a directory tree
2. use XnView for finer-grained data like sublocation and keywords, where having a thumbnail view helps in determining what the content should be; I always have the setting 'Update or create XMP' on (UpdateXMP=1 in the [Iptc] section of xnview.ini)
   Once reason for using this combination is that both programs have, in my experience, excellent support for the actual image and meta data standards.

Alas I found that whenever I make a change that should have a reflection in XMP, not only is XMP data updated with this (correctly), but a whole chunk of pre-existing XMP data is discarded at the same time. In particular: the group CreatorContactInfo, part of the Iptc4xmpCore group disappears. Just adding a single keyword for instance, correctly adds this to the XMP data as well as the IPTC section but at the same time destroys the CreatorContactInfo (leaving only the Iptc4xmpCore:CountryCode field which is part of the Iptc4xmpCore group but not part of the CreatorContactInfo subgroup).

Obviously, this should not happen: XMP should be modified or extended with new data entered in the dialog, but existing (unmodified) data should remain untouched.

Example XMP data (as shown by XnView):
- before:

Code: Select all

<?xpacket begin='' id='W5M0MpCehiHzreSzNTczkc9d'?>
<x:xmpmeta xmlns:x='adobe:ns:meta/' x:xmptk='Image::ExifTool 7.98'>
<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf='http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#'>

 <rdf:Description rdf:about=''
  xmlns:Iptc4xmpCore='http://iptc.org/std/Iptc4xmpCore/1.0/xmlns/'>
  <Iptc4xmpCore:CountryCode>IND</Iptc4xmpCore:CountryCode>
  <Iptc4xmpCore:CreatorContactInfo rdf:parseType='Resource'>
   <Iptc4xmpCore:CiAdrCity>Amsterdam</Iptc4xmpCore:CiAdrCity>
   <Iptc4xmpCore:CiAdrCtry>Netherlands</Iptc4xmpCore:CiAdrCtry>
   <Iptc4xmpCore:CiAdrExtadr>Geuzenstraat 35-3</Iptc4xmpCore:CiAdrExtadr>
   <Iptc4xmpCore:CiAdrPcode>1056 KA</Iptc4xmpCore:CiAdrPcode>
   <Iptc4xmpCore:CiUrlWork>http://iamback.com/</Iptc4xmpCore:CiUrlWork>
  </Iptc4xmpCore:CreatorContactInfo>
 </rdf:Description>

 <rdf:Description rdf:about=''
  xmlns:dc='http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/'>
  <dc:creator>
   <rdf:Seq>
    <rdf:li>Marjolein Katsma</rdf:li>
   </rdf:Seq>
  </dc:creator>
 </rdf:Description>

 <rdf:Description rdf:about=''
  xmlns:photoshop='http://ns.adobe.com/photoshop/1.0/'>
  <photoshop:City>Madurai</photoshop:City>
  <photoshop:Country>India</photoshop:Country>
  <photoshop:State>Tamil Nadu</photoshop:State>
 </rdf:Description>
</rdf:RDF>
</x:xmpmeta>
                                                                                                    
<?xpacket end='w'?>

- for the same file after adding a keyword:

Code: Select all

<?xpacket begin="" id="W5M0MpCehiHzreSzNTczkc9d"?>
<x:xmpmeta xmlns:x="adobe:ns:meta/" x:xmptk="XMP Core 4.1.1">
   <rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#">
      <rdf:Description rdf:about=""
            xmlns:Iptc4xmpCore="http://iptc.org/std/Iptc4xmpCore/1.0/xmlns/">
         <Iptc4xmpCore:CountryCode>IND</Iptc4xmpCore:CountryCode>
      </rdf:Description>
      <rdf:Description rdf:about=""
            xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
         <dc:creator>
            <rdf:Seq>
               <rdf:li>Marjolein Katsma</rdf:li>
            </rdf:Seq>
         </dc:creator>
         <dc:subject>
            <rdf:Bag>
               <rdf:li>cycle rikshaw</rdf:li>
            </rdf:Bag>
         </dc:subject>
      </rdf:Description>
      <rdf:Description rdf:about=""
            xmlns:photoshop="http://ns.adobe.com/photoshop/1.0/">
         <photoshop:State>Tamil Nadu</photoshop:State>
         <photoshop:Country>India</photoshop:Country>
         <photoshop:City>Madurai</photoshop:City>
      </rdf:Description>
   </rdf:RDF>
</x:xmpmeta>
                                                                                                    
<?xpacket end="w"?>

System data:
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium (Dutch version)
XnView: latest (1.97.8)

References:

• ExifTool: http://owl.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/
• IPTC: http://www.iptc.org/
• IPTC Core: http://www.iptc.org/std/Iptc4xmpCore/ (the last ZIP contains the PDF with the spec - also at http://www.iptc.org/std/Iptc4xmpCore/1. ... hema_8.pdf - short: http://is.gd/hR3zD)
• IPTC Core as HTML (Yahoo): http://is.gd/hR3wR

If you need any more info, please let me know!

[XnTriq]

<!-- OT //

• Welcome, marjoleink! I used to be a frequent visitor of hshelp.com and wouldn't mind if you were to become a regular contributor at newsgroup.xnview.com ;o)

// OT -->

[marjoleink]

<!-- OT //

• Welcome, marjoleink! I used to be a frequent visitor of hshelp.com and wouldn't mind if you were to become a regular contributor at newsgroup.xnview.com ;o)

// OT -->

Ha! A blast from the past. Thanks for the welcome, XnTriq!

[marjoleink]

I am surprised, and rather disappointed, that even after a whole week (during which I can see 'xnview' has been active non the forum), there still has not even been an acknowledgement of my serious bug report.

Destroying existing contact information in a file is not something that should happen and is something that needs to be fixed.

What gives?

Marjolein Katsma

[JohnFredC]

Hi Marjolein

AFAIK Pierre is a one-man show with "many irons in the fire". Currently I think he is readying a new beta version of XnView MP, which may have his full attention.

In my experience, all important bugs are promptly addressed and the minor ones prioritized according to the volume of noise from the users.

Your post was very informative and helpful for the process.

[marjoleink]

John,

I'm not asking for an immediate solution. I know one-man shows need sleeptime as well.

But I know Pierre has been on the forum and replied to some posts since I posted my report. All I would like to see is acknowledgement that this is, indeed, a bug. It looks as though it's just being ignored now.

Marjolein

[xnview]

Sorry, yes i've seen your problem Even if i don't reply... I'll check asap

[marjoleink]

Sorry, yes i've seen your problem Even if i don't reply... I'll check asap

Thank you Pierre! Glad to know you're at least aware of the problem.

Cheers,
Marjolein

[xnview]

Please try XnView 1.98 beta 1