Find and Replace IPTC tags or keywords redux

[KLE-France]

Hi to all and I hope all are well.

I found this previous post , which describes exactly what I want to do and thus I am reusing its title to keep things neat and tidy. I also found this specific response from michel038, which suggests a path forward for what I want to do.

The goal:

I wish to change one keyword (or "category" in XnView-speak) for another. This task will involve some 550-ish jpeg images distributed in some 30-ish files. The keyword that I wish to change is never alone in any one file; all of the files contain at least several other keywords that must remain unchanged. The keywords are always written into the jpeg files themselves, and once done with this task, that must remain the case as well. So the old keyword is to be written out of each and every concerned file, the new keyword is to be written in, and all other keywords are to be left unaffected.

The questions:

1) In the Catalog Filter, when one right-clicks on any one Category (keyword), there is a choice to rename it. I think I already know the answer to this but here goes anyway: Will simply renaming the Category (keyword) replace the old keyword with the new one AND rewrite the information accordingly in the concerned files?

2) Assuming the above will not work, will the following work?:

(TLDR: Write the second keyword into the files, then use the Categories tool to remove the files from the first keyword (category) in the catalog; then update the files from the catalog.)

a) Catalog Filter (Match=Global) > click on the Category (keyword) I wish to change ("keyword 1").
b) Select all images > Metadata > Edit IPTC... (making sure first that "Don't load field values" is checked) > Keywords > write in the new keyword ("keyword 2") > click "Write to all files".
All concerned files should now have keyword 1 and keyword 2 written into them (will surely click Metadata > "Update files from catalog" and "Update catalog from files" just to make sure all that takes).
c) Catalog Filter (Match=Global) > click on keyword 1.
d) Select all images > View > Panels > click on "Categories" to open the Categories panel.
e) Verify that the only categories with full-on check marks are keyword 1 and keyword 2.
f) Uncheck keyword 1.
g) Close Categories panel.
h) Metadata > click "Update files from catalog".

This second question starts really at step d), hence the indication in bold starting there.

I do think the second tactic will work (but am hoping the first will!), but I would love to have confirmation from the XnView gurus here first because I really don't want to screw this up and have to correct the error manually!

Thanks in advance and good day to all!

[jlrjlr]

Hello

Here is the way I go to rename a category., It is more or less your point 1 all done in xnView.

I am using latest xnView 1.9.10 on Windows. The tags are saved (read/write) in the xnView catalog and in the photo's file meta data.

For illustration I rename "CatOld" to "CatNew" for 500 files.

in Filter catalogue(left column) the tree "catégories" shows "CatOld (500)"

select this item => all 500 photos are displayed

select all photos (Ctrl+A)

in Catégories tool (right column) the "CatOld" is tiked ( a clear tic and not a fuzzy one) meaning that all photos are with "CalOld"

Now you can "save" this selection using "mark" : Clear all marks / Mark selection just in case to check modified photos

Step 1: remove "CatOld" from file

in Catégories tool un tick "CatOld" this to remove "CatOld"

Now the important operation to perform the removal in the photos

Select one photo => this unselect all the photos: The "unselect" triggers the removal in the files.

wait .. there is no progress bar that i know

at the end : Filter catalogue tree "catégories" shows "CatOld"

Step 2 : Rename to "CatNew"

Now that "CatOld" is unused you can rename it

in Catégories tool the "CatOld" is still un tiked to rename use right button

Filter catalogue tree "catégories" shows "CatNew"

Step 3 : assign CatNew

Select all photos (Ctrl+A)

in Catégories tool tick "CatNew"

Select one photo => this unselect all the photos

wait .. there is no progress bar that i know

at the end : Filter catalogue tree "catégories" shows "CatNew (500)"

I use a few time this method. It works for me but you never know I may have some settings that make it work. I recommend you to first to check on a few "test" photos. Do a backup of the xnView catalogue and your photos. Use latest version of Xnview.

I hope this explantions can help you.

[michel038]

A very quick response ( I did'nt have time to read it all)

You can try this on a single photo to ensure it reaches your goal

Create CatNew category in its right place
Select CatOld category in the filter
You can see all the files having this category...
Select all these files (Ctrl a)
Tick CatNew
Un-tick CatOld
Select a single photo ( release previous selection will make XnViewMP renew keywords)
Wait a while
Check if this photo contains correct keywords...

[KLE-France]

My thanks to both of you!

Indeed it's the "Categories" window, in conjunction with the Catalog Filter window (can the Categories window be used to select images??), that allows this manipulation.

And especially my thanks to Pierre for the awesome software able to do this in a few clicks!

[jlrjlr]

Hello KLE

I am glad that you found the answer to your question in our post.

"can the Categories window be used to select images" : Simple answer not quite

The selection of images to appear in the "central explorer pane" if made in the left side of the window "Filter catalog"
If this pane does not show use the menu "Display/pane" check "Filter catalog".

On the window's right side is the "Categories" pane. This is for category management (add, rename..) with right click.
The other purpose is to display categories of images and to set/unset them.
Once an image is click selected, its categories are checked in the "Categories" pane.

To set or un-set categories to the selected image check or un-check the desired categories. The checked categories are saved into the "catalog" and the image metas once the image is un-selected (just select any thing else).

Notice the little arrow head bottom pointed just above the scroll bar. Left clik opens advanced management tool :Export/import, erase unused categories...

If this pane does not show use the menu "Display/pane" check "Categories"

I hope it helps. Sorry for my broken english. The xnView terms ("Filter catalog" ..) are my own translation from the french version. Your's might have different wording.