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Library module Removing all keywords beneath a parent tag from multiple images - is there any way??

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Mike N

New Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2018
Messages
5
Lightroom Experience
Intermediate
Lightroom Version
Lightroom Version Number
7.4
Operating System
  1. Windows 10
Hi everyone,

This is my first posting here having brushed up my workflow over recent weeks, after working my way through the excellent "Lightroom Classic Missing FAQ" - a big thanks to you Victoria for putting out such a good book, and for the resources on this site. Both have proved incredibly useful!

So, my question. Is there a way to remove a whole sub-structure of hierarchical keywords from multiple images in one go, without manually selecting every single keyword individually? I'm using John Beardsworth's XLR plug-in to transfer Fuji MakerNotes into keywords, which generates a pretty vast structure under a single parent. If I decide I'd like to remove these keywords from one or more images, the only way seems to be to expand every single node of the tree in Keyword List and uncheck them individually, or to eyeball them in the Keywording panel in Enter Keywords mode and remove them one by one from there. I can't quite believe there isn't a simple option to do this from the right-click menu in the keyword tree, but no matter how hard I look at the menu it refuses to appear! Anyone know a good workaround for this, or able to point me towards something obvious I've missed??

Kind regards,

Mike
 
The only way I can think of is to use a SQLite editor (e.g. DB Browser for SQLite), but that would involve some fairly complicated logic. If you want to try that, make sure to take a backup (or two...) of your catalog first!
 
Thanks - yeah this was more about whether there is some way in the application itself as this is something I find the need for in normal workflow. Guess I could always jump in the deep end and try to write a plug-in if it's really a missing capability...
 
Thanks - yeah this was more about whether there is some way in the application itself
Yes, that would be useful, but I don't think there's any way to do this within LR itself (at least not in LR6). But I'm open to someone else coming along and telling me I'm wrong :).
 
I've been away from LR for a bit, but you should be able to select all the images that have the tree in GRID mode - then right-click that tree in the Keyword List and select "Delete keyword". It should remove all child keywords as well, if I'm not mistaken.

As always, it's wise to back up the catalog before trying anything new.
 
I don’t think the OP wants to remove the keyword from the list, just from certain images. If you want to remove a keyword from the list, then you don’t have to select any images.
 
If I am understanding the question,
I think you could select the images in grid view (ctrl click), then go to the big rectangle (keyword tags) and just delete them from there. That will take them off all the selected images.
Cliff
 
If I am understanding the question,
I think you could select the images in grid view (ctrl click), then go to the big rectangle (keyword tags) and just delete them from there. That will take them off all the selected images.
Cliff
Yes, and the OP knows that. He just hoped there was an easier way, because he has many other keywords too.
 
I understand that. But while he has to remove the KEYWORDS one by one, it will remove them from EVERY image that he has selected all at once.
 
I understand that. But while he has to remove the KEYWORDS one by one, it will remove them from EVERY image that he has selected all at once.
I know, and from how I read his message, he knows.
 
Yep, I do indeed understand that will work, but was hoping to just chop out an entire sub-branch of the tree from the top level in a single move. Not possible, it seems (slightly surprisingly to me). Thanks all for the confirmation though, it's useful in itself.
 
Yep, I do indeed understand that will work, but was hoping to just chop out an entire sub-branch of the tree from the top level in a single move. Not possible, it seems (slightly surprisingly to me).

I call these type of things 'WTF?' oversights. :)
 
Yep, Not possible, it seems (slightly surprisingly to me).
Possible LR is coded to protect the 'error prone' users.
If ALL or MANY keywords were under one master keyword then it might be possible to delete ALL keywords with one action- accidently.:cry:
 
Apologies for resurrecting this after 6+ months but thought in case anyone lands here with the same question it would be helpful to post this. In fact it very much *is* possible to remove keywords hierarchically, since if you Delete a parent in the Keyword List panel then LR warns you that "It contains additional keywords which will also be deleted. Those keywords will be removed from any photos which use them."

So it's all-or-nothing. I just discovered this accidentally after having decided to live with the overdose of MakerNotes that were cluttering things up. In my case that's exactly what I want (remove from ALL photos, not a subset) so a good result there.
 
Possible LR is coded to protect the 'error prone' users.
If ALL or MANY keywords were under one master keyword then it might be possible to delete ALL keywords with one action- accidently.:cry:
As per my previous post, it actually seems that the potential for this accident exists, in the most sweeping way possible - although at least you do get a confirmation popup (one that can't be set for "Don't Show Again")
 
Hey Mike, just catching up with this thread. Sounds like you've been doing some great detective work.
 
I just found a workaround for this issue

Assuming you don't have to deal with video files
  1. Select all photos that you want to modify
  2. File > Export as Catalog
  3. Untick all checkboxes
  4. Open newly created Catalog
  5. Remove unnecessary keywords
  6. Repeat step 1
  7. Metadata > Save Metadata to Files
  8. Open original Catalog
  9. Repeat step 1
  10. Metadata > Read Metadata from Files

In case if you also have video files, the procedure is a bit more complicated, as Lightroom doesn't support video metadata natively.

0. Install plugin » jb Video Metadata
7. Additionally call File > Plug-in Extras > Save Metadata to Files
10. Additionally call File > Plug-in Extras > Read Metadata from Files
 
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