Keywording problems

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sbtm

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Hi everyone,

Hope am writing in the correct section.

Anyways, I just decided a couple of days back that I needed to clean up and organize my keywords properly and put them into proper groups of hierarchy. So I took a couple of days to plan it out and came up with a tree.

I wrote it out in notepad in the format the LR could read. i.e., tab delimited text file. I was going to import the keywords into the existing catalog knowing what would happen: I would have repeated keywords all over the place. It was ok, as long as I did not have to re-keyword each of them.

So tonight, I imported my newly created hierarchy of keywords and started organizing the whole list.

I started to take duplicate keywords that were not in the hierarchy and drag it to its correct place in the structure. This would remove the keyword that I don't need and put the pictures in the correct place. This is where the problem started, after doing a few, I realized that after dragging, I created a duplicate keyword within the hierarchy :roll: and don't know how to get rid of it. If I delete, then the whole keyword is removed. Also, there is no option of copying.

I hope am making sense. I can give an example if its not clear.

Thanks.
 
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Hi sbtm! Welcome to the forums! When you have a minute please go to the USER CP link above and fill out your signature.

I am assuming that your duplicate keywords have some variation in them such as Bottom vs bottom vs BOTTOM. Usually LR will not duplicate the same spelling and case at the same hierarchical level. If you import matching keywords they will fall into place in your hierarchy and not be duplicated. LR will not let you drag a keyword into a hierarchy where the same keyword already exists.

I am not sure from your description how you are duplicating the keywords other than they may have a different case or spelling. If that's the situation then drag your keyword to the appropriate level. If you wind up with your photos tagged with CAT and you have a keyword in that same level called cat, use the arrow selector on the right side of the keyword list panel to isolate your CAT images. Now check the checkbox to the left of the keyword cat. all those photos now have both CAT and cat. Now you can delete the keyword CAT. You'll get the warning that it will be removed from x number of photos. go ahead and say OK. All of those images are now in cat.

By now I'm sure I've hopelessly confused you. Sorry. But give it a try with a sample set of images and see if it makes sense.
 
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sbtm, welcome.

2'-2' hindsight, but what you should have done is to choose all the images with the 'old' keyword, using the right arrow beside the keyword count, selected those images in grid view, added the 'new' correct keyword to the selected images, and then deleting the 'old' keyword.

I do think we'll need an example or two, or optionally a screenshot of the keyword panel displaying the problem, to help diagnose the next step.

(To attach graphics, you need to be in 'advanced' reply mode, if you see a 'Go Advanced' button below the reply text box, press it. 2nd panel down is Manage Attachments. Note the filesize limits for uploading.)

Edit: I see Gene responded at the same time, and took a different angle on the problem. Don't let us confuse you, we do try to avoid the 'too many cooks....' problem, but as you can see, sometimes........
 
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Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies. I know I wasn't clear cause when I re-read my post I was like huh?

Anyways, I have attached a screenshot. If you notice in the screenshot, I have drawn a rectangle around three entries. For example, the parent of these entries is People. People has 3 child: Nani, Samira, and Tahira. These three children have one each of the same name. So in effect, I have three level.

This happened because when I imported my keywords, it had a parent named People and had only 3 child (Nani, Samira, and Tahira). So a total of 2 levels only.

My original keywords had parents that were Nani, Samira, and Tahira. So after importing, I dragged these into the imported hierarchy and hence get what I have in the screenshot.

Now for example, I remove Samira, the parent Samira remains but without any photos :(

Now I don't know how to fix the situation I am in.

I hope its clear this time around. If not, I don't mind re-explaining.
 
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OK. I see your dilemma now. Let's look at Nani for example. The top level Nani shows 4' images because that level will show the total of it and all its sublevel keywords. It just so happens that the sublevel Nani has 4' images. Now, you cannot drag sublevel Nani up a level because LR won't let you have the exact same keywords at the same level.

Since the keyword that is actually tagging these images is sublevel Nani here is how to fix it.
1. right click on top level Nani and choose rename.
2. change top level Nani to something you don't already have (like xxxyyyzzz111222)
3. now drag sublevel Nani up a level.
4. highlight old top level Nani (now something like xxxyyyzzz111222) and press the - at the top of the panel or you can right click and choose delete.

After the renamed top level is deleted you are left with one version that is the tagging keyword. Use the same logic for the other duplicates. Just remember that deleting a higher level keyword will take all of its children with it so drag them out first.
 
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Gene, thank you very much. It did the trick to resolve the situation I am in.

However, a little more critical question: how do I avoid getting into a situation like that in the first place?

Cause this happens when I drag the keywords around.

Thanks again for your help :)
 
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sbtm, if I understand you, have a look at the first paragraph in my post above. It's not so much a matter of dragging the keywords around, as it is changing which keyword is assigned to the images. Choose all the images tagged with the incorrect 'Nani'. Apply the correct 'Nani', then delete the incorrect 'Nani' from the keyword list, which will also untag it from any photos to which it is applied.

At least that's how I personally approach this, I'm sure there's many more ways to 'skin this cat'.
 
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