<mixed> metadata

[markbolton]

hi there... just wondering about the metadata in LR 2.... I use 'Rights Usage' field to keep notes on which of my agents has taken which images. So, if i send an image to an agent, say, 'agent 1' and they reject it, but 'agent 2' take it, my rights usage box will say... "agent1, agent 2 accepted"... the next image in a set might say "agent 1 accepted" and the next "agent 1, agent 2, agent 3 accepted" and so on. So, when I then select those three images, the rights usage box would actually say "<mixed>"....because there are three different expressions in that box. NOW, what I would dearly love to do , is be able to add another agent (if I wanted to send the three images to another digfferent agent) to the end of all three expressions, (ie "agent 4"). However, if one tries to write 'agent 4' after <mixed>, you dont get the three previous expressions, just "<mixed>, agent 4".... if anyone has kept up with this so far, do they know of a way to do this? Obviously one can manually write the expression at the end of each one, one by one, but I wondered if there was some way that I just hadn't seen? many thanks in advfance, Mark

 

[Victoria Bampton]

I have kept up with you, but I can't think of a way of doing it without Bridge scripting, sorry!

 

[johnbeardy]

You can do this with custom metadata fields too.

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Please explain John! That's not one I've looked at carefully - what do you have in mind?

 

[johnbeardy]

Probably because you're far too sensible to look at the SDK! What I suggested is only possible by creating a plug-in using the SDK. One can set up a number of custom fields and manage stock submissions (and other info) without needing to overuse an existing field. They can also be targeted by smart collections and the filter panel.

I am still surprised Lightroom hasn't had custom fields since v1.

John

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Probably because you're far too sensible to look at the SDK!

Still on my to do list! Thanks John, that makes sense!

 

[stasber]

Mark, how important are keywords to you? If keywords aren't a critical part of the image you send to your agents and mostly for your own use only, you could add the appropriate 'agent' or 'agent accepted' keyword. If you select 3 images or 2' images, all keywords would still show - the ones common to all would be there, and the ones only used in some images but not all would be there marked with an asterisk. You would then simply add your new keyword, which would be added to the selected images.

Smart Collections can then be used to track which images were sent to each agent, and indeed which agent accepted. If keywords are critical in the image then using virtual copies could be a way round that - I do this for differently formatted images for different clients - maybe keep your original with all keywords including the distribution to agents, and send them a virtual copy of it with all keywords except for the distribution.

 

[markbolton]

thanks for that. Keywords are critical to me and my agents, and I would be very wary of putting that info in that panel, as agents can be very 'iffy' about who has seen, accepted, or not accepted images other than themselves...the virtual copy idea is a work around, but a biit of a fiddle for the number of images I deal with...thanks anyway.... I did wonder if there was a simple program that I could use outside of LR to sort through and annotate the images, and then reimport back into LR with the field changed... any ideas? Mark

 

[PatrickC]

You can use keywords to achieve what you want. Add a new top-level keyword, eg 'AGENCY INFO'. Right-click and choose 'Edit Keyword Tag'. Uncheck the three boxes. As next level keywords, you can add whatever agency specifications you like, always editing the properties so that the keyword and its parents are not exported.

I have many non-exported keywords. I use ALL CAPS so that they are easily distinguished from the exportable (regular) keywords.

Using keywords will make it easy to view images which are in pretty much any combination of sent/accepted categories. I'm going to institute this for us too, it makes such good sense.

John, I note your post re: custom metadata fields, which relates to another thread:
http://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/showthread.php?t=4427

Not wanting to hijack this one, perhaps you could have a look at the other? I would appreciate it.

Best regards

Patrick

 

[johnbeardy]

I don't like using keywords for such purposes, though if it's all one has then it can be made to work.

Patrick, I see your thread and will comment there.

John