P: Add text notes to photos, stacks, folders, directories, collections

Since I don't have any of your plug-ins, that isn't going to be a problem. However, "using" the copy name field within one of your plug-ins would effectively eliminate it for use elsewhere...not sure that's a good idea.

Please help me out with what you are calling "custom metadata". Some examples of custom-metadata fields that can be searched would be helpful.

My export plugins use copy-name if no filenaming template has been specified.

Obviously, if you aren't using copy-name for anything else, then using it for notes instead of a short name will work fine for you, until it doesn't...

I bastardized IPTC fields for notes for years, until I needed those fields for something else, then I had a problem... - thus is the potential risk for all "borrowed" fields.

Custom Metadata *never* has that problem, and is as searchable as any other metadata - usable in library filters and smart collections.

PS - Both solutions have the problem that they are not stored in xmp, and so will be lost along with the virtual copy they represent, if catalog problem requires reversion and/or re-creation by re-importing, but I solve that by saving virtual copies and custom metadata in separately backed-up files.

I'm not aware of any export plug-ins I have installed where the Copy Name field is "used" by the plug-in. As with renaming presets, the field is "available" for use if desired. But "used"? Not in the sense it cannot be used for something else, like notes. As in all cases, the user must be aware of what they are doing.

Regarding custom metadata, IMO a significant concern is that a user cannot search for data in those fields. If you can't find it, how useful is it?

I wouldn't recommend keeping notes in the copy-name field. That field is used for filenaming in a lot of export plugins (and filenaming presets). Custom metadata is perfect for notes that are guaranteed to be conflict-free. It won't be visible in Develop module, but neither is any other metadata...

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately that field is not visible in Develop, meaning one have to switch between Library and Develop.

The "Copy Name" field can be used to keep notes specific to virtual copies, or even master photos for that matter. No reason the same info can't be put into Copy Name of all the images in a stack, either. I'm sure there is a limit to the number of characters that the field will accept, but I haven't run into it yet. I use the copy name field for exactly the purpose you describe (destination of copy, different size prints, etc.). And the field can be searched using the Text function or in smart collections.

Merged, thanks!

One of the advantages of virtual copies is of course that you can have several copies, each with different processing . Is there a consensus as to where you can keep NOTES unique to each virtual copy of the processing used? The ol' mind sometimes leaks too much to remember what I did to each virtual copy and the history list is sometimes too cryptic to help. Some copyes where made for printing/framing, some for video, some for wallpaper... Please make it possible to have NOTES on the images (not in the metadata, only in LR).

Hi,
I'm love working with Lightroom because it's the only way to handle so many photos. But I was always wondering why it is not possible to put a description or a tag to a folder or a selection ? At least I have photos of an event in such a folder or selection, and for me it would be pretty helpful to store some general notes for this event without attaching it to all photos. How do you handle this ??
Best
Heiko

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