delete metadata

hello!

there used to be a context menu option "strip exif", but I can not find it anymore.
As usual: "Why Adobe, why?!"

I stumbled over this old post, so just in case somebody else is asking the same... The following script is for Photoshop, not Bridge.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/Photoshop/Script-to-remove-all-meta-data-from-the-photo/m-p/10400906

/* Remove All Metadata & Retain Layers v2 - a brute force alternative to ExifTool
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/script-to-remove-all-meta-data-from-the-photo/m-p/10400906
Script to remove all metadata from the photo
30th July 2020 Update */

#target photoshop
app.bringToFront();

/* FLATTENED */
if (app.activeDocument.activeLayer.isBackgroundLayer) {
    // alert('Flattened image...');
    // Call function to duplicate all layers
    DupeSelectedLayers.main = function () {
        DupeSelectedLayers();
    };
    DupeSelectedLayers.main();
    alertMessage();
}

/* SINGLE (TRANSPARENT) LAYER BUG WORKAROUND */
else if (app.activeDocument.layers.length === 1) {
    // alert('Single layer image...');
    // Set the original doc
    var sourceDoc = app.activeDocument;
    // Add a randomly named temp layer
    app.activeDocument.artLayers.add();
    app.activeDocument.activeLayer.name = "2563@361#47&-TEMP_LAYER";
    // Select all layers and layer groups/sets!
    selectAllLayers();
    // Call function to duplicate all layers
    DupeSelectedLayers.main = function () {
        DupeSelectedLayers();
    };
    DupeSelectedLayers.main();
    // Select & remove temporary layer
    removeTempLayer(false);
    // Set the duplicated document
    var dupedDoc = app.activeDocument;
    // Switch back to the original doc
    app.activeDocument = sourceDoc;
    // Select & remove temporary layer
    removeTempLayer(false);
    // Set the duped doc as the active doc
    app.activeDocument = dupedDoc;
    alertMessage();
}

/* MULTIPLE LAYERS */
else {
    // alert('Multiple layer image...');
    // Select all layers and layer groups/sets!
    selectAllLayers();
    // Call function to duplicate all layers
    DupeSelectedLayers.main = function () {
        DupeSelectedLayers();
    };
    DupeSelectedLayers.main();
    alertMessage();
}

///// START FUNCTIONS /////

function selectAllLayers() {
    // https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/i-cant-record-sellect-all-layers-in-script-listener-and-in-actions
    var c2t = function (s) {
        return app.charIDToTypeID(s);
    };

    var s2t = function (s) {
        return app.stringIDToTypeID(s);
    };

    var descriptor = new ActionDescriptor();
    var descriptor2 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var reference = new ActionReference();
    var reference2 = new ActionReference();

    reference2.putEnumerated(s2t("layer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
    descriptor.putReference(c2t("null"), reference2);
    executeAction(s2t("selectAllLayers"), descriptor, DialogModes.NO);
    reference.putProperty(s2t("layer"), s2t("background"));
    descriptor2.putReference(c2t("null"), reference);
    descriptor2.putEnumerated(s2t("selectionModifier"), s2t("selectionModifierType"), s2t("addToSelection"));
    descriptor2.putBoolean(s2t("makeVisible"), false);
    try {
        executeAction(s2t("select"), descriptor2, DialogModes.NO);
    } catch (e) { }
}

// Duplicate all selected layers to new document  
function DupeSelectedLayers() {
    function step1(enabled, withDialog) {
        if (enabled !== undefined && !enabled)
            return;
        cTID = function (s) {
            return app.charIDToTypeID(s);
        };
        sTID = function (s) {
            return app.stringIDToTypeID(s);
        };
        var origFilename = app.activeDocument.name.replace(/\.[^\.]+$/, ''); // Remove filename extension from original
        var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
        var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var ref1 = new ActionReference();
        ref1.putClass(cTID('Dcmn'));
        desc1.putReference(cTID('null'), ref1);
        // Use the original document filename + suffix
        desc1.putString(cTID('Nm  '), origFilename + "_NoMetadata");
        // Use the original document filename, beware overwriting the original file and losing all metadata!
        // desc1.putString(cTID('Nm  '), origFilename );               
        var ref2 = new ActionReference();
        ref2.putEnumerated(cTID('Lyr '), cTID('Ordn'), cTID('Trgt'));
        desc1.putReference(cTID('Usng'), ref2);
        desc1.putInteger(cTID('Vrsn'), 5);
        executeAction(cTID('Mk  '), desc1, dialogMode);
    }

    step1();
}

function removeTempLayer(makeVisible) {
    // Select & remove temporary layer
    var c2t = function (s) {
        return app.charIDToTypeID(s);
    };
    var s2t = function (s) {
        return app.stringIDToTypeID(s);
    };
    var descriptor = new ActionDescriptor();
    var list = new ActionList();
    var reference = new ActionReference();
    reference.putName(s2t("layer"), "2563@361#47&-TEMP_LAYER");
    descriptor.putReference(c2t("null"), reference);
    descriptor.putBoolean(s2t("makeVisible"), makeVisible);
    list.putInteger(3);
    descriptor.putList(s2t("layerID"), list);
    executeAction(s2t("select"), descriptor, DialogModes.NO);
    app.activeDocument.activeLayer.remove();
}

function alertMessage() {
    alert('File duplicated to remove metadata with "_NoMetadata" suffix added to the filename for safety.' + '\r' + 'Note: guides, color samplers, alpha channels, paths and other common document additions have not been copied.');

}

///// FINISH FUNCTIONS /////

It's possible to remove all the metadata in bridge using a script, this should work on most file types except some raw files.

Using ExtendScript Toolkit copy and paste the code into a new window, start Bridge - Edit - Preferences - Startup Scripts, click the "Reveal" button. This will open the folder that the script should be placed. Once that has been done close and restart Bridge and accept the new script.

To use select the documents in Bridge then "Mouse Control/Click menu" select "Remove XMP data"

#target bridge   
if( BridgeTalk.appName == "bridge" ) {  
removeXMPDAT = new MenuElement("command", "Remove XMP data", "at the end of Thumbnail");
}
removeXMPDAT.onSelect = function () { 
   removeXMPData();
   }
function removeXMPData(){
if( xmpLib == undefined ) {
  if( Folder.fs == "Windows" ){
   var pathToLib = Folder.startup.fsName + "/AdobeXMPScript.dll";
  } else {
   var pathToLib = Folder.startup.fsName + "/AdobeXMPScript.framework";
  }
  var libfile = new File( pathToLib );
  var xmpLib = new ExternalObject("lib:" + pathToLib );
 }
var sels = app.document.selections;
for (var a in sels){
var thumb = app.document.selections;
  var md = thumb.synchronousMetadata;  
  var xmp = new XMPMeta(md.serialize());
        try{
        XMPUtils.removeProperties(xmp, "", "", XMPConst.REMOVE_ALL_PROPERTIES);
        var updatedPacket = xmp.serialize(XMPConst.SERIALIZE_OMIT_PACKET_WRAPPER | XMPConst.SERIALIZE_USE_COMPACT_FORMAT);
        thumb.metadata = new Metadata(updatedPacket);
         }catch(e){alert(e);}
    }
}

Is there a way yet to save a picture without metadata?

In Safe for Web you can choose to excluded all metadata and there seem to be

scripts that can strip the metadata of files, if you have only a few you can

copy past the file to a new one and that strips also all metadata (open a

file, cmda / Cmdc / cmd n/ cmdv and flatten the new file to one layer.)

If not, why not?

In general metadata are very useful for various reasons and other

applications can benefit from metadata also.

Not many people have the need for such a method hence such a feature will

not be implemented until many user request for it