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A
andynickless
Known Participant
July 13, 2025
Answered

Persistently confusing Keywords...

  • July 13, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 437 views

Trying to find my way around Bridge after a few years' break.
The problem I have is with keywords.

I have a great number of keywords popping up, that are not persistent.

If I already have that word as a Sub Keyword, what do I do if the non-persistent (an irrelevant term if ever there was one) is checked.
I've deleted so many keywords and they persistently rear their ugly heads again, completely clogging the Keyword panel.
Please share the secret of removing keywords which are in italics - when that keyword exists as a sub-keyword to a keyword.

Correct answer step31519705xkxe

Hi Andy,

italic keywords are a true PITA. Let's start with the basic approach.

My workflow:
Right click on the italic keyword, "find".

Bridge displays all files that have the old (non persistent) keyword checked.

Select all files, uncheck the keyword from all files.

Let Bridge remove the keyword from ALL hits - this may take a while depending on the amount of files (you can easily follow the progress at the bottom of the screen). If you don't wait the keyword may persist anywhere and you won't get rid of it.

When completed, then delete the keyword (Right Click).

Good luck!!

Martin

3 replies

E
ExUSA
Legend
July 14, 2025

Non-persistent simply means that a keyword is in your image file but not your Bridge keyword list. If you work with a different set of files, the set of non-persistent keywords might change while the keywords list remains constant.

It sounds like you need to standardize on one set of keywords and eliminate ones that you don't want in your Bridge keywords list. That means fixing your actual files.

A
andynicklessAuthor
Known Participant
July 14, 2025

Thanks @ExUSA 
Not sure what you mean by fixing the files though - presumably the Metadata?
That's what I'm attempting to do - and the workflow suggested by @step31519705xkxe seems to be working very well.

E
ExUSA
Legend
July 14, 2025

Making the file keywords match those used in the Bridge Keyword list.

S
step31519705xkxeCorrect answer
Inspiring
July 13, 2025

Hi Andy,

italic keywords are a true PITA. Let's start with the basic approach.

My workflow:
Right click on the italic keyword, "find".

Bridge displays all files that have the old (non persistent) keyword checked.

Select all files, uncheck the keyword from all files.

Let Bridge remove the keyword from ALL hits - this may take a while depending on the amount of files (you can easily follow the progress at the bottom of the screen). If you don't wait the keyword may persist anywhere and you won't get rid of it.

When completed, then delete the keyword (Right Click).

Good luck!!

Martin

    A
    andynicklessAuthor
    Known Participant
    July 14, 2025

    Thanks for your help, Martin!
    This method is working really well for me.

    Erik Bloodaxe
    Erik Bloodaxe
    Legend
    July 13, 2025

    Are you using Hierarchical Keywords?

    First just take a peek under Bridge>Preferences>Keywords and see which options you have checked.

    A
    andynicklessAuthor
    Known Participant
    July 13, 2025

    Thanks for your reply, Erik.

    The only thing checked is "Read Hierarchical Keywords" - what would you recommend, please?

    Erik Bloodaxe
    Erik Bloodaxe
    Legend
    July 13, 2025

    Personally, I don't use Hierarchical Keywords though I know that other users say they would be lost without them. I am easily confused and flustered when I have the same keyword in my keywords list under various different Parent Keywords. e.g. I might have "boulder" under "river features", "rock features", "mountain features" etc. As Hierarchical Keywords they are different yet, to me, they all the same. Hence I don't use them.  Hope that makes sense.

    So in your case, I might try deleting the "Other Keywords" category since you say you already have all these keywords in your main keywords list, unchecking the "Read Hierarchical Keywords" option and see if that goes anywhere near to resolving your issue.

    In the file's metadata there are (at least) two fields containing keywords, "Keywords" and "Hierarchical Keywords" which may contain duplicates. You can clear "Hierarchical Keywords" using Exif Tool if this is the cause of your issue. I have done this in the past without causing any  upsets.

    You may find that one of the Hierarchical fans chips in with a different story here!

     

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