Inspiring

Answered

import captions in Photoshop [Elements] 2020

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
January 24, 2020
7 replies
3335 views

When I import .jpg files into Photoshop 2020 most of the information in the file header is imported (e.g., camera settings), but the Caption does not appear in the Caption box. The captions do appear when importing into Photoshop 2012. Am I doing something wrong?

Moved from Photoshop to Photoshop Elements by moderator. Subject edited to include "Elements".

Import and export

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer vicvanlint

I think I finally have the answer. I have imported the same files into Photoshop Elements 2012 and 2020. My captions (entered at TAG 010E) are transferred into the Catalog in 2012 but not 2020.

Photoshop Elements 2012 imported the captions from the EXIF II locations (i.e. TAG 010E), but Photoshop Elements 2020 does not. Instead it imports them and saves them to a XMP location. That means I have to learn to read and write to those locations in order to accomodate the 2020 version.

When I add a caption to a picture in Photoshop 2020 Organizer and Save Metadata it places the new caption in the XMP region, leaving my caption at TAG 010E. It displays the new caption with the figure, but no longer reports my caption as Image Description.

The bottom line: Since the Adobe programmers removed the option of importing the caption from the EXIF II metadata after the 2012 version, I need to learn how to rewrite the XMP data to include my captions.

Thank you very much for helping me finally understand the problem and seeing a possible solution. Time will tell whether at my age (91) I can still learn the XMP format (find what points to what) and modify my .JPG header editing program.

MichelBParis

Legend

The captions are displaying in the Metadata because they are read directly from the file headers. The captions are not displaying in the single-picture view because they are not in the Catalog.

I have tested importing files with captions entered from non Adobe softwares and not only they appear in the metadata header but also under the single-picture view.

In your case, would 'update thumbnail' show the caption under the file?

The trouble can be because the original caption is stored in a different field of the exif/IPTC.

I am also puzzled by the behaviour difference between PSE12 and PSE2020.

You could try posting in the feedback forum:

https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/olympus-extended-exif-data

That is an example of an advanced discussion about metadata by John R Ellis, the best expert on those matters and author of many plugins. Unfortunately, he stopped helping with Elements after PSE8.

You might give a link to the current discussion. If the downloader is very similar for Photoshop and Elements, you may get some explanation and perhaps solutions to your issue.

V

vicvanlintAuthorCorrect answer

Inspiring

I think I finally have the answer. I have imported the same files into Photoshop Elements 2012 and 2020. My captions (entered at TAG 010E) are transferred into the Catalog in 2012 but not 2020.

Photoshop Elements 2012 imported the captions from the EXIF II locations (i.e. TAG 010E), but Photoshop Elements 2020 does not. Instead it imports them and saves them to a XMP location. That means I have to learn to read and write to those locations in order to accomodate the 2020 version.

When I add a caption to a picture in Photoshop 2020 Organizer and Save Metadata it places the new caption in the XMP region, leaving my caption at TAG 010E. It displays the new caption with the figure, but no longer reports my caption as Image Description.

The bottom line: Since the Adobe programmers removed the option of importing the caption from the EXIF II metadata after the 2012 version, I need to learn how to rewrite the XMP data to include my captions.

Thank you very much for helping me finally understand the problem and seeing a possible solution. Time will tell whether at my age (91) I can still learn the XMP format (find what points to what) and modify my .JPG header editing program.

Y

yoodlethenoodle

Known Participant

Were you ever able to figure out a way to make this work? I am having the same issue with Adobe Elemenets Organizer 2022. I have approx 28,000 pictures I'm trying to import where I set the captions in another software, but the captions don't show up when I import them.

I discovered exiftool. There's a bit of a learning, curve, but it does allow me to look at the current metadata on the file. Before importing, I can see that the caption is set in the following areas:

EXIF:ImageDescription
XMP:Title
XMP:Description
IPTC:Caption-Abstract

But, when I import the picture, the caption does not show up on the right or in the single image view. But, if I set the caption in Elements, write the metadata to the file, and then look at it using the exiftool, it shows the new caption under:

XMP:Description
IPTC:Caption-Abstract

I don't understand why it wouldn't import these if they are already set in the metadata fields that Elements writes to when it updates the file. I really don't want to have to re-input 28,000 captions!

MichelBParis

Legend

Actually, it appears that the metadata are recognized, although perhaps not imported into the catalog; the caption shows up in the metadata listing as Camera Data (EXIF) Image Description, but it does not display with the picture.

Where do you want the caption to show with the picture?

The organizer shows the caption managed in the catalog under the image in full zoom only (a single image)

It shows the caption written in the file itself in the IPTC section of the information panel on the right.

My main question is if you import the files after the caption has been already written into the file header, or if you edit or input the caption externally after the files have already been entered in the catalog.

In the first case, whatever the software used to enter the caption, that caption is written in the catalog. Very few testimonies of old softwares which are not compatible. The caption is written in the catalog to be viewed under the image in single file display mode; the caption is read directly from the file (not from the catalog) to be displayed in the IPTC panel on the right.

Anything you do externally to edit captions outside your catalog is ignored by default (unless you 'update thumbnail', which can be applied to thousands of files at the same time - be very patient).

Files with written captions should import in a new empty catalogs and show both in the catalog and the IPTC. If not, how was the caption written externally?

V

vicvanlintAuthor

Inspiring

I imported the files into Photoshop Elements 2020 after the captions had been written into TAG 010E (Image Description).

I would like it to displayed under the photo in the single-photo view. Instead I get a messagte, "Click here to add Caption".

My caption's text is listed under Metadata; Camera Data (EXIF) Image Description

MichelBParis

Legend

Some general info:

https://www.carlseibert.com/xmp-iptciim-or-exif-which-is-preferred/

Yes, the captions were originally inserted into the file headers using Microsoft Digital Image Library and copied into the tag location 010E using my own NetBasic program.

The key problem here is that your primary purpose is to 'sync' the caption information from external software while the primary purpose of Elements is to manage all into a database and (optionally) to store that edited information in the file metadataheader or an xmp sidecar file for raw images. That option makes the info accessible to other softwares and is an additional protection against catalogs loss.

All is well if you start with managing your captions in your catalog. You simply have to 'write metadata to files if you want. What appears in my previous post is that Elements has also a way to manage the IPTC info in your files independently from the catalog. The information panel on the right of the organizer lets you display and edit tags and captions directly in the file without necessarily updating the catalog. You have to know how to update the files from the catalog and reciprocally. For instance, captions and tags entered from an external software or after the file has been imported in the catalog are ignored. 'Update thumbnail' will sync only the caption. 'Write metadata to files' will add new catalog tags to the file, but won't remove in the file header the tags deleted from catalog...

V

vicvanlintAuthor

Inspiring

I think you are telling me how to write metadata into the catalog. Unfortunately, my problem is that I have metadata in tens of thousands of EXIF file headers that need to be imported into the catalog when the file is imported. Actually, it appears that the metadata are recognized, although perhaps not imported into the catalog; the caption shows up in the metadata listing as Camera Data (EXIF) Image Description, but it does not display with the picture. I'm reluctant at my age to start editing 30,000 picture files to accomodate what appears to me to be a quirk in Photoshop Elements. If necessary, I'll hope that my old Windows 7 computer, on which Microsoft Digital Image Library still works, will survive as long as I do.

MichelBParis

Legend

The mystery or my confusion deepens. I tried typing a caption into IPTC Description box. It displays as a caption, but not in the File Info in either the IPTC or EXIF entries and makes no changes to the EXIF tags in the .JPG file. I repeat: I have one picture in which the caption appears below the image and in IPTC Description rather than in the EXIF. I can't find any significant difference in the Tags. Perhaps someone else can, and I would be glad to provide it and another very similar file in which the caption does not display.

If I write the caption in the organizer with the standard input (not from the IPTC subpanel on the right), it is recorded in the database and displayed under the picture in full size zoom. It's not written in the file as metadata, unless I write metadata to files.

If I write the caption in the IPTC panel of the organizer, it's written both in the database and in the file metadata header and is displayed in both locations.

If you write the caption from the editor, file info, IPTC section, scroll down to 'description', then after saving and overwriting your file, the caption is written in the metadata header of the file. It is displayed as such in the IPTC panel of the organizer, but not included in the database.

In that situation, or if the caption is added externally to the metadata header of a file already in the catalog, the only solution to update/sync your metadata caption to the database of the catalog is to 'update thumbnail' (right click). Far from obvious but possible.

If you have captions which have been added externally from another software into the files, if you can't see them, it's probably because they have been written in another field of the IPTC. I have seen such cases from old genealogy softwares. You may need a specific exif manager like exif tool to find for sure. The best tool in Elements to find such differences in standards is to look at the file info panel in the file menu of the editor, raw section.

V

vicvanlintAuthor

Inspiring

I'm sorry that the evolution of my understanding has complicated the issue.

Yes, the captions were originally inserted into the file headers using Microsoft Digital Image Library and copied into the tag location 010E using my own NetBasic program.

The distinction between two files demonstrates my problem. Both files have my caption at TAG location 010E.

In file A the caption does not appear with the figure, but it is listed under Camera Data (EXIF) Image Description

In File B the caption does appear with the figure, and it is listed under IPTC Description. Almost all my files are in this category.

I looked at the files with Photo Mechanic. It reports all the captions under IPTC Description/Caption.

It appears as if Photoshop Elements 2020 reads the Captions under EXIF Image Description but does not display them with the figure.

I would gladly offer copies of the files if someone can help me.

Kevin Stohlmeyer

Community Expert

Do you mean Photoshop Elements?

Kevin Stohlmeyer

Community Expert

Having the metadata in IPTC format may prevent it from showing when imported.

The specific option on import is from EXIF:

https://helpx.adobe.com/elements-organizer/using/getting-photos-videos.html

Make sure this option is ON:

Import EXIF Caption

"Imports any caption that was stored with the media file in the camera. Deselect this option if you want to delete this information, and type your own caption for each media file."

V

vicvanlintAuthor

Inspiring

Actually, the caption in IPTC format displays, the one under EXIF does not.

L

Lumigraphics

Legend

You don't import images into Photoshop, you open them. Are you looking at File Info for an open file? Have you looked at them in Bridge to see if the info matches?

V

vicvanlintAuthor

Inspiring

In the Organizer I click Import from Files & Folders, select the directory I want and click Get Media.

I have some additional information. In Metadata my captions are being recorded under Camera Data (EXIF) Image Description. I found one picture that shows a caption and it was recorded under IPTC Description, However, I looked at both files with Hex Editor and could not see any difference in the TAGs other than the lengths and offsets.

Chuck Uebele

Community Expert

How are you importing the images?

V

vicvanlintAuthor

Inspiring

In the Organizer I click Import from Files & Folders, select the directory I want and click Get Media.

I have some additional information. In Metadata my captions are being recorded under Camera Data (EXIF) Image Description. I found one picture that shows a caption and it was recorded under IPTC Description, However, I looked at both files with Hex Editor and could not see any difference in the TAGs other than the lengths and offsets.

jane-e

Community Expert

If you are using Photoshop Elements, we can move this thread. Photoshop does not have an Organizer.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded