Can I auto-apply metadata to images?

[Mwarren]

I'm trying to add an efficiency into my workflow. When my org produces images for our website, I add some basic metadata info appropriate for all imagery. I'd love to speed up the process a bit. I'm wondering if either of the two hypotheticals sounds achievable:

1. Is it possible to create a script that would execute a metadata write? I'm thinking here of when I've used scripts where I drag them on top of a file and it 'does something' (like my technical jargon?)
2. Can I create a watch folder within Bridge? I'd be down with just remembering to copy my images into a folder before it goes to its final home.

Perhaps there's some other modality. I dunno. I couldn't find anything in my searches. Any direction would be appreciated.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Have you looked at Adobe Bridge’s Metadata Templates?

What program do you use to ingest/transfer photos from your camera to your computer? Bridge’s Photo Downloader (Advanced) can apply a metadata template.

Or Bridge can apply a Metadata Template to a batch of selected files already on your drive.

https://helpx.adobe.com/au/bridge/using/metadata-adobe-bridge.html#work_with_metadata_templates

https://www.photometadata.org/META-Tutorials-Adobe-Bridge-Creating-Metadata-Template

There are other methods, however I would start here first. Are you Mac or Windows based?

[Mwarren]

Oh yes, I already use Metadata templates. I'm just trying to speed my flow a bit more. During content pushes I'm doing a file here and there many times over the course of a day. Just trying to further automate.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Great!

You can create an action that adds this metadata using File Info, then run the action as a batch or from Image Processor or Image Processor Pro and or create an action Droplet.

Are you Mac or Windows based if you are looking for other methods.

[Mwarren]

Well then. Time to learn about Image Processor, eh? Thanks to both of you for your insight. I will investigate further once I get a free moment.

Much apprecited!

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Unless you are adding further processing, I doubt that the Image Processor or Image Processor Pro batch script interfaces will be useful for random/ad-hoc images, the metadata template route would be better for one off images or larger batches.

The main reason that I suggested an action in Photoshop was to save it as a Droplet .app or .exe so that you could drag ad-hoc images onto the Droplet to add the file info metadata.

Same for spreadsheet import, I think it would be too much work.

There are other options for automation, however they are Mac or Win OS specific.

[Mwarren]

Stephen_A_Marsh  wrote

The main reason that I suggested an action in Photoshop was to save it as a Droplet .app or .exe so that you could drag ad-hoc images onto the Droplet to add the file info metadata.

I really like this method. It was actually what I was initially hoping for. I just wanted to have some icon that could, say, sit on my desktop that I could drag files onto. Can you steer me further in that direction?

While I am fairly conversant in Photoshop, I'm no wizard. I can, however, follow directions really well. Btw, I'm on a Windows machine.

Thanks so much!

[Mwarren]

Update: I have created an Action and am attempting to create a Droplet. Gotta turn my attention back to actual work, but I will revisit this. I can see what I have to do, but so far it hasn't 'taken' yet. I will persist. Thanks very much!

[Stephen_A_Marsh · Accepted solution]

Here is a very rough step by step in screenshots:

1. Record an action that applies your Metadata Template from the File > File Info menu (no need to manually fill out the file info data)

2. Use the File > Automate > Create Droplet… menu option

3. Configure the (batch) Droplet settings:

4. Drag n drop files onto the Droplet icon to add the metadata:

NOTE: If you are using Photoshop for other tasks, then you may prefer a third party method to add the metadata so that you can continue to use Photoshop… However for small amounts of images this should not tie up Photoshop for a long time anyway. Bridge Metadata Templates are the fastest method. I would recommend ExifTool for a drag n drop alternative, however that is a separate discussion.

EDIT: It should also be possible to create a watched folder/hot folder using ExifTool and another program, or even just setup a scheduled task to run a batch script on a target folder at set intervals.

P.S.: Using Photoshop it is also possible to have the metadata template action applied when open files, saving files etc (using script events manager).

[Lumigraphics]

There is a script called DIY Metadata which reads metadata from a file and applies it in Bridge. You could add some glue to auto-generate a .csv or tab-delimited file and run it if you have programming skills.