Can I automate the writing of XMP metadata into JPEG and TIFF files?

Report · Oct 31, 2008

I have written an ASP.NET 3.5 website application on behalf of an annual international photographic competition. Entrants will be uploading digital photos in either JPEG or TIFF format. Ideally, I would write entrant identity and image title information into the XMP metadata for each image immediately after upload - but so far, I have failed to find any way to do this in ASP.NET.

Thousands of images are involved, so I need to find a way to automate the metadata insertion, perhaps with some sort of script that uses a text file (extracted from the SQL Server database on my website) as the source of the metadata for a batch of images. Is this the sort of task that can be done by writing a script for Bridge CS3? Are there any scripts already in existence that I could use? I am a total beginner in this area.

I use a Win XP PC, though I have a colleague who, I think, has CS3 on his Mac (running under the Leopard OS), so scripts for either platform might be usable.

David

Report · Nov 07, 2008

Hi Paul,

I did what you said but this is what happened RIGHT at opening Bridge:

Adialog box pops up asking me to choose a csv file. I of course cancel since I did not ask for the script to run. I mean the script runs by itself. It's alive. It's alive....
After that I get the following error:

i An error occured while running a startup script named xmp2jpg_tiff. It may not be compatible with this version of Bridge. You can check for available updates by selecting the updates command from the Help menu.
i The script is disabled.

i error in ......bla..bla..bla..:xmp2jpg_tiff.csv

i Line69: errorlog.close();

i undefined is not an object

Did I do something wrong?
Michael

Report · Nov 07, 2008

I got it wrong Michael! I was running it from ExtendScript Toolkit and added a main(); that ran the program.
This version should be better, and have added the UTF-16




#target bridge  



   if( BridgeTalk.appName == "bridge" ) { 



addInfo = new MenuElement("command", "Update Entry Details", "at the end of Thumbnail");



}



addInfo .onSelect = function () {



     main();



     }



function main(){



var csv = File.openDialog("Please select CSV file.","CSV File:*.csv");



if(csv != null){



var errorlog = new File("~/ErrorLog.txt");



errorlog.open('w');



errorlog.writeln("These documents have not been updated");



csv.open("r");



csv.encoding = "UTF-16";



while(!csv.eof){  



   strInputLine = csv.readln();



   if (strInputLine.length > 3) { // Make sure it isn't a blank line



      strInputLine = strInputLine.replace(/\\/g,'/'); //Change backslash to forward slash.



   inputArray  = strInputLine.split(",");



   var csvFile = new File(inputArray[0]);



   var title = inputArray[1];



   var author = inputArray[2];



if(!csvFile.exists) errorlog.writeln(decodeURI(csvFile) + " does not exist");



if(csvFile.exists){ //Check if file exists



   item = new Thumbnail(csvFile);



   md =item.synchronousMetadata;



   var result =addTitleAuthor(md,inputArray[1],inputArray[2]);



if(!result) errorlog.writeln(decodeURI(csvFile) + " Unable to apply template");



         }



      }



   }



}



errorlog.close();



errorlog.execute();



}







function addTitleAuthor(metadata, Title, Author)



{



var strTmpl = "TempTmpl";



var strUser = Folder.userData.absoluteURI;



var filTmpl = new File(strUser + "/Adobe/XMP/Metadata Templates/" + strTmpl + ".xmp"); 



var fResult = false;



try



{ if (filTmpl.exists)



filTmpl.remove();



fResult = filTmpl.open("w");



if (fResult)



// CS3



{



//CS3



//filTmpl.writeln("<x:xmpmeta xmlns:x=\"adobe:ns:meta/\" x:xmptk=\"Adobe XMP Core 4.1-c037 46.282696, Mon Apr 02 2007 18:36:42        \">");



//CS2



filTmpl.writeln("<x:xmpmeta xmlns:x=\"adobe:ns:meta/\" x:xmptk=\"3.1.2-113\">");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#\">");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:Description rdf:about=\"\"    xmlns:dc=\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\">");



filTmpl.writeln("<dc:title>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:Alt>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:li xml:lang=\"x-default\">"+Title+"</rdf:li>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:Alt>");



filTmpl.writeln("</dc:title>");



filTmpl.writeln("<dc:creator>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:Seq>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:li>" + Author + "</rdf:li>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:Seq>");



filTmpl.writeln("</dc:creator>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:Description>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:RDF>");



filTmpl.writeln("</x:xmpmeta>");



fResult = filTmpl.close();



metadata.applyMetadataTemplate(strTmpl, "replace");



filTmpl.remove();



} }



catch(e) {



   fResult = false;



   }



return fResult;



};

Report · Nov 07, 2008

I don't know Paul,

It returns no values what so ever

Michael
:-(

Report · Nov 07, 2008

I wonder if you could email me a one line csv file, I can then try to get it working at this end Micheal?

pst DOT pmr AT googlemail DOT com

Also what version of Photoshop are you using?

Report · Nov 07, 2008

Just another thing to try is, in your csv file make sure there is a filepath/filename that does not exist, if this does not show in the error file it means that it does not like the encoding. I tried with "UTF-16" and nothing was produced but worked ok with "UTF-8"

Report · Nov 07, 2008

Paul,

One last thing to try before emailing you.
Could you please tell me what exactly the names of the fields in the csv file must be?

I am using CS3 (Photoshop/Bridge/InDesign) on a MAC

Michael

Report · Nov 07, 2008

There should be NO header if there is one it will just be reported in the error file.

Field1: FileName including Path
Field2: Title
Field3: Author
ie:
volume/folder/folder2/fileName.jpg,Title Details,Author details

Report · Nov 07, 2008

I think I am on the wrong track all-together.

1. I DO have headers
2. I was looking for a script to import descriptions, title and description writer (as I mentioned on comment # 14
3. I put no path (because I thought it would not be a problem) since I placed the images in the same folder. I just wrote the images name+extension

My deepest apologies for running everyone around in circles.

Michael

Report · Nov 10, 2008

Paul,
Apologies for the delay, but I've now managed to find time to experiment with the 6 Nov version of your Bridge CS2 script. The results are exactly as before, i.e. only 2 of the 6 images in my CSV file were updated.

No error messages appeared and I can't find any ErrorLog.txt file.

David

Report · Nov 10, 2008

Ok David, there were some modifications done on the last two versions.
To get bak on track this is the one you should try. The error log should automatically open.




#target bridge 



   if( BridgeTalk.appName == "bridge" ) { 



addInfo = MenuElement.create("command", "Update Entry Details", "at the end of Thumbnail");



}



addInfo .onSelect = function () {



     mainTitleAuthor();



}







function mainTitleAuthor(){



var csv = File.openDialog("Please select CSV file.","CSV File:*.csv");



if(csv != null){



var errorlog = new File("~/ErrorLog.txt");



errorlog.open('w');



errorlog.writeln("These documents have not been updated");



csv.open("r");



//csv.encoding = "UTF-8";



while(!csv.eof){  



   strInputLine = csv.readln();



   if (strInputLine.length > 3) { // Make sure it isn't a blank line



      strInputLine = strInputLine.replace(/\\/g,'/'); //Change backslash to forward slash.



   inputArray  = strInputLine.split(",");



   var csvFile = new File(inputArray[0]);



   var title = inputArray[1];



   var author = inputArray[2];



     //errorlog.writeln("*******Ok can read file" +decodeURI(csvFile) + " - " + inputArray[1]+" - " + inputArray[2]);



if(!csvFile.exists) errorlog.writeln(decodeURI(csvFile) + " does not exist");



if(csvFile.exists){ //Check if file exists



   item = new Thumbnail(csvFile);



   md =item.synchronousMetadata;



//   errorlog.writeln("xxxxxxxFile Exists" +decodeURI(csvFile) +inputArray[1]+" - " + inputArray[2]);



   var result =addTitleAuthor(md,inputArray[1],inputArray[2]);



if(!result) errorlog.writeln(decodeURI(csvFile) + " Unable to apply template");



         }



      }



   }



}



errorlog.close();



errorlog.execute();



}







function addTitleAuthor(metadata, Title, Author)



{



var strTmpl = "TempTmpl";



var strUser = Folder.userData.absoluteURI;



var filTmpl = new File(strUser + "/Adobe/XMP/Metadata Templates/" + strTmpl + ".xmp"); 



var fResult = false;



try



{ if (filTmpl.exists)



filTmpl.remove();



fResult = filTmpl.open("w");



if (fResult)



// CS3



{



//CS3



//filTmpl.writeln("<x:xmpmeta xmlns:x=\"adobe:ns:meta/\" x:xmptk=\"Adobe XMP Core 4.1-c037 46.282696, Mon Apr 02 2007 18:36:42        \">");



//CS2



filTmpl.writeln("<x:xmpmeta xmlns:x=\"adobe:ns:meta/\" x:xmptk=\"3.1.2-113\">");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#\">");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:Description rdf:about=\"\"    xmlns:dc=\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\">");



filTmpl.writeln("<dc:title>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:Alt>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:li xml:lang=\"x-default\">"+Title+"</rdf:li>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:Alt>");



filTmpl.writeln("</dc:title>");



filTmpl.writeln("<dc:creator>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:Seq>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:li>" + Author + "</rdf:li>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:Seq>");



filTmpl.writeln("</dc:creator>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:Description>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:RDF>");



filTmpl.writeln("</x:xmpmeta>");



fResult = filTmpl.close();



metadata.applyMetadataTemplate(strTmpl, "replace");



filTmpl.remove();



} }



catch(e) {



   fResult = false;



   }



return fResult;



};

Report · Nov 10, 2008

Paul,
Things are still much the same with your latest script, with the exception that the error log is now displayed. It shows a single 'does not exist' message but the quoted filename is only about half of the real filename - up to the position of an embedded comma. Your code obviously cannot cope with embedded punctuation in the filename.

The filename is C4-1261 Die Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam.jpg
Error message: ..../C4-1261 Die Nieuwe Kerk does not exist

However, the primary problem still remains. Of the 5 files found by your script, only 2 files were updated (the same 2 as before).

David

Report · Nov 10, 2008

You can NOT use a comma anywhere except for the use of seperating the different fields, unless you use a different seperator!
In this case a comma is the seperator!
If you want to use commas you will have to create the csv fill with a unque seperator, and this line will have to be changed to suit.
inputArray = strInputLine.split(",");
If you want to use ; the line would be:
inputArray = strInputLine.split(";");

In the code near the bottom is a line:-
filTmpl.remove();
comment this line out IE:
//filTmpl.remove();
Now in your csv file just have one line. One of the files that does not update.
Run the code again.
This time it will leave the newly created template called "TempTmpl.xmp"
Select the document in Bridge, then - Tools - Replace Metadate - and choose TempTmpl
Check to see if Exif info has been added.
If it hasn't you could try Append Metadata
If this fails could you post the template and I will have a look and see if there is something amiss.
To open the relevant folder you can run the following code from "ExtendScript Toolkit" (This comes with Photoshop);
#target bridge
var filTmpl = new Folder(Folder.userData.absoluteURI + "/Adobe/XMP/Metadata Templates/");
filTmpl.execute();

Report · Nov 10, 2008

Paul,
Ooops! That was a stupid mistake. Of course your code will have problems with a unexpected comma in a COMMA-Separated-Variable file!!

I will try out your other suggestions later tonight, if possible.

David

Report · Nov 10, 2008

Paul,
As far as possible, I did as you suggested. I commented out the line in the script containing 'filTmpl.remove();'. I edited my CSV file to include just one of the images that failed to update. I then ran the modified script. Once again it failed to work and a subsequent search of my PC did not find any document by the name of TempTmpl.xmp.

David

Report · Nov 11, 2008

This time there are a lot more checks and messages sent to the log, could you please try this on that one line CSV file.




#target bridge 



   if( BridgeTalk.appName == "bridge" ) { 



addInfo = MenuElement.create("command", "Update Entry Details", "at the end of Thumbnail");



}



addInfo .onSelect = function () {



     mainTitleAuthor();



}







function mainTitleAuthor(){



var csv = File.openDialog("Please select CSV file.","CSV File:*.csv");



if(csv != null){



var errorlog = new File("~/ErrorLog.txt");



errorlog.open('w');



errorlog.writeln("These documents have not been updated");



csv.open("r");



while(!csv.eof){  



   strInputLine = csv.readln();



   errorlog.writeln("=================================================================");



   errorlog.writeln("Line From CSV File: " + strInputLine);



   if (strInputLine.length > 3) { // Make sure it isn't a blank line



      strInputLine = strInputLine.replace(/\\/g,'/'); //Change backslash to forward slash.



   inputArray  = strInputLine.split(",");



   var csvFile = new File(inputArray[0]);



   var title = inputArray[1];



   var author = inputArray[2];



     errorlog.writeln("Ok can read file Checking if File Exists : " +decodeURI(csvFile));



if(!csvFile.exists) errorlog.writeln(decodeURI(csvFile) + " ****Does Not Exist****");



if(csvFile.exists){ //Check if file exists



   item = new Thumbnail(csvFile);



   md =item.synchronousMetadata; 



  errorlog.writeln("File Exists" +decodeURI(csvFile) +inputArray[1]+" - " + inputArray[2]);



   var result =addTitleAuthor(md,inputArray[1],inputArray[2]);



if(!result) errorlog.writeln(decodeURI(csvFile) + " Unable to apply template");



   errorlog.writeln("Back from creating/apply Template");



         }



      }



   }



}



errorlog.close();



errorlog.execute();



}







function addTitleAuthor(metadata, Title, Author)



{



var strTmpl = "TempTmpl";



var strUser = Folder.userData.absoluteURI;



var filTmpl = new File(strUser + "/Adobe/XMP/Metadata Templates/" + strTmpl + ".xmp"); 



var fResult = false;







if (filTmpl.exists) filTmpl.remove();



try{



fResult = filTmpl.open("w");



}catch(e){



      alert("Unable to create Template " +filTmpl +"\r"+e.message);



      return;



   }



try{



if (fResult){



//CS3



//filTmpl.writeln("<x:xmpmeta xmlns:x=\"adobe:ns:meta/\" x:xmptk=\"Adobe XMP Core 4.1-c037 46.282696, Mon Apr 02 2007 18:36:42        \">");



//CS2



filTmpl.writeln("<x:xmpmeta xmlns:x=\"adobe:ns:meta/\" x:xmptk=\"3.1.2-113\">");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#\">");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:Description rdf:about=\"\"    xmlns:dc=\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\">");



filTmpl.writeln("<dc:title>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:Alt>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:li xml:lang=\"x-default\">"+Title+"</rdf:li>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:Alt>");



filTmpl.writeln("</dc:title>");



filTmpl.writeln("<dc:creator>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:Seq>");



filTmpl.writeln("<rdf:li>" + Author + "</rdf:li>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:Seq>");



filTmpl.writeln("</dc:creator>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:Description>");



filTmpl.writeln("</rdf:RDF>");



filTmpl.writeln("</x:xmpmeta>");



fResult = filTmpl.close();



metadata.applyMetadataTemplate(strTmpl, "replace");



//filTmpl.remove();



} }



catch(e) {



   alert("There was a problem with the Template");



   fResult = false;



   }



return fResult;



};

Report · Nov 11, 2008

Paul,
I've run the latest script and the resulting error log is shown below. I hope it helps to identify the problem. Thanks again for all your work on this. You are a star!

David

These documents have not been updated
=================================================================
Line From CSV File: C:/Documents and Settings/Administrator/My Documents/Visual Studio 2008/WebSites/SIEWebsite/EntryImages/C3-1261 Moray & Max.jpg,Moray & Max,David Charles Anderson
Ok can read file Checking if File Exists : ~/My Documents/Visual Studio 2008/WebSites/SIEWebsite/EntryImages/C3-1261 Moray & Max.jpg
File Exists~/My Documents/Visual Studio 2008/WebSites/SIEWebsite/EntryImages/C3-1261 Moray & Max.jpgMoray & Max - David Charles Anderson
Back from creating/apply Template
=================================================================
Line From CSV File:

Report · Nov 11, 2008

According to that, it hasn't seen any errors and the TEMPLATE should now exist.
Could you go to Bridge - Tools - Append Metadata and there should be a template "TempTmpl"
Is it there?
If so could you see if it will add data to a file?
If the template exists and it doesn't add data could you post the template?

Report · Nov 11, 2008

Nope. That template ain't there.

Report · Nov 11, 2008

I deleted all previous versions of your script and ran the latest version again. This time, the TempTmpl template DID appear in the Append Metadata menu - but it still doesn't add data.

Where do I find this template file?

David

Report · Nov 11, 2008

To open the relevant folder you can run the following code from "ExtendScript Toolkit" (This comes with Photoshop).

#target bridge
var filTmpl = new Folder(Folder.userData.absoluteURI + "/Adobe/XMP/Metadata Templates/");
filTmpl.execute();

Report · Nov 11, 2008

Where exactly do I find this ExtendScript Toolkit?

It's not mentioned in the index of the Photoshop CS2 online help. I also checked the two 'Resources and extras' CDs that came with CS2. Do I perhaps have to reinstall Photoshop to get the option to install this feature?

Report · Nov 11, 2008

It should be in..
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Utilities\ExtendScript Toolkit

Report · Nov 11, 2008

Your use of the name 'ExtendScript' seems to be the source of the confusion. I saved your template finding script and then went to File/Scripts/Browse in Photoshop and opened this file. TempTmpl.xmp is as follows: <x:xmpmeta xmlns:x="adobe:ns:meta/" x:xmptk="3.1.2-113"> <rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"> <rdf:Description rdf:about="" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"> <dc:title> <rdf:Alt> <rdf:li xml:lang="x-default">Moray & Max</rdf:li> </rdf:Alt> </dc:title> <dc:creator> <rdf:Seq> <rdf:li>David Charles Anderson</rdf:li> </rdf:Seq> </dc:creator> </rdf:Description> </rdf:RDF> </x:xmpmeta>

Report · Nov 11, 2008

I don't have a folder called C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Utilities\ on my PC. However, it doesn't seem to matter, as my previous post shows that I found another way around the problem!

Report · Nov 11, 2008

David it looks as if the Metadata does NOT like "&" can you amend
"Moray & Max" to "Moray and Max" and see if that works.
Also can you check if the other documents that do not update contain "&".

Its getting late here so will carry on tomorrow.

Adobe Community

Can I automate the writing of XMP metadata into JPEG and TIFF files?