How does Keywords work in Bridge?

[Suzanne331653381830]

I am brand new to Bridge and trying to figure it all out.
I need a photo organizer just our family photos - but I have a lot and have always organized them by date and used lots of tags/keywords etc. imbedded in the metadata.

What I don’t understand about Bridge is that my list of Keywords does not seem to be static. I can’t look at the list of Keywords and see all the names of the members of my family for instance. Can someone explain how this works?

Thank you

[Erik Bloodaxe · Accepted solution]

This a substantial topic to which to give a concise answer.

Read this first:

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/bridge/using/keywords-adobe-bridge.html

I would then suggest you make a copy of say 20 photos and experiment with them. That way you won't ruin anything!

[Suzanne331653381830]

Thank you for your response.
I read the article, but I'm not sure it is addressing what I need.

I have used a different photo organizing program and so all (or at least
99%) of my photos have tags/keywords etc. in the metadata. I expected that
to show up in the Keyword Panel. They only show up when I click on the
particular photo with that Keyword. I thought the Keyword panel would
reflect all the keywords contained in the metadata of my photos files.

- From the article:
- To import a keyword file into Adobe Bridge without removing existing
keywords, choose Import from the Keywords panel menu, and then double-click
the file to import.
I thought this might be what I was looking for, but all my files were
grayed out when I tried to import just a small portion - as you suggested.
I'm probably doing something wrong, but I don't know what.

I hope this makes sense and I appreciate your help.

[Suzanne331653381830]

I just read a bit more and I think this is what I need 

The Keywords panel in Bridge is for storing and re-using keywords to apply to other images. If you wish to transfer the keywords from your files to the Keywords panel, there are a couple of methods:

1) Export the keywords from your files to a text file and then import the text file so that the Keywords panel has a persistent list of entries, that you can put into groups/categories.

My comment:  I tried this but the only Keywords in this text file were the ones from photos I had already clicked on.  Do I really have to click on every photo and then make them 'persistent' or is there an easier way? I think this is what #2 below describes.  Just very time consuming to have to click on every photo.

2) Browse your images so that the keywords in the files that do not exist in the Keywords panel show up in italics under the "other keywords" category, then right-click each of them and make them "persistent", that you can put into groups/categories.

https://helpx.adobe.com/au/bridge/using/keywords-adobe-bridge.html

Either way, you need to decide if you are going to use a simple "flat" keyword structure, a Parent/Child keyword structure or a Hierarchical keyword structure.

https://helpx.adobe.com/bridge/kb/nested-hierarchal-keywording-bridge.html

[Erik Bloodaxe · Accepted solution]

Something to understand: 

You can keep a list of keywords within Bridge.  These keywords may or may not have been applied to photos.

If a keyword has been applied to a particular photo, then when you select that photo the box to the left of the keyword will be checked.

If the keyword has not been applied then you may check the box yourself to apply it.

If you select a photo which has keywords applied but those keywords are not in your Bridge Keywords list, then they should appear at the bottom of the list in italics under the heading "Other Keywords". If you wish to add those keywords to your Bridge list, right click and choose "Make Permanent". Then you may drag the keyword to a more suitable location in your list.

Hope this helps (and makes sense!)

[Wayne22583939jftg]

I have the same question. I have 24 yrs of pix and don't want to go to every folder to populate the keyword database. isnt there a script or easy way of searching the master photo folder to pick up the keywords? TIA Wayne

[Lumigraphics]

You can manually add keywords to the Keywords panel. If you want to add keywords directly from existing files, you need to display and select those files, then Make Persistent. I did write a script that does this from a selection but this isn't needed, since you can just do so in the Keywords panel.