Script for copying keywords to description field

[Guest]

Does anyone have a script that can be used in cs5 to copy the keywords to the description field?

Thanks

Mark

[X-T4Newbie]

P. S. Yes, will submit the XMP file for strange DateTimeOriginal image when I hit one. Tnx for latest Script update! 

[X-T4Newbie]

Greg:  Of the 1,296 keyworded images I had ready at start of this Script project, 100% run through our new Script for copying keywords to description field!  Script does the job easily, flexibly.  Now place Script more properly in Adobe Bridge workflow.  Thank you.  Bob

[gregreser]

You're very welcome. I'm glad to hear it worked for you. 

I always learn new things when I build scripts, so it adds to my skills.

[X-T4Newbie]

What is the maximum number of images I can select with script?  I've successfully selected a folder with as many as 53, but when I attempt a folder with either 130 or 360, Adobe Bridge "freezes up" and I must restart the Bridge app!  I have a lare number of folders to process with script with these number of images.:)

[gregreser]

I would have thought 360 images would be no problem.

Does Bridge freeze up when you first open the script or when you run the renaming process?

When the script first opens, it reads the keywors in all the images, so that might take some time. Still, it shouldn't cause a crash.

I'll see if I can recreate the problem.

Are you working with a remote or shared drive?

[gregreser]

I ran a batch of 130 and it took 26 seconds for the script window to show, which is a long time. It looks like nothing is happening, but it is chruning through all the keywords, sorting and de-duping them to generate the list before the window open. I can add a small window that pops up immediate to let you know the script is reading the keywords. 

An alternate approach would be to read the saved keyword tree, instead of reading each image.

By keyword tree, I mean the list that appears in the side keyword panel.

The drawback is that this list will contain all your saved keywords, include ones that are not in your selected files, so the list will have a lot of unrelated keywords you have to scroll through.

[X-T4Newbie]

Thank you for re-assurances.  As my keyword tree list frequently is MUCH bigger than keywords for selected images, I agree loading the full keyword tree list-which keeps growing-is not probably best approach.  Think this User just needs to show more patience when it appears nothing is happening. 🙂  I'll give her another try!

[X-T4Newbie]

Would it be possible on these big image selections to have a counter showing progress reading images (and building display)?  Blank screen suggests user (me) not sure I activated Script correctly and getting several unnecessary instances of Script executing possibly concurrently.

[gregreser]

Here's a new version with a simple "Loading..." pop up. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rhv1pk8unoonvup/Copy_Select_Keywords_to_Description_2022-07-22.jsx?dl=0

I'll see if there is a way to speed up the process.

[Lumigraphics]

Extendscript does have some "long-running task" functionality but its awfully opaque, I tried using it at one point and got nowhere.

[X-T4Newbie]

Currently running "360" selection... for a long time now.  You were right... I DID complete the 130 but it took far longer than 26 seconds on my Dell laptop.  A not-so-fast Intel ???.7 processor with two internal SSDs.  FYI:  My app messaging (before new version you just sent above with "Processing. . . " msg. gave me an Adobe Bridge hour-glass and Adobe Bride "<FolderName> Not Responding" msg upper left of screen.  Hence, my confusion... I thought Bridge had locked up.

[X-T4Newbie]

Hmmm... finally got to your download link above (today)... and Dropbox is empty!  I snooze, I lose.

[gregreser]

Yes, the Not Responding message is very missleading. It comes up a lot in Bridge and wish there were more accurate message.

I discovered that you get a faster load time if you only read IPTC Keywords or Lightroom Keywords (it's reading only half as many keywords). Since your IPTC and Lightroom keywords are very similar, maybe just reading IPTC would work. Still, 200 images took 1:39 to load on my laptop. 

Here's a new version. I added the Loading... pop up to also appear when you refresh the keyword list (after choosing IPTC, Lightroom, or both)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k3583mkw8gyget7/Copy_Select_Keywords_to_Description_2022-07-22a.jsx?dl=0

[X-T4Newbie]

FYI:  Eventhough I had an Adobe Bridge hour-glass -- still with 360  selection -- with touchpad I accidently hit screen.  It now totally grayed out with Adobe Bridge "<FolderName> Not Responding" msg still upper right.  Think Adobe really in trouble now!  But won't touch to see if normal Script Select Keywords popup self corrects OK???   Back to original question:  What's the practical max. image selection size?

[gregreser]

Yes, Bridge will completely grey out if you click on it while it's "Not Responding". Usually it will come back once the process is complete.

I just tried running the script on 300 images and it took 10 minutes to load! That's a long time. Looks like 200 is a practical selection.

[X-T4Newbie]

Mine has been running since I last posted.  Wow! you must have a souped-up [Apple?] laptop! I'm still "Holding on"  😞

[gregreser]

No, just a Lenovo Windows laptop. Are your files on an external drive?

I think the "Eliminate these keywords" function might be causing the slowness. I'll play around and see what I can find out.

[X-T4Newbie]

Give up on 361 jpg selection.  3+ hours in loop. Using a Dell Inspiron-17-7778-2-in-1-Laptop with 32GB memory plus SSDs.  Jpgs of one of several Mother's Day shoots where over 1,000+ shots taken.

[gregreser]

It's not the "Eliminate these keywords" function slowing it down. I'll keep working on it.

Is there another approach? If you know the keywords you'll use, we could use that rather than reading them form the files. I suspect that the list changes for each Folder/Event so that's not practical. You probabaly want to use the keywords rather than hand entering the new decription because you've been careful with the keywords to keep them clean and unique.

[X-T4Newbie]

Is there another approach?

"If you know the keywords you'll use, we could use that rather than reading them form the files." I don't.  What's nice about Bridge is we can take a folder and looking through them, ADDING new keywords, as needed.

"I suspect that the list changes for each Folder/Event so that's not practical. You probabaly want to use the keywords rather than hand entering the new decription"  ( You got that!  Hand entering defeats the whole idea of our nice Script you've written. ) "because you've been careful with the keywords to keep them clean" (As best I could.)

Before you invest more time on project, seems to me that I've got to ask hard questions:

1) Will all my images EVER be included in a slide show showing Descriptions vs. just in Bridge/Lightroom for further Develop(ment) tweaks.   In reality, these big folders already haved had major Post done to them , shared with customer, and are Archieval only - no slideshows using a Description planned.

2) For the few instances where a large folder will be used as part of a slideshow with Descriptions, merely break the job up into smaller pieces where the Script shines... as I've done with over 1,500 images so far.

3) You've invested way too much time in this project already for me!  For my personal "little" groups of images, it is perfect!

[gregreser]

I was prepared to just let it go, but the time lag was bugging me. I kept playing with it and finally found a solution, I hope.

Try this version. I am able to load 500 images in 2 seconds (your mileage may vary).

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ewz1d9m81mjg5ma/Copy_Select_Keywords_to_Description_2022-07-24.jsx?dl=0

[X-T4Newbie]

WOW!  THAT WAS FAST!  380 images in maybe 1-2 seconds.  How in the world did you pall that off?  You have magic JS programming fingers!

[Stephen Marsh]

@gregreser - well done!

[gregreser]

I realized my comparison array grew exponentially with each loop. Now the script puts the first image's keywords into a master list array, then each subsequent image is compared to it and any new keywords are added to the master list. Since it's a short master list and each image only has a few keywords, it goes really fast.

Honestly, my first version was just really not written correctly, but I didn't realize until we tried a large number of files. I'm still learning.

[X-T4Newbie]

@gregreser - well done, indeed!  Again, thank you!