Please use commas instead of semicolons Photoshop Metadata Keywords

[mastix]

Hello:

More and more applications use commas instead of semicolons to detect keywords. For example, in Woocommerce in the tag section you have to paste tags separated with commas so you cannot paste keywords from the Photoshop info tab because those are separated by semicolons. Use commas, or at least let us in the preference field to choose commas as the method of choice to separate keywords. 

[PECourtejoie]

Hi, I'm converting this to a feature request, in a place that has more visibility to the team, and so that others could vote and add their voice and give examples of why it is needed.

[PECourtejoie]

Two things: I wonder if it means that changes would be needed in the XMP code itself. and 2 that you would need to suggest the same in the Lightroom, Lightroom Classic and Bridge forums.

[mastix]

In Lightroom, it is already separated by commas. This is what I use to copy and paste, so it is even more logical that Photoshop and Lightroom go hand in hand for consistency. I hope they choose comma as it is much more widely accepted.

[Stephen Marsh]

Under the hood, the XMP metadata doesn't use semicolons, or commas or any other visible separator, so this is purely a display convention in Photoshop.

[PECourtejoie]

Consistency makes sense! Then Bridge needs to come along!

[mastix]

It would be great that if it is only a display convention that Photoshop lets user to have the keywords shown separated by blank spaces, commas or semicolons (I think the later has little utility as most stock sites for example, WordPress etc want commas and not semicolons.)

[Stephen Marsh]

@mastix – No need to wait for Adobe to possibly change things... The following script will automatically copy the keywords to the clipboard separated by ',' (comma) – ready for pasting into your website etc. This script could possibly save you half a dozen steps per image if doing this from an open image in Photoshop. Once installed, the script can have a custom keyboard shortcut applied, or it could be recorded into an Action with an F-key shortcut.

/*
Keywords to Clipboard.jsx
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-ideas/please-use-commas-instead-of-semicolons-photoshop-metadata-keywords/idc-p/13303783
v1.0 - 28th October 2022, Stephen Marsh
*/

// Legacy IPTC, don't use
// var keys = activeDocument.info.keywords;

// Get the XMP based keywords
if (ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript === undefined) ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript = new ExternalObject('lib:AdobeXMPScript');
var xmp = new XMPMeta(activeDocument.xmpMetadata.rawData);
var keys = getArrayItems(XMPConst.NS_DC, 'subject');

// Split the keyword array with a comma
keys = (keys.join(','));

// Load the clipboard
var d = new ActionDescriptor();
d.putString(stringIDToTypeID("textData"), keys);
executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("textToClipboard"), d, DialogModes.NO);


// Functions

function getArrayItems(ns, prop) {
    var arrItem = [];
    var items = xmp.countArrayItems(ns, prop);
    for (var i = 1; i <= items; i++) {
        arrItem.push(xmp.getArrayItem(ns, prop, i));
    }
    return arrItem;
}

1. Copy the code text to the clipboard
2. Open a new blank file in a plain-text editor (not in a word processor)
3. Paste the code in
4. Save the text file as .txt
5. Rename the file extension from .txt to .jsx
6. Install or browse to the .jsx file to run (see below)

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html#Photoshop

[mastix]

Thank you very much. Two questions:

1- I have never installed a script. Can something like this affect negatively photoshop, make it unstable or slower

2- If I install it and for whatever reason don't want it no more how to uninstall it?

Thanks again for your help

Cristian

[Chuck Uebele]

Scripts will not negatively affect PS. They are just text files with the extension jsx. Normally, they are placed in the PS subfolder presets/scripts. To remove it, just delete the file.

[DukeNelson]

@Stephen MarshHow feasible is it to adapt this script to give the same function in Adobe Bridge? (i.e. to copy keywords for the selected image into the Windows clipboard and change delimiter from semicolon to comma).

[Stephen Marsh]

@DukeNelson 

For me, probably difficult, but I don't know until I try. For those that regularly script Bridge it is probably easy.

 I'd suggest that you search the Bridge forum, there might be something there. If not, create a new topic in the Bridge forum and reference this topic.

Perhaps:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Paul-Riggott/PS-Scripts/master/Copy%20Paste%20Metadata.jsx

[DukeNelson]

@Stephen MarshThanks. I've dusted off my 10-years-dormant coding skills and eventually managed to get something to work in Bridge. I'll post in the Bridge forum.

[Stephen Marsh]

@DukeNelson – thanks for the update, I'll check out your post!

EDIT:

Tested with Bridge 2024 (v14) with TIFF and PSD.

If multiple files are selected, the file that is right-clicked will be the one with the keywords/subject metadata copied, which makes sense.

The code is using a comma+space separator:

keys = (keys.join(', '));

If the end user doesn't require spaces change it to:

keys = (keys.join(','));

Good work!