Clarification of IPTC Variable Functionality

[br1dge]

Guys - I am looking for a way to take the original file name of the source raw file, and embed that into any particular IPTC field at time of download. Seems like I want to do almost the opposite of what it is designed to do. I tried adding %0 in the IPTC data field, but it did not treat it as a variable.

Is there anyway to accomplish what I am trying to do with downloader pro?

FWIW - I rename my jpegs, and what to retain a link back to the orginal raw file in case I need to go back to it..

Thanks in advance, Jeff

[keff]

jeff,

I must be misunderstanding you, but putting image variable data into IPTC is one of the things that DLPro is designed to do, so probably I have got your question wrong.

The data token/variable that you are trying to use does not exist according to the help file.

Perhaps you could explain exactly what you are doing, and the results you are getting.

Steve

[br1dge]

Steve - Apologize for my poor explanation. Here is what I am trying to do:

Take a Raw files from my media card and in the process of copying them to my hard drive, I would like to take the original filename "img8754.raw" and embed that into an IPTC field of the image. That way, once I convert to JPEG and RENAME it to "prettygirl3.jpg" I will have a pointer back to the name of the original file (img8754) name if I ever need it in IPTC data.

THIS LINK (http://www.breezesys.com/Downloader/help/iptc.htm#editing) shows "%o" (typo in my original post) as the variable that represents the filename. So I added %o to a field in the IPTC settings of a downloader pro session, and downloaded the files, and converted it to jpeg, and nothing seemed to be populated after transfer.

I have played a little bit more with it and found that no values seem to stick, variables or not. I add plain text into the IPTC fields in DLP, and it copy the files to my hard drive. I then took my Raw converter (Capture One Pro 3.6) which happens to be the only IPTC aware program for RAW files I have, and noticed that all IPTC fields were empty. If I add text here at this stage, it does carry through to the jpg file; but this isnt good enough, because I need the power of using variables.

So putting aside variables for a minute (if you still agree DLP can do what I am suggesting,) I guess I need to figure out why no IPTC data is carried over to the RAW File (canon 10d by the way.) And "Add IPTC data to downloaded images" option IS enabled in Preferences.

If it matters I am using a Trial Version 1.62 I think, and want to get this working before I make my buy decision.
Thanks for your assistance, Jeff

[br1dge]

deleting double post

[keff]

Jeff,

It does exactly what you want it to do. I do it all the time, and I am sure that lots of others do. I don't do exactly as you do. I put %q and %r in te object name field.

I suspect that your problem lies elsewhere. You say that you use a 10D, so I assume that the example file name you quoted would have an extension crw, not raw. When you copy, do you also copy the thm file? The crw is read-only, and the IPTC, and other metadata, are put in the thm file. If you don't copy the thm file, then you will "loose" the IPTC.

I assume that Capture 1 will read the IPTC from the thm files. I would be very surprised if it did not, but I can't confirm it myself. If Capture 1 is not showing the IPTC data, try something like IrfanView (just do a google). It is freeware and can be configured to read IPTC data.

Steve

[br1dge]

Steve - i just tried it with jpgs instead of raw files and it worked fine (as viewed by Infranview.) I was unaware the IPTC data was stored in the thm.. I guess I need to go dig around with the C1 folks.

Oh, and I didnt use *.crw as to confuse non-Canon folk.

THANK YOU very much for your assistance - Jeff

[keff]

...Oh, and I didnt use *.crw as to confuse non-Canon folk.

THANK YOU very much for your assistance - Jeff

They are already confused so there is no hope for them :)

Steve

[mcalthrop]

Sanity check: are you using the latest version of DLPro? (1.6.2)

I had what sounds like the identical problem with an earlier version (1.6??), emailed Chris, and he said it was a bug, which was fixed in a subsequent release.

HTH... (or was your problem already solved?!)

Matt

[Keith Curtis]

I am using 1.6.1 and I insert the original filename (without the fixed prefix) i.e. 1234 instead of 642E1234 using %r

I allocate the "source" field in the IPTC and find it useful if I rename the converted jpeg files for a wedding to lose the gaps and want to find the original raw file.

Keith

[Chris Breeze]

There is no standard for storing IPTC data in CRW files (a Canon proprietary format). Cameras which shoot CRW raw files also write a THM thumbnail file which is actually a small JPEG file with a different file extension. Since there are standards (or rather conventions) for storing IPTC data in JPEGs DLPro uses this to store the IPTC data in the THM file. I think Adobe ACR can read the IPTC data from the THM file but I don't think C1 does. IMatch also uses the same technique.