Aperture/Keyword Workaround Problem

[Julie Herrick]

I'm having trouble exporting keywords using the Aperture workaround.  What am I doing wrong?

My iPhoto library is 9.4, so I'm aware of the keyword problem, but I also read this: "...with Aperture, you can work around the keyword limitation by using Aperture to update the metadata in the image files before running Phoshare."

I installed Aperture, pointed it at my iPhoto library, ran  "Update IPTC Metadata in Originals"on the entire library, and then ran Phoshare.  However, the resulting images do not contain the keywords.   Interestingly, the Phoshare log definitely sees the keywords during processing, but they still do not make it into the final exported file. 

In the log below you'll see both "File Keywords" and "iPhoto Keywords"

*File Keywords = These are the ones I want; The ones that I just used Aperture to write into the IPTC Metadata.  These DO NOT make it into the exported file.

*iPhoto Keywords = Faces converted into keywords.  These DO make it into the exported file.

PHOSHARE LOG:

Version 9.4 library with 35503 images

Phoshare.py --export "/Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2" --iphoto "~/Pictures/iPhoto Library" --smarts "2012Jan" --foldertemplate "{name}" --nametemplate "{title}" --captiontemplate "{description}" --update --delete --faces --face_keywords --iptcall --gps

Scanning iPhoto data for photos to export...

Scanning existing files in export folder...

Creating folder /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan

Exporting photos from iPhoto to export folder...

New file: /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4819.jpg (copy)

Running exiftool for /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4819.jpg

Updating IPTC for /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4819.jpg because of

  File keywords:   Neva,NYE,Quirks

  iPhoto keywords: 

New file: /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4820.jpg (copy)

Running exiftool for /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4820.jpg

Updating IPTC for /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4820.jpg because of

  File keywords:   Neva,NYE

  iPhoto keywords: 

New file: /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4821.jpg (copy)

Running exiftool for /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4821.jpg

Updating IPTC for /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4821.jpg because of

  File keywords:   Emma Loeb,Caleb Loeb,Marc Loeb,Caleb Loeb,Emma Loeb,Marc Loeb,Neva,NYE

  iPhoto keywords: Caleb Loeb,Emma Loeb,Marc Loeb

  Persons ( instead of Caleb Loeb,Emma Loeb,Marc Loeb)

New file: /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4822.jpg (copy)

Running exiftool for /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4822.jpg

Updating IPTC for /Users/JAHerrick/Pictures/PhoShareExportKeywords2/2012Jan/IMG_4822.jpg because of

  File keywords:   Neva,NYE

  iPhoto keywords: 

Done!

[Tilman]

Unfortunately, you need to pick either Aperture or Phoshare to manage the keywords. So if you want to export the metadata as written into the Preview images by Aperture, you need to uncheck the metadata option in Phoshare. If you ask Phoshare to update metadata, it will ignore what it finds in the images, and replace it with what it can figure out on its own.

Tilman

[Julie Herrick]

Thank you Tilman.  That was the clue I needed.  It didn't occur to me that unchecking the "metadata" box would be the solution to getting *more* of my metadata, but it worked.  It brought over both my keywords and my stars.   

Am I correct in understanding that the only thing I lose in this method is the "faces," controlled by Aperture?  (If so, that's fine since I didn't use Faces for anything critical.)

-Julie

[Tilman]

Julie,

  you can get the faces if you click on "Include face info in exported photos" in the Aperture Export Preferences. If that option is checked, faces are written as keywords into the Preview images even if you don't export.

  What you loose is mostly that Aperture does not automatically update the metadata in the images. E.g. if you change any metadata but make no image edits, it will not update the preview, and its metadata will be stale. So you need to remember to regenerate the previews for all images with metadata changes. If you just click on "Update Preview" it'll tell you that the preview is up to date, so you need to hold down the Option key to change the "Update Preview" menu item to "Generate Preview".

Tilman

[Julie Herrick]

Tilman, Thank you so much for developing this tool.   Prior to finding this, I feared my extensive keywording would be stuck in iPhoto with my 35,000 photo library.   I just completed my major migration, and I now have my photos out of iPhoto with all keywords and stars!  I'm so grateful!  Is this project accepting donations to fund development?   I'd be glad to pitch in. 

-Julie

For the benefit of anyone else who's reading this, here's how I did it.  I'm using iPhoto 9.4.

-First I had to install Aperture.  Aperture was able to read my iPhoto library. 

-In Aperture, I selected all photos and then selected the Metadata menu and "Update IPTC Metadata in Originals"

-Then I ran Phoshare using the following settings:

LIBRARY

iPhoto Library: [path of my iphoto library]

Events:  "."   (Just a period means all events)

Albums:  [blank]

Smart Albums: [blank]

FILES

Export Folder:  /Users/MyName/Pictures/PhoShareExport

Do not check any of the boxes.

Name Templates: 

Folder Names {yyyy}.{mm}.{dd} {name}

File names:  {title}

Captions: {description}

METADATA

Do not check any of the boxes.   This was the key to getting my keywords.  It's a little counter-intuitive, but it works. If you check the box to export metadata, it will pull from the metadata it sees in the Aperture Library.  It will get stars, but not keywords because Aperture refuses to share the keywords with Phoshare.   However, if you don't check the box, it will instead pull from the metadata that's stored on the actual file.  Since we just saved all metadata to the file, this will now get those keywords, and also stars and other stuff from the file level.  Yay!

[Tilman]

Good to hear that it worked for you. Besides clicking on "Update IPTC Metadata in Originals", if you have made any edits, and then modified metadata, you should Control-Click on the images and run "Generate Previews". That will re-generate the previews of your edited photos, and in the process, write the Aperture metadata into the preview image files.

Tilman