Vincent Lowe

I'm guessing here but I don't think 'photosphere' is an official metadata tag name, I think it's just a name google gives to the group of tags. In the example on the google page all the tags begin with GPano: so this is probably what Alamy looks for..... https://developers.google.com/streetview/spherical-metadata

This might help - https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=8496.msg59731#msg59731

The current plan is to take a 2nd pair of trainers and alternate if I have to dry them out every night, although after many years of hillwalking in all parts of the UK I'm quite used to getting my feet wet, but I'll check out the local wellies - thanks for the tip. PS - me and 'stylish' have never in living memory been known to co-exist....

I had to google stivali - I think it would take a lot more than that to make me not look like a tourist. Besides - for the price of some of those things I could get a half-decent lens....

I'm off to Venice on Thursday, for a week. I'll be taking my camera.....and waterproofs...

Actually, I've just been re-reading that IMatch help file I linked to and realised it's not as simple as I first thought. The first column of the CSV file has to be a 'fully qualified' file name - in other words it has to contain the full path to the folder, such as D:\images\florida\beach.jpg It won't work with just the file name.

This is a classic case of where proper DAM (Digital Image Management) software is needed. This could be done easily with IMatch, using the CSV import module ..... https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/#impexp_csv.htm Create another column in the Excel file and copy something into every row (eg. the name of the agency). Export the Excel file as a CSV file (filename must be the first column). Open the Imatch import module - fill in the details and select which metadata tag you want to enter the data. You would only need to import the filename and that extra column (data goes into the sidecar XMP file, not the image file). Once the importer has done its thing you then tell IMatch to display all files with that tag - all will be displayed regardless of which drive they are on. Select all files, select 'copy' (or move), select 'paste' into the new folder. Job done. Of course all the files have to be imported into the IMatch database before it can find them. Also of course it doesn't really help in your present situation but I give it as an example of what can be done with true DAM software.

If you use proper image management software you don't see the sidecar files. If you move, copy, rename, delete a file the sidecar file goes with it. Again avoiding any possible problems/corruption of the raw file. Any problems with the metadata, just delete the XMP file and start again (never had to do it). There are good reasons why 'everyone else' uses sidecar files...

The point is that Mario (IMatch) keeps strictly to the recommendations and specifications of the ITPC, XMP, Metadata working groups, and their recommendation is not to embed metadata in raw files. Only Nikon decided to go their own way with Nikon Capture. The main reason I started using IMatch many years ago was because of its use of 'categories', which are similar to keywords except they are held in the database only and the raw files aren't touched. If I click on a category it shows me all the files with that category regardless of where it is stored - hard drive, DVD, cd, external drives even if they are offline. This avoids the problems, such as Phil has found, when you come to use a different program. Just to add - the categories can easily be converted to embedded keywords if necessary but in the fifteen years or so that I've been using IMatch I've never had the need to embed them in raw files.

Read this from Mario Westphal, developer of IMatch..... https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=4438.msg29706#msg29706 Especially this bit - If you have used Nikon Capture, they also may contain an embedded XMP record. If you have used other software on the NEF files, they probably have an external XMP record. This is the standard for RAW files, only Nikon ever was so dumb as to embed XMP in RAW files.

Thanks. You beat me to it but I was just about to say my question was answered - they've just shown up.

I've only tried ftp once before and it didn't seem any faster than the web upload. However, I'm on a much faster broadband speed now so, after reading this thread, I thought I'd give it another go. Just uploaded 112 files in 18 min 45 secs, 1.29 gb total. I was using FileZilla which shows a small progress bar against each file and I noticed it was actually transferring two files at the same time. How long does it usually take for them to show up in IM when using ftp?

Ah, I see what you mean - apologies.

Why do you say it's now mandatory? - it's under the 'optional' tab. And it's not searchable so I don't see how it would affect sales. In fact, I don't really see the point of having it but I do fill it in*, almost invariably just a copy and paste from the main caption where I always include the location. * just in case Alamy decide to implement something in the future.

Anyone else seeing this - I've got only one image selected but the 'Do you have model releases' field is showing 'Multiple Values'. How is that possible? It's happened a couple of times tonight but I'm not sure why. Not a problem as I can select yes or no (invariably the latter) as usual but I'm just curious.