AIM suddenly doubling my keywords - anyone else notice this?

[Marianne]

I was cleaning up some old files that had more than 50 keywords now that the new interface has improved, making it seem less daunting, and discovered that it is more of a mess than I had anticipated. Many of my images seem to have most of the keywords doubled, and not because I put a word in singly and then as part of phrase (although that does account for some issues)  but instead some of my photos seem to have big swaths of keywords repeated in order. It's as though the system is spamming itself!

 

Being able to copy all, put them into a Pages (Word) document and then clean them up from there helps, but I am quite frustrated that I have to go through all of my images now. I had gone through some  when the whole new AIM and tagging started and I don't recall noticing this problem with any of my images them; it seems to me like something changed recently to cause this to happen. And I'm noticing it with newer photos. If had been old ones from the days of the three-part entry method, especially when I was just starting out and thought that more was better, I'd shake my head and understand, but these are files that were keyworded much more sparingly, I even checked corresponding images in Lightroom to be sure. So what's up?

 

Anyone else have this issue?

 

After having gone through all my images when we were told to add quotes to phrases (remember when?), and then having cleaned things up again after that.. .and then spending several hours and day all over again when this whole tagging and supertagging thing started,  I had decided that I wasn't going to kill myself by doing it all at once,, but would do some cleanup now and again, not really thinking it was a big deal.

 

However, it seems as though I will have no choice but to review all my images or I will continue to see my views and CTR drop - they have gone off a cliff in the past few months and I'm wondering if this apparent glitch is part of the reason. All of my phrases, which were separated wither by commas or were in quotes, have been split up, so that, for example, images tagged "New England" suddenly have "new" and "England" as two separate supertags, really great for my CTR here in the states.

 

Feeling very frustrated by all this. Really kinda annoyed after being invited to be among the first Reportage photographers, then unceremoniously dropped from Live News, and don't get me started on the new commission. (I am not jumping up and down about the exclusivity button - most of my pix are exclusive here, but I'm not ticking it as I don't plan to put all my eggs in this basket). Yes, rant over but really I'd rather be uploading new work than dealing with all my old images. And btw, that news rant wasn't for nothing. All of my Live News images that I've gone through so far seem to have their keywords doubled, some sort of glitch in the system so it's spamming itself? Weird!

 

Anyone else notice this issue? I searched the forum but didn't see anything about it. I had not noticed it before. Thanks for any clues you might have as to what's going on and how I can fix it other than with countless hours of work. I have ordered a CSV file of my images, but while I use Numbers (Mac's version of Excel) for keeping track of various financial matters, I don't know if it will help me with data entry for my pix since I don't know how to export the data from an Excel spreadsheet. Numbers for Dummies perhaps? Ugh! 

 

[Harry Harrison]

41 minutes ago, Marianne said:

I have ordered a CSV file

I haven't noticed this doubling of keywords but the csv is now available almost immediately, it is an automated function so you will see the download csv button a few moments after requesting it. Certainly it will help you see the extent of this problem.

 

As far as I know there is no way to re-import the corrected data.

[Marianne]

Thanks Harry. I thought they sent them out but I went in and thanks to your advice, I downloaded my spreadsheet and took a quick look, not seeing issues on the spreadsheet with keywords, except that it shows various images as "Exclusive to Alamy" when I have not marked any as exclusive. It included one that I recently licensed for a calendar, but I checked and it is not marked as exclusive on the site. So why in my spreadsheet? It would have been okay anyway since it was direct through me and not via another site, but it all seems so random. I have a ton that don't have supertags, mostly images uploaded via LIve News so it's a good reminder to go in and clean them up. But these random exclusives are another story. Ugh! 

 

This certainly isn't a job that can be done in a short time.  But having the CSV file is very helpful. It's just that all this administration takes away time from taking and processing images, but so many of my images have single word supertags generated by the system, I assume, which will kill my CTR since as single words instead of the proper phrases I included they will come up in many irrelevant searches, bad enough already that there is this ambiguity, but as supertags this really hurts. Getting a good sense why, after my CTR was really excellent for my primary pseudonyms, it has dropped. 

 

I didn't realize that the system was generating supertags until recently. I remember going in and adding them when the new AIM came in, but not seeing them added for me.

 

Nor did I realize that the system was determining that some of my photos are exclusive to Alamy when I did not mark them that way! It seems like this includes random photos in sets of similars. And so far, when I check the box isn't ticked. I will probably mark some of my RM images as exclusive, but can I change that in the future? Other sites that let you choose exclusive images usually require that you have to leave them as exclusive for anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. .. So, I'm hesitant since there doesn't seem to be an hard and fast rules about what ticking that little box really means. 

 

I'm also wondering what the deal is with being able to change images from RM to RF. That used to be a no-no and I have some RM images (reportage or Live news that went in automatically as RM) that I'd like to switch to RF editorial. If they have been licensed as "unlimited duration,"  which is, for all intents and purposes, RF,  I'm wondering if I can change their status?  If they were properly licensed as RM, then that would be different, but calling it RM and licensing it as RF,  and being able to change it on the site, does this mean it's acceptable for me to make the switch?

[Harry Harrison]

1 hour ago, Marianne said:

it shows various images as "Exclusive to Alamy" when I have not marked any as exclusive

 

Thanks Marianne, I do find the csv very useful in identifying deficiencies in my captions and keywords but in your case if you are sure that there are anomalies between the csv and what you are seeing in AIM with respect to exclusivity then I think you should ask Alamy, the csv should be a snapshot of all the different fields at that time.

 

I wasn't aware that the system generated Supertags, I don't think it is for me, is this a consequence of the update to the new AIM? All my images have been added with the new AIM in place so that wouldn't apply to me.

 

As to changing between exclusive and non-exclusive or RM to RF then I think there has been some discussion here but as as all mine are RM and exclusive I haven't looked into it.

[Alamy]

Marianne 

 

We recommend you get in touch with contributors@alamy.com about this. There should not be any images marked as exclusive  on the CSV unless the box is ticked in the Alamy Image Manager for example. Please add some examples in your email so the team can look into this for you. 

 

All the best

Alamy

[Marianne]

11 hours ago, Alamy said:

Marianne 

 

We recommend you get in touch with contributors@alamy.com about this. There should not be any images marked as exclusive  on the CSV unless the box is ticked in the Alamy Image Manager for example. Please add some examples in your email so the team can look into this for you. 

 

All the best

Alamy

 

Thanks. I will. 

 

Harry I think it must be a legacy of the old AIM.  Admins are already on top of this as you can see. I have to say I am always pleased by Alamy's staying on top of things and dealing with us directly. I'll ask my other questions in that email too and go from there. Lots of images to check, meantime, I uploaded about 3 dozen new photos today so that should keep me busy tagging. 😎

Edited May 15, 2019 by Marianne

[will perrett]

Hi Marianne

 

For what it's worth, since reading this thread, I've checked some of my older images, and found exactly the same problem of doubling up of tags.  Also, the number of tags in AIM doesn't seem to equate with the tags seen when I open one of my images as a potential buyer.  But with nearly 9000 images on Alamy, there's no way I can go back and repair the damage.  Life's too short!

 

Will

[Charles Stirling]

I also have found the doubling up of keywords in many of my older images. I haven't downloaded the CSV file yet so not sure what that may show. I have manually gone through some older images and removed the doubling but too many to do this.

[gvallee]

I found all my keywords are doubled up on NEW images uploaded this week.

Will contact CR.

Edited August 3, 2019 by gvallee

[JaniMarkus Hasa]

All my new uploads have double tags. Just wondering if it could be a browser issue? I use Google Chrome...

[gvallee]

21 hours ago, JaniMarkus Hasa said:

All my new uploads have double tags. Just wondering if it could be a browser issue? I use Google Chrome...

 

I also use Chrome, but same as ever. Nothing new.

 

About one out of two of my new uploads have doubled up tags. It's not consistent.

Also, the same phrase has been split into separate tags for some image or kept as a phrase for others. 

Issue has been passed onto the Technical Team. Waiting for feedback. 

[losdemas]

6 hours ago, gvallee said:

 

I also use Chrome, but same as ever. Nothing new.

 

About one out of two of my new uploads have doubled up tags. It's not consistent.

Also, the same phrase has been split into separate tags for some image or kept as a phrase for others. 

Issue has been passed onto the Technical Team. Waiting for feedback. 

 

Likewise; I'm using Firefox.  Kind of annoying as I've only just started uploading again. 🙄

[gvallee]

I have just heard back from CR. The Tech team has identified and fixed the issue.

Future uploads should be correct.

 

Gen

 

[losdemas]

4 hours ago, gvallee said:

I have just heard back from CR. The Tech team has identified and fixed the issue.

Future uploads should be correct.

 

Gen

 

 

Well done, Gen. Thanks, Alamy tech team. 😉😊

[NYCat]

Nope. Not fixed. I just struggled with annotating a new submission and I had some keywords repeated. I already have enormous problems with older images because I used to fill all the sections. I was looking forward to not having to sort that this time. Alas.

 

Paulette

[gvallee]

2 hours ago, NYCat said:

Nope. Not fixed. I just struggled with annotating a new submission and I had some keywords repeated. I already have enormous problems with older images because I used to fill all the sections. I was looking forward to not having to sort that this time. Alas.

 

Paulette

 

I uploaded 2 submissions yesterday. One is correct, the other one has tags doubled up.

Perhaps the fix is not live yet?

 

I will report my findings to Alamy again.

 

Grrrrrr....

 

PS: I think I just sussed what's going on and why the error is inconsistent. For me, the doubled tags appear to be on images that have been tagged together in Bridge prior to upload. As keyword/tags are common to both images, they are displayed twice for each in AIM.

Edited August 12, 2019 by gvallee

[NYCat]

Ahhhh. I thought I was being such a good girl by doing my keywording in Lightroom before uploading. Definitely did not make things easier.

 

Paulette

[gvallee]

2 hours ago, NYCat said:

Ahhhh. I thought I was being such a good girl by doing my keywording in Lightroom before uploading. Definitely did not make things easier.

 

Paulette

 

You are 100% right to tag prior to upload, crazy not to given the ease of templates and keywords hierarchy.

Duplicated tags on new uploads is a newly introduced bug that will get fixed, eventually...

I have been keywording in Bridge for years, never had a glitch, except of course the legacy pix but that's another story altogether.

 

Also, bear in mind that I could be totally barking at the wrong tree with my theory, it might have nothing to do with keywording prior to upload.

Edited August 12, 2019 by gvallee

[NYCat]

Not fixed. I just had another upload accepted and all the ones I keyworded in Lightroom have more than 50 tags because they have been doubled. Two images only had my name put in the keywords in Lightroom and my first and last name have come in separated. The name is OK in the ones I did extensive keywording on. Sigh. I will email Alamy. I think I will caption and do super tags so the images will go on sale but I will put off the fixing of extra keywords in hopes that they will do it for me. I had deliberately not put in 50 keywords so I could add words specific to each photos. Cannot do that as long as I have too many words. Sigh.

 

Paulette

[gvallee]

3 hours ago, NYCat said:

Not fixed. I just had another upload accepted and all the ones I keyworded in Lightroom have more than 50 tags because they have been doubled. Two images only had my name put in the keywords in Lightroom and my first and last name have come in separated. The name is OK in the ones I did extensive keywording on. Sigh. I will email Alamy. I think I will caption and do super tags so the images will go on sale but I will put off the fixing of extra keywords in hopes that they will do it for me. I had deliberately not put in 50 keywords so I could add words specific to each photos. Cannot do that as long as I have too many words. Sigh.

 

Paulette

 

Same symptoms as me Paulette. Duplicating tags and splitting some phrases. CR has sent the issue back to the Tech Dpt. 

Thank you for reporting it as well, it might help identifyng the bug.

I am surprised that we're the only two persons complaining about it. Have other contributors not noticed? Using different methods of tagging? OS? Other reasons? Whatever the reason, it's a newly introduced bug because I haven't changed any of the above for years.

 

 

Edited August 14, 2019 by gvallee

[Marianne]

I had that happen on some too but even weirder as I was fixing tags and doing super tags in a few bunches on AIM, a few of my images ended up with 12-15 super tags. And several with more than 50 tags because of doubling. It took quite a while but I was able to clean them up. 

 

Then I went in and started working on some of my old ones that have way too many from the old AIM and have weird super tags such as "of."  Annoying but it's given me a chance I guess to shore up some older images from before I knew all that much,. Glad that we can now select all, copy all and delete all in AIM. I've been hitting "select all, copy all," moving them into a pages (word) document where I can clean them up, hit "delete all" and then paste them back properly. Ending up with about 35 words for a lot of them so not "discoverable" but probably goo. I did this as I was going through my RM images and deciding which to mark as "Exclusive to Alamy." After getting a few sales of images that are only on Alamy, it seemed like a good idea to make sure I get the better commission next time..  

 

Frustrated that we keep having this problem even with new images. Hopefully the tech folks will get on it again. I had so many old ones with quotations marks around them. It's a lot of work to have to keep going back when I have so many new images I should be uploading instead. Oh well. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by Marianne

[Betty LaRue]

I keyword in Bridge before upload. Just uploaded 16 that passed, and several images share the same tags and were tagged together. None of them had doubled tags.

[gvallee]

4 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

I keyword in Bridge before upload. Just uploaded 16 that passed, and several images share the same tags and were tagged together. None of them had doubled tags.

Off goes my theory then. Thank you for chiming in Betty. The occurrence is so haphazard that the only thing in common between the last two examples was that they had been keyworded together. Hope the tecchies can figure it out sharpish.

[M.Chapman]

6 hours ago, Marianne said:

I had that happen on some too but even weirder as I was fixing tags and doing super tags in a few bunches on AIM, a few of my images ended up with 12-15 super tags. 

 

You're not the only one that has seen that behaviour.

 

Mark

[NYCat]

This is the response I have received from Alamy...

Thank you for letting us know you are still having this problem. We are working with IT to resolve this problem as soon as possible. 

Unfortunately those keywords that have already been double tagged you will need to go in and remove manually, we aren't able to do this for you. 

 

I have hated this version of the Image Manager from the beginning and have said nasty things about it. Now I feel like it is paying me back. I have a lot of images from my last trip that I want to upload but am wondering if I should do keywording from a text document instead of doing it in Lightroom. Such a pain in the neck.

 

Paulette