File Info dialog vs Metadata panel

[danaltick]

I fail to see the difference between using the File Info dialog and the Metadata panel in bridge, other than more room to type in the dialog.  I'm currently reading chapter 6, but don't follow the difference explanation about custom metadata...please explain.  Thanks.

[peterkrogh]

Your questions is just to broad for me to know where to begin.  I think that you may need to read through the book more than once.  Several very smart people have told me that they have needed to do that because the information presented is just too dense to get the first time through.

As I worked with my editors on the book, one of the hardest issues was where to start. In order to understand many of the concepts, you need to have a good grasp on other concepts that may be new as well. 

I'd feel better about spending time walking you through stuff if you told me that you had read through everything, tried it out, and gone back a second time to reference questions.

As to the two panels, they both reference the same stuff, it's just a different way to do things.  The File Info panel only, however, allows you to create metadata templates that you can save and reapply. (Page 164)

Peter

[danaltick]

That's fine.  I will read through the entire book and then go back a second time.  However, maybe I was just too vague with my question.  If appending or replacing metadata through templates is really the only difference, then you've answered my question.  It's just in chapter 6, it sounded as though you can do certain customizations to images using the File Info dialog that you can't do using the Metadata panel.  If you were referring to the template capability, then I understand, but if you were referring to something else, then hopefully continued reading will answer that for me.  Thanks.

By the way, so far I've been able to digest everything without too much problem.  I'm actually a computer engineer with a fascination for digital imagery.  I've spent considerable time with my own digital asset management techniques.  But your book has made me aware of a number of holes I need to fill and a number of new ways of doing things that I'm really anxious to put into place.  In otherwords, your book will save me countless hours in having to think it all through myself.....and for that I could never re-pay you.  I figure if I made it through Bruce Fraser's "Real World Color Management" without too much trouble, this should be a walk in the park .

[peterkrogh]

LOL.

Yes, you understand the differences between the panels. Sometimes you will want to use one, sometimes the other. 
Peter

[johnbeardy]

I fail to see the difference between using the File Info dialog and the Metadata panel in bridge, other than more room to type in the dialog.

With the File Info dialog you can make multiple identical changes (eg description, title, keywords, location etc) to multiple files, and it's only when you press OK that Bridge writes to the files. With the metadata panel, you enter one field value and - if you pause for a second or two - Bridge starts off writing the changes into the files. Depending on the file format, the dialog method can be much faster than using the metadata panel.

Secondly, and less importantly, you can define your own custom panels. This might be just another layout (eg location on the same panel as the keywords) but can also go as far as providing data entry screens with drop down lists and with own values, or even custom XMP data.

[danaltick]

Thanks very much for the additional info.

Metadata is one area, I've put on the back burner, and now Peter has made me realize the true importance of it, so I just want to make sure I have it down pat.

I decided to review back through chapter 6 in the book to pin-point the area of confusion I mentioned at the beginning of this thread, and I believe I found it.

It's the description under Figure 6-20, p.165 that has me a little confused.  It states, "Going via the File Info dialog to apply your metadata template has the advantage of enabling you to add information specific to only the images you are working on currently."

That statement leads me to believe this is something you cannot do using the Metadata panel....true or false?

Thanks.

[peterkrogh]

A little confusing. (captions did not get the same editing as the rest of the book).

Applying a metadata template in the panel just lets you add to the template.  If you invoke it from File info, then the dialog hangs around and lets you add more specific information applicable to these images only.  Once you have added everything you want to, then you tell it to go.
Peter

[danaltick]

Got it.  Thanks allot for clearing that up.