Metadata Templates are a way of applying bulk metadata to a set of imported images or new versions of an image. The reason for these templates is that they save you a lot of time updating common information. These templates set the default values of metadata properties to a set of images. For example: if you shot a set of images on holiday to Devils Dyke in West Sussex. A lot of the properties such as the location subject etc will be the same.
Base and Current Templates
The template system is split into two types of template. Base and Current, both are the same template in that the properties are the same but the base template contains properties that infrequently change, where the Current template contains properties that may change more frequently. For example on that holiday to Devils Dyke you may set the subject to “Devils Dyke holiday”. all the will have a default subject of “Devils Dyke holiday” this would go in the Current Template. However as you the are the one mostly taking the images then you details will go in the Base Template.
How templates are applied to the image metadata
The base template is applied first to the image metadata. Any property placed in the base template will be added to the image metadata. For example if your name is placed in the base template will be added.
Secondly the Current Templated will be applied. As with the base any property placed in the Current template will be added to the image metadata. For example if that holiday to Devils Dyke is placed in the Current template will be added.
However any properties that is placed in the Base Template but also placed in the Current template then the one placed in the Current template will over-write the base one.
Base and Current Template Locations
The Base template in located in the ImgArchive configuration and normally updated by iaadmin.exe as it needs administration privileges. The Current template is located in the ImgArchive User Space. This can be updated by iavault.exe.
New Images
Imported images will be new images added into the archive. These images will be originals and will go into the master repository and it will be the Master Templates (Base and Current) that will be applied to the image metadata.
Edited Versions of an image
If an image is edited and a new version of that image is created then most of the metadata for the new version will be the same
Setting up Templates.
Templates a simply formatted text files with the name of a property and its default value. These files can be included within each other this allows you to cascade properties.
An example may be you have default Usage Rights but on one set of images you need to change those rights to some thing else. You can add a template file with the changed rights then remove the file once you need to revert back..
Standard Master Metadata Templates
The installation
Applying Template.
The Master Template
The Master Template is the template that is used to apply changes to the Master metadata