# batch tagging



## jvgig (Jun 4, 2008)

Does anyone know of any software (preferably free) that allows you to tag multiple pictures.  Then add another tag to a picture, but one related to another set without overwriting the first tag.  

I have almost 34,000 images and need some organization and doing by hand would take forever.


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## Dweller (Jun 4, 2008)

Lightroom will do it, and offers a 30 day free trial, but I am not finding much in my searches of other (free) methods. 

FWIW, Lightroom does batch tagging very well in my experience.


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## GrfxGuru (Jun 5, 2008)

You could try searching for something like 'image file meta data' in Google and see what comes up. I've seen some free tag editors before but none have ever left me with a warm happy feeling, they either messed up the files or crashed.

Depending on you platform you might even find an extension to the OS that allows you to edit the meta data in a batch.

Regards,
Peter Witham


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## jvgig (Jun 15, 2008)

I just got in contact with my video instructor at the local art magnet school which I will be attending this upcomming school year and he said that he was willing to add a few copies of adobe software to his materials request for his upcomming students.  The price was right, the timing was great, so I ordered some software-photoshop, lightroom, premiere, and illustrator.  I have been playing around with all four, only to find that I am indesperate need of a new PC, but that is another issue.  

A quick lighroom question.  How do you apply rotation and tags to the files?  I have been looking for an "apply to files option", but cannot seem to find one.  

Thanks


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## GrfxGuru (Jun 15, 2008)

In Lightroom there is no 'apply' or 'save'. Everything you do is recorded as you do it inside the Lightroom library database. The huge plus here is no extra files (most of the time) and everything you do is non-destructive.

Take a look at the history on a file and you get to see everything you've done to it, and if need be can roll back to a version thru the history or undo.

For tags look the keywords panel, it will show the keywords you have attached to the image file.


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## jvgig (Jun 16, 2008)

Thanks.  I guess others will have to do without tags when I give them pictures.


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## GrfxGuru (Jun 16, 2008)

Not all all, when you export the image from the library in Lightroom to share with others you can choose to export the metadata in an XMP sidecar file. So for example when they load it into Lightroom or Photoshop using compatible Camera RAW then it will load your details along with it (including processing instructions).

I strongly recommend looking over the tutorial and related content on the Adobe site for Lightroom.


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