A client is having trouble parsing info embedded with ExifTool

[William]

Hi,
I use ExifTool to batch transfer IPTC information from .csv spreadsheet files to sets of JPGs.  I place the .csv file and the jpgs together in a folder and use the following command:

exiftool.exe -csv="name of csv file" .

As far as I can tell, it works fine, because I open up the files in Photoshop and all the appropriate IPTC fields are filled in.  However, I recently sent a set of jpgs to a client, and he said he can't properly extract the IPTC metadata.  He said he uses ImageMagick to extract the info, and its not working for him.  Previously I entered the IPTC values manually via Photoshop, and he said those worked fine.  Here is his exact quote:

"The test photos received today seem quite different in IPTC header from the photos I got last time, which causes a parsing problem to get all the IPTC properties."

He's referring to previous photos where I individually embedded IPTC info into each photo via Photoshop.  He goes on to say:

"I am able to read the IPTC info (embedded via ExifTool) only after re-saving the files in Photoshop."

Like I said, he's using ImageMagick to try and extract the information.  He's suggesting that I use ImageMagick to embed the metadata instead of ExifTool, which I don't think is possible (but I could be wrong). 

I was hoping that someone might be able to answer any of the following questions:

-Why is he having trouble using ImageMagick to extract or read the IPTC information I embedded with ExifTool via a .csv file?

-Why would resaving the jpgs in Photoshop solve the problem for him?

-Is there a way to batch embed IPTC info into jpgs with a .csv file using ImageMagick (To the best of my knowledge there is not, and ExifTool is the usual tool for this kind of job)

Any advice is much appreciated!
Thank you,
William

[Phil Harvey]

Hi William,

This is FAQ 3.  You can use ExifTool to embed metadata wherever you want, but some software prefers to read it from a specific location.   Ask him for the sample that is resaved by Photoshop, and compare the metadata with the one written by ExifTool, then adjust your CSV file to write what he expects.

- Phil