Adding IPTC metadata from jpg to eps

[Akaz]

Hi, I'd like to copypaste IPTC metadata (keywords, description and title) from jpg file to EPS file.
The EPS file is created in Illustrator.

I have tried this command:

exiftool -tagsfromfile %d%f.jpg -all:all -overwrite_original *.eps

But I get warning saying:
Warning: [minor] IFD0 BitsPerSample should have 2 values - [filename].eps

What can be the possible solution for it?

Thanks in advance.

[Hayo Baan]

Have you already tried adding -m to the command? That'll ignore the minor error.

[Akaz]

Have you already tried adding -m to the command? That'll ignore the minor error.

ok Tried now and getting this warning:
Warning: Can't write XMP to PostScript-format Illustrator files - [filename].eps

[Hayo Baan]

Right, that error is because exiftool can't write xmp to eps. That you should be able to prevent by adding --xmp after the -all:all.

[Akaz]

Still getting same error.
Warning: Can't write XMP to PostScript-format Illustrator files - [filename].eps

I used this command:

exiftool -tagsfromfile %d%f.jpg -all:all -xmp -overwrite_original *.eps -m

I am little nerd when it comes with using syntax. Let me know if I am moving correctly and this is the right command I am using.

[Phil Harvey]

ExifTool writes XMP to EPS files according to Adobe's XMP specification.

The problem is that Adobe uses a different technique for Illustrator EPS files for some reason, and Adobe Illustrator doesn't like it when XMP is written according to the specification.  I haven't had the motivation to try to figure out why.

- Phil

[Akaz]

ExifTool writes XMP to EPS files according to Adobe's XMP specification.

The problem is that Adobe uses a different technique for Illustrator EPS files for some reason, and Adobe Illustrator doesn't like it when XMP is written according to the specification.  I haven't had the motivation to try to figure out why.

- Phil

Thanks for your reply.

Its sad that they used different techniques for Illustrator EPS.
I wished it to possible, it will really reduce hours of my time.

Is there any other tool available which can help me do that?
Or if you can invest some time in figuring the solution, it will be really great.

Its a small request.

[Hayo Baan]

Still getting same error.
Warning: Can't write XMP to PostScript-format Illustrator files - [filename].eps

I used this command:

exiftool -tagsfromfile %d%f.jpg -all:all -xmp -overwrite_original *.eps -m

I am little nerd when it comes with using syntax. Let me know if I am moving correctly and this is the right command I am using.

Yakaz, that should have been a double minus in front of xmp --xmp not -xmp. This will exclude the xmp tags from being written (which isn't possible at the moment at least, if ever).

[Akaz]

Yakaz, that should have been a double minus in front of xmp --xmp not -xmp. This will exclude the xmp tags from being written (which isn't possible at the moment at least, if ever).

Thank you sir, but alas its not working. 
Its all due to Adobe XMP's specifications for Illustrator EPS.

I am still searching for appropriate tool to do it, and no success till now.

[Hayo Baan]

Yakaz, that should have been a double minus in front of xmp --xmp not -xmp. This will exclude the xmp tags from being written (which isn't possible at the moment at least, if ever).

Thank you sir, but alas its not working. 
Its all due to Adobe XMP's specifications for Illustrator EPS.

I am still searching for appropriate tool to do it, and no success till now.

Oops, sorry, it should have been --xmp:all

[Akaz]

Oops, sorry, it should have been --xmp:all

Still the same error,
Warning: Can't write XMP to PostScript-format Illustrator files - [filename].eps

[Hayo Baan]

Hmm, that's odd. Can you post a small example eps file as well as a jpg you try to copy the metadata from?

[Akaz]

Hmm, that's odd. Can you post a small example eps file as well as a jpg you try to copy the metadata from?

I have sent a test file in your PM with all the details

[Hayo Baan]

Thanks, but for me it works fine. There are two minor errors, but those don't stop the command from working:

Code Select Expand

$ exiftool -tagsfromfile %d%f.jpg -all:all --xmp:all TEST.eps
Warning: [minor] IFD0 BitsPerSample should have 2 values - TEST.eps
Warning: [minor] Entries in IFD0 were out of sequence. Fixed. - TEST.eps
    1 image files updated


Adding -m to ignore the minor errors gives a clean output:

Code Select Expand

$ exiftool -m -tagsfromfile %d%f.jpg -all:all --xmp:all TEST.eps
    1 image files updated


This is with exifTool 11.44, are your perhaps using an older version?

[Akaz]

Yes the command says the file is updated but when checking bridge it do not show.
I am using the latest version and used the code below.

Code Select Expand

exiftool -m -tagsfromfile %d%f.jpg -all:all --xmp:all *.eps

[Hayo Baan]

Which of the updates don't you see? If the updates you are missing in the xmp of the jpg file, then they won't be in the eps since none of the xmp will be used for the update. What you could then try is to move particular  xmp tags from the jpg to similar non-xmp tags in the eps.

[Akaz]

The jpg already contains XMP data and IPTC title and keywords. The EPS file have no metadata.

After executing the code the command prompt does says 1 file updated. But when I re-check the same in bridge...it doesn't show up in the EPS.
Please see image.

[Hayo Baan]

I did't see an image so I don't quite understand what you are saying is missing. Note though that the eps you sent me did have xmp data embedded (exiftool is just not able to write it).
After running the exiftool command, the eps contained everything as metadata the jpg had so if anything isn't showing in bridge then either a) the data you are after was in the xmp of the jpg or b) bridge actually doesn't read the metadata you are after from the eps or even c) bridge doesn't support (at least some) metadata in eps.

In case of a: you could, as I suggested, try to move the xmp data from the jpg into other (writable) tags in the eps.
In case of b: try editing the metadata of the eps in bridge and see where it gets written to, that should give us a clue where bridge expects it
In case of c: you're trying to achieve the impossible

[Akaz]

ok, So none of above mentioned solution works.

I am thinking, how about if we can export metadata from images in .csv or excel format and import them to .EPS? Is that possible?
If so, how do we proceed with it.?

[Hayo Baan]

Did you try option b? Did that work at all? If it worked, can you show the output of exiftool -a -g0:1. This will show where bridge stored your changes. Which will perhaps help us solve the issue.

[Akaz]

Check PM

[Hayo Baan]

Hi Akaz,

Right, thanks for the test file (note: you could have attached them to your post as well; that way others – especially Phil – could have had a look as well). The good news is that Bridge supports editing the metadata in the EPS file. The bad news is that it writes the changes to the XMP part, so I'm also assuming that's where it expects them. This means you won't be able to use exiftool to make the changes you want though since currently it does not support writing XMP to EPS files.

[Akaz]

Hi Akaz,

Right, thanks for the test file (note: you could have attached them to your post as well; that way others – especially Phil – could have had a look as well). The good news is that Bridge supports editing the metadata in the EPS file. The bad news is that it writes the changes to the XMP part, so I'm also assuming that's where it expects them. This means you won't be able to use exiftool to make the changes you want though since currently it does not support writing XMP to EPS files.

Thanks, I'll make sure to attach them in the post.
So now that's clear that we cannot write in EPS XMP..

I also though of the second alternative of exporting metadata from images in .csv or excel format and import those CSV to .EPS?
Is that possible? Or is it the same thing as we discussed?

[Hayo Baan]

That would not work since ultimately the data needs to be written as XMP and this is what is not possible at the moment (for illustrator eps files). See also https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php/topic,10154.msg52962.html#msg52962