Descriptors are used to store your descriptive information in different categories. Descriptors can be printed below their images, included in emails, or added to web galleries. They also help the search engine in grouping images that match a common theme. Additionally, they can be used for sorting.
Once you load an image into the Image Archive the descriptors “Image Name”, “Description”, and “File Date and Time” will display below the thumbnail, some will already filled in with information from your camera.
“Image Name” defaults to the file name of the imported picture. The same information is also stored in the descriptor “File Name”. Often, the file name is automatically generated by digital cameras or scanners is rather cryptic (for example “DCF0033”), which makes it entirely unsuitable as an image title in web galleries, emails, or prints. Therefore, you should immediately give each picture a meaningful image name. You may even give similar images the same name – there is no need to add numbers in sequence. The descriptor “Description” is left empty, inviting you to enter your own text. The “File Date and Time” are carried over from the creation date of the original file.
This category displays the complete set of descriptors, organized by the groups to which they belong.
To copy a descriptor to other images, click and hold the mouse button on the “Copy” button, then drag it to other images. Alternatively, you can first press the “Ctrl” key while selecting a number of images. Then click the “Copy” button to copy the descriptor to all selected images.
You can also left-click on the descriptor directly underneath the image to highlight it, and then right-click to get a context menu with additional options. Once the descriptor is highlighted in the image archive pane, you can also delete it by dragging it to the recycle bin.
A grey “Copy” button indicates that all selected images already have the same descriptor content. A blue “Copy” button indicates that all or some images do not yet have matching content.
If the button is not checkered, this means the descriptor cannot be copied.
This is the category where you can create your own descriptor tags, such as “Event” or “Holiday”, and then fill-in your content. This will improve the success rate of locating your images later.
You can delete obsolete descriptor tags, which will also delete their content.
Some of these descriptors were created during loading. Some will have default values and others you can also input your own information as desired.
Cameras will record various properties with each image, for example: camera model, exposure, f-stop value, etc. These properties are also known as “Exif” or “Exchangeable Image File format”.
Most of the Exif content cannot be modified and appears in dark grey.
These are descriptors following the standards of the International Press Telecommunication Council and the Newspaper Association of America.
For these descriptors you can supply or revise the content. If images are exported to JPEG file format, they will include the IPTC/NAA descriptors and are available for use in other applications.
These Descriptors can be accessed via Windows Explorer. In StudioLine, you can supply or revise the content of these descriptors. If images are exported to JPEG file format, Windows descriptors are included for use in other applications.
For the quick application of frequently-used descriptors of your own choosing, you can create a Form. To create your personalized form, click the “Create Form” button in the button bar of the Descriptors window.
Type in a name for your form and click “OK”. The new name will appear in the Form list.
The window “Edit Form“ opens. By selecting descriptors in the left panel and clicking the right-arrow button in the center, you can put together a customized list of descriptors.
You can always edit your Form by clicking on the “Edit Form” button located in the button bar of the Descriptors window. To remove a descriptor from your list, select it and use the left-arrow button.