Adding metadata to documents
File information--also called metadata--is increasingly important in all types of publishing. Metadata preserves information about the contents, copyright status, origin, and history of documents, and can be used to search for files. You can add file information to files saved in Illustrator, PDF, EPS, SVG, GIF, JPEG, Photoshop (PSD), and TIFF formats. The information you add is embedded in the file using XMP (eXtensible Metadata Platform). XMP facilitates the exchange of metadata between Adobe applications and across publishing workflows. For example, you can save metadata from one file as a template, and then import the metadata into other files. Companies can use the XMP Software Development Kit to customize the creation, processing, and interchange of metadata. For example, the XMP SDK can be used to add fields to the File Info dialog box. More information on XMP and the XMP SDK is available on the Adobe Solutions Network. (See Getting Help.)
Note: If you're working with managed files from an Adobe Version Cue project, the File Info dialog box displays additional file information. For more information, see Working with Adobe Version Cue managed projects.
To add metadata to a document:
1. Choose File > File Info.
2. Select a category from the list on the left side of the dialog box, enter the desired information, and click OK.
- Description to specify information about the document, such as title, author, description, and keywords that can be used to search for the document. To specify copyright information, select Copyrighted from the Copyright State pop-up menu. Then enter the copyright notice string and the URL of the person or company who owns the copyright.
- Origin to provide information on the history of the artwork. To enter the current date in a short text format, click Today. For Credit, enter the information needed in the credit line for a copyrighted image. Transmission Reference provides the Associated Press with information on the original transmission location of the artwork. For Urgency, specify the editorial urgency of the artwork--not its handling priority.
- Advanced to view the XMP data for the file in a structured format.
- Raw Data to view the raw XMP data for the file.
To save metadata as a template:
1. Click the triangle icon at the top of the File Info dialog box, and choose Save Metadata Template.
2. Enter a template name, and click Save.
To save metadata to an XMP file:
1. In the Advanced section of the File Info dialog box, click Save.
2. Type a filename, choose a location for the file, and click Save.
To import metadata into a document:
Do one of the following:
- Click the triangle icon at the top of the File Info dialog box, and choose a template name from the top section of the pop-up menu. The metadata from the template will replace the current metadata. To append the current metadata instead, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) when you choose the template name.
Note: You must save a metadata template before you can import metadata from a template.
- In the Advanced section of the File Info dialog box, click Replace to replace the current information with information stored in an XMP file. Locate the XMP file containing the metadata you want to import, and click Open.
- In the Advanced section of the File Info dialog box, click Load to add information stored in an XMP file to the current file information. For each File Info field, if the field does not contain information then it will be updated with contents from the file. Keywords will always be appended with the information from the file.
To delete a metadata template:
1. Click the triangle icon at the top of the File Info dialog box, and choose Delete Metadata Template.
2. Select the name of the template you want to delete, and click Delete.
To show the location of metadata templates:
Click the triangle icon at the top of the File Info dialog box, and choose Show Templates.
