Title: Help with simple IPTC mapping
Last modified: August 24, 2016

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# Help with simple IPTC mapping

 *  Resolved [hwtech](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hwtech/)
 * (@hwtech)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-with-simple-iptc-mapping/)
 * Just starting with a little test.
 * So far so good. I mapped the IPTC standard caption field to the media caption
   field. Click on map all attachments. Take a look in media library edit, great
   caption from metadata is there.
 * Now if I edit the picture’s metadata IPTC caption again then overwrite the existing
   file with this one. Go into media library edit. Click on Map IPTC/EXIF Metadata,
   nothing is updated even through message says as much.
 * BUT, If I now go back to settings and click on map all. yes it works.
 * So seems if though the individual map command on the edit page is not working
   for me. Map all is fine, but I’ll need the individual update to work since it
   won’t be too long before some photo’s wp fields (like caption) are changed within
   wp but not in original photo.
 * ———
 * Makes we wonder if setting a map to “keep” does such when map all is clicked 
   but can be overridden by the the individual update link in the edit page??? (
   assuming I can get it work). This would keep the situation I mention from happening
   yet allow update if really wanted.
 * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/media-library-assistant/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/media-library-assistant/)

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

 *  Plugin Author [David Lingren](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dglingren/)
 * (@dglingren)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-with-simple-iptc-mapping/#post-6015156)
 * Thanks for your question and the details of your tests; very helpful. You don’t
   say exactly how you “**_overwrite the existing file with this one_**“, but I 
   assume you just replaced the original file with an FTP transfer or some other
   non-WordPress action.
 * I set a rule to map IPTC “2#120 caption-or-abstract” to the Caption field, setting
   Priority to “IPTC” and Existing Text to “Keep”. I added a new image to the Media
   Library and verified that the mapping rule was working.
 * I edited the image file, changing the IPTC value and overwriting the original
   file. I then ran the Media/Edit Media “Map IPTC/EXIF metadata” action; the initial
   Caption value was retained. I went to the Settings /Media Library Assistant IPTC/
   EXIF tab and ran the “Map All Attachments, Standard Fields Now” action; the initial
   Caption value was retained.
 * I edited and replace the image file with another new IPTC value. Then, I changed
   the Keep Existing setting to “Replace” and re-ran both the individual map and
   the map all actions. In both cases, the Caption field was updated.
 * As far as I can tell MLA is working as intended. However, there is a subtle “
   behavior” that may account for the results you got in your tests. Below the “
   Standard Fields” area you will see “**_You can also make temporary updates and
   click Map All Attachments, Standard Fields Now to apply the updates to all attachments
   without saving the rule changes._**” If you change the Existing Text dropdown
   and click “Map all …” the updated setting will be used for that action but not
   saved. If you go back to the Media/Edit Media screen and do the individual “Map…”
   action you get the old, saved value of the Existing Text dropdown. It’s easy 
   to get confused; it just happened to me in my testing.
 * I suppose I could add a “re-map everything unconditionally” action to the individual
   edit screen, but I am reluctant to further complicate an already complex MLA 
   feature. I am open to your feedback; what do you think?
 * Regarding “overwriting the original file”, you may be interested in this earlier
   topic and the related topic it links to:
 * [Not finding tags](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/not-finding-tags?replies=11#post-6674645)
 * Those topics are a reminder to be thoughtful and careful when messing with the
   natural WordPress order of things.
 * I am marking this topic resolved because MLA is working as it should. However,
   please let me know if you are still having trouble with Keep/Replace or other
   aspects of your IPTC mapping actions. Thanks for your interest in the plugin.

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

The topic ‘Help with simple IPTC mapping’ is closed to new replies.

 * ![](https://ps.w.org/media-library-assistant/assets/icon-256x256.png?rev=973502)
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## Tags

 * [iptc](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/iptc/)
 * [mapping](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/mapping/)

 * 1 reply
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [David Lingren](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dglingren/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-with-simple-iptc-mapping/#post-6015156)
 * Status: resolved