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This article is from October 30, 2013, and is no longer current.

Take Charge With Adobe Bridge: Controlling Chaos Using Keywords

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This third installment on metadata goes into greater depth on adding keywords to files. Part 1, covered adding metadata through the Metadata panel, as well as creating templates to add metadata in bulk. Part 2 explored creating a keywords list using the Keywords panel, and touched on applying them. Adding keywords is a chore—there’s no getting around that. The trick is to plan ahead as much as possible, and determine which of the  methods available will produce the quickest results.

Adding keywords through the Keywords panel

The slowest, but simplest way to add keywords uses the Keywords panel. Select all the files that can be described with one keyword, then click on the box next to the name to apply it. When adding one keyword after another rapidly without waiting for the status wheel at the bottom to disappear, Bridge can balk and pop up a notice that a file doesn’t accept metadata, but applying the words again much more slowly should fix the problem. However, occasionally Bridge will quit adding the first keyword to your batch of files and add only the second to some. You might not notice unless you review each file carefully, so don’t rush.

The bottom of the keywords panel holds commands (left to right) to search for matches in the list (the arrows take you to the next instance), adding subcategories and categories, and deleting keywords.

If you get this warning on files you know do support metadata, it usually means you’ve tried to add or delete more keywords than Bridge can keep up with. Wait until the wheel at the left of the Status bar disappears, then try again.

One keyboard shortcut adds more than one keyword with a single click, but it only works with categories and their subcategories. For instance, if Winemaking is a main category with the subcategory Australia, and under that you added Shiraz, Chardonnay, and Riesling, Shift-clicking on Shiraz applies Shiraz, Australia, and Winemaking all at the same time, but not any others on the same level with Shiraz. You need a well-organized list to take advantage of this shortcut.

Shift-click on a subcategory keyword to add both it and all its parent keywords  to selected files. 


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  • kajka.balazova5 says:

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  • Hanleybrand says:

    I tried to share this article on facebook, but I got an error like: “You can not post this to you wall because the attachment’s privacy settings do not allow it.”

  • Anne-Marie C says:

    Hmmm. Did you use the Like button on the post? (I just did, and it posted without an issue)

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