Affinity Designer Metadata?

[barbBear]

Hello,

I was looking for a way to add metadata to Designer files. I don't see a metadata panel (like Publisher).

Is there a way to add metadata to a Designer file so it exports (e.g.; PDF properties)?

Barb.

 

Macbook Pro, Ventura 13.6.2. 32GB Ram, Designer 2.3.1

[v_kyr]

2 hours ago, barbBear said:

Is there a way to add metadata to a Designer file so it exports (e.g.; PDF properties)?

You can also use afterwards tools like ExifTool in order to add some metadata to PDFs.

• ExifTool
• https://exiftool.org/index.html#related_mac
• jExifToolGUI (Win/Mac/Linux due to Java runtime)
• ExifToolGUI (Win only)
• ... etc.

[loukash]

1 hour ago, barbBear said:

Is there a way to add metadata to a Designer file so it exports (e.g.; PDF properties)?

If you also have Publisher or Photo, you can temporarily switch to either of those to make use of their respective Field (APu) or Metadata (APh) panels before exporting. The metadata will be retained in the Designer document.
It's just that the PDF export from Affinity doesn't embed all of them. So eventually using a 3rd party metadata tool is the best solution.

1 hour ago, v_kyr said:

tools like ExifTool

Hm… I'm quite a tech savvy user but even for me the ExifTool is just too "nerdy".  

I'm using mostly GraphicConverter in Browser mode for metadata editing, since GC can handle PDF compatible metadata just fine.

A free alternative is – dare I say – Adobe Bridge. I don't use the CC version but I still have the CS5 version installed on my old Macs. Bridge is definitely a good tool for metadata editing.

[v_kyr]

3 minutes ago, loukash said:

Hm… I'm quite a tech savvy user but even for me the ExifTool is just too "nerdy".  

I'm using mostly GraphicConverter in Browser mode for metadata editing, since GC can handle PDF compatible metadata just fine.

And guess now what GC internally uses for exif data handling. Also a bunch of other graphics/image GUI tools do make use of the exiftool libs here.

Finally it's a matter of taste if one uses CLI tools like the initial exiftool, or some GUI frontend/app for that. Same as using ImageMagick CLI tools instead of GraphicsConverter here, where the later is a commercial one, but IM is more powerful for automation & scripting purposes etc. - I also recall that the free XNView MP can also add exif data, though don't remember if for PDF files too or not. There's also this commercial ExifEditor for macOS here, though it might not deal with PDF files directly (never used/tried that).

 

[loukash]

Just now, v_kyr said:

And guess now what GC internally uses for exif data handling

No need to guess, I know it.  
Yep, GC is a good GUI front end to ExifTool.

On my Mac, also NeoFinder, DigiKam and XnViewMP utilize it. But from this bunch, GC makes the best of it for this particular purpose, hence my recommendation.
There are likely also quite a few other free GUI apps available.

1 minute ago, v_kyr said:

it's a matter of taste if one uses CLI tools like the initial exiftool, or some GUI frontend/app for that.

Sure.
But since we don't know yet what @barbBear prefers, we just list options.

[v_kyr]

7 minutes ago, loukash said:

On my Mac, also NeoFinder, DigiKam and XnViewMP utilize it. But from this bunch, GC makes the best of it for this particular purpose, hence my recommendation.
There are likely also quite a few other free GUI apps available.

Jip there are a bunch of tools which do make use of it and also APh uses exiflib/exiftool.

16 minutes ago, loukash said:

But since we don't know yet what @barbBear prefers, we just list options.

That's all we can do so far, the OP has to look through these and maybe try out the one or other of those suggestions.

[loukash]

Here's a nice free app (optional "coffee tip" possible) which is pretty straightforward a very easy to use, with batch edit support:
https://apps.apple.com/app/pdf-meta/id1595787174
(It just got 5 stars from me as it does exactly what it promises to do )

[barbBear]

Thank you.

Lots of good information.

I do use several of those programs, just thought it would be "consistent"  to offer Metadata from inside of Designer.

I didn't even think of switching to the other suite programs, so thanks for making me rethink.

Barb.

 

[loukash]

2 hours ago, barbBear said:

just thought it would be "consistent"  to offer Metadata from inside of Designer.

100% agreed. Usually I'm all for keeping each of the three Affinity apps focused on their respective main task, but this particular omission is odd.

[acsr]

I am targeting the option to edit Metadata "before" export in Designer and Photo as well, but want to lay out some roadmap to go, and traps to avoid.

There are people never getting in touch with metadata at all, but it may hurt them as well from behind. (see non visible/editable fields in Designer and Photo below)

Existing metadata workarounds are like shooting in your own foot

Warning: Using Publisher to add metadata via the Text -> Fields UI is possible and works on some metadata (not all) but you should rename the file to a new version before, because:

• As far as I can see, you keep the `.afdesign` file type only if you just "save" over the opened file.
• "Save as" only offers you the option to save as `.afpub`
• Yes, you may use the "Edit in Affinity Publisher …" family options

This can be a serious footgun, since this will

• keep the hidden metadata unchanged, when you save and export under a different filename.
• The metadata written to all PDF from the designer file always sticks with the former data entered in Publisher before
• the possible wrong metadata is only visible in the export PDF
• wrong metadata maybe overseen if the quality assurance lacks this review step!

Next shoot into the foot is that you cannot alter metadata when using multiple Artboards as seperate exports sources and therefore different filenames and metadata.

This gun can even perforate your shoes and feet like a machine gun, since the Export seetings are intended to automate stuff.

I omit the similar but slightly challenges in Affinity Photo here, that only keeps the metadata in the unchanged master slice.

Affinity Team please hear our praying and save the world from Wrong poems in the Export metadata fields! 😇

Metadata is also helpful for all Affinity Files even when not exporting to other formats.

Wishlist for the Export Personas in both Designer and Photo:

• Make a global metadata setup for the master, just to collect and keep what came in from PDF or other source files (DXF, SVG have metadata!!
• Make the metadata fields using the same text variable builder, like for the filenames
  • Reuse existing input from the global metadata fields to initially populate the fields if the preset has no entries
  • Offer an action to disable/wipe the prepopulation
  • Offer a nice UX giving a preview of these fields.
• Do not forget Copy Paste capabilities for the metadata sets as a whole or with (de-)selectable fieldsets.
• In Acrobat and other Adobe products manually editing /copy pasting of metadata is a UX nightmare.
  • It can be solved there as a workaround to a certain amount by using xmp file export / import of the metadata.
  • Keep external xmp files as a hint in mind. These are especially useful for Photo, where external xmp files are a serious usecase for DAMS etc.)

[R C-R]

8 hours ago, acsr said:

Affinity Team please hear our praying...

If you want to be 'heard' then post to the feedback forum, not to the Questions forum.

[acsr]

On 6/14/2024 at 9:38 PM, R C-R said:

If you want to be 'heard' then post to the feedback forum, not to the Questions forum.

You have been heard 🫡
see: