How do I replace the IPTCT metadata

[martinto]

I am attempting to remove the existing IPTC metadata from an image and then add my own so that I can set author, byline and copyright information.

I am programming in Delphi and have succeeded in reading in an image, resizing it, and then writing it back out to a new location so I am calling the ImageMagick API successfully. It is the IPTC meta data which is defeating me. Here is what I have written in my code:

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  pansi := MagickRemoveImageProfile(Wand, PAnsiChar('IPTC'), @len);
  if pansi = nil then
    Exit;
  Result := MagickSetImageProfile(Wand, PAnsiChar('IPTC'), @IPTC[0], length(IPTC)) = MagickTrue;

I have proved this works in that when I remove the profile the count of profiles goes down by one. The contents of the profile returned by MagickRemoveImageProfile() are correct (they contain the original data). The IPTC array contains my new metadata, I can read that back using GetImageProfile() and it contains the new data. However, when I save the file it still contains the original data.

This is how I write the file:

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Result := MagickWriteImages(Wand, PAnsiChar(AnsiName), MagickFalse) = MagickTrue;

Where am I going wrong?

[martinto]

I have cracked it! Photoshop uses XMP as well as IPTC metadata, and I should use 8BIM and not IPTC so this is the result:

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pansi := MagickRemoveImageProfile(Wand, PAnsiChar('XMP'), @len);
pansi := MagickRemoveImageProfile(Wand, PAnsiChar('8BIM'), @len);
if pansi = nil then
  Exit;
Result := MagickSetImageProfile(Wand, PAnsiChar('8BIM'), @IPTC[0], length(IPTC)) = MagickTrue;

Or using convert:

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convert in.jpg +profile XMP +profile 8BIM -profile 8BIMTEXT:data.iptc out.jpg

[anthony]

One point about you convert line...

IM is a general image processor, it will always decode and encode (read-write image data) any JPEG images it works with, which is a lossy operation. that is you will loose quality in your JPEG image! This can not be helped!

The profile handling in IM is ment to be applied during other image processing operations, not just for the sake of profile changes.

As such if you only want to make profile changes, then IM is not the right tool, and you should look at some other 'loss-less JPEG handling' tool for JUST profile substitutions.

Of course if you don't care. Fine. No problem