Importing into your Media Library

Importing Media Library Entries

Smart Pix supports inputting of media library entries from text files.  

Importing is generally used for three functions:

1.  Importing data into Smart Pix from other applications
2.  Restoring backed-up media library information
3.  Batch addition of keywords and descriptions to files.

Files should be in the format:

File name and path#Description:Description of file#Keyword 1#Keyword 2

(in this example a hash symbol (#) is used as a separator but you can use any character as long as you specify it as the delimit character, see below)

• File name and path: Location of file to be input
• Description(optional): A text description of the file, must be preceded by the word; 'Description:'
• Keywords(optional):  Keywords to be added to the file, separated by commas

For example:

C:\my pics\cars\porsche.gif, Description: A red porsche, red, porsche, nice car

D:\anotherpic.jpg

C:\my pics\Japan\Osaka Skyline.jpg#Japanese pics#scenes#cities

C:\my pics\more\PamelaA.png, Description: Beautiful Baywatch Babe

Note:  Each record must appear on a single line within the text file!

Browse to the CSV that you wish to import and click OK.  You do not need to do any preparation as Smart Pix will create Source Folders, File references, Keywords and descriptions as required.  

Importing Keyword Groups

When importing a media library file Smart Pix looks for a file of the same name as your import file but with the extension '.kgr' (in the same folder).  If it finds this file it uses it to create keyword categories and assign keywords to them.

Batch Assigning of Keywords and Descriptions:

If Smart Pix locates a file being imported that is already in its media library it will assign any listed keywords or description to that file.  In this way you can use this function to Batch assign keywords and descriptions to your files.  Simply export your media library to a text file and open it in a spreadsheet, such as Excel, add any keywords or description to the items and import it back into your media library.  All the new keywords and descriptions will be added.  

Note, however, that this process only adds keywords or descriptions, NO keywords or descriptions are removed!  If you want the keywords and descriptions of files to match exactly those of the import file then you need to import them into an empty media library or remove all existing keywords and descriptions on your files before importing (back up your media library first!).

Options:

• Do not create for files that cannot be located

If this is checked then Smart Pix will ensure that the file exists before attempting to import it. If it cannot be located then the entry is skipped.

• Append descriptions to existing file descriptions

By default if a description is listed in the import file for a file which already exists in the media library, the existing description is replaced by the new description.  If you check this item, the new description will added to the existing description.

Importing Keyword Lists

If you only want to import a list of keywords and/or keyword groups, then you can use the Keyword list import function to batch insert new keywords.

Keywords should be in a single list with one keyword per line.  You can easily create such a list in a text editor such as Notepad.

You can also add the keywords to a specific group by including the group name after the keyword separated by the delimit character, if you check the box: Keyword entries may include a Keyword Group

Example Entry List:

Keyword 1#Group 1

Keyword 2#Group 1

Keyword 3

Keyword 4#Group 2

#Empty Group 3

Delimit Character

• Character used to delimit fields

This is the character that Smart Pix will use to separate fields.  You need to set this to the character that is used to separate items within each record in the file you are importing, generally this is a comma, or a hash (#) if it was created by Smart Pix.  If you are not sure what the character used is then open the file with Notepad and check what characters separates each item.  For example in the following record the delimiting character is a percentage symbol (%)

C:\An Image.jpg%Description: My Favorite car%Car%Blue%Porsche 959

Automating Media Library Importing

You can have Smart Pix automatically import a set of media library entries from a text file when it starts up by passing it the /Import: parameter.

For example:

"C:\Program Files\Smart Pix Manager\SmartPix.exe /Import:c:\import.txt"

Will run Smart Pix and input the media library entries from the file, C:\import.txt.  Note: that your default import settings will be used.

Controls:

• Menu: Library > Import and Export..

Also:

• Media Library functionality