Searching for keywords in photo metadata using finder doesn't work but does on PC

Question

Level 1

10 points

Searching for keywords in photo metadata using finder doesn't work but does on PC

I have tens of thousands of photos that have names, births, people, places etc., embedded in the metadata. These files show up in finder when doing a file name search or simply scanning the drive. But if I do a keyword search "keyword:bridgeport" nothing is located. If I direct my old ASUS PC to the same location and type in the keyword syntax as above, it loads a ton of pictures it finds. The drive is formated exFat for compatibilities sake. Anyone know why Finder and Spotlight will not find anything via keyword?

MacBook

Posted on May 13, 2020 7:05 PM

Reply

Answer 1

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,206 points

May 13, 2020 8:21 PM in response to kevmark58

I happen to have a JPG here that has three keywords in its IPTC data. The following Spotlight syntax returns only that JPG:

kind:image +.jpg keyword:"string"

Where "string" is any case-insensitive keyword used in the image, and where double-quotes are only necessary if the keyword has white-space in it. It's late, and I only tested this with what is in front of me — Mojave 10.14.6 (18G4032).

Reply

Answer 2

kevmark58 Author

Level 1

10 points

May 14, 2020 9:43 AM in response to VikingOSX

So if the keyword, say genesee, is in the title, both Spotlight and the Finder will find everything with that name in the title on my Macbook local HD and my NAS, no problem. If I ask Finder to find Keywords in the IPTC data, I get nothing. Not a single return. If I copy a known file with that embedded Keyword to my desktop, BAM, Finder and Spotlight find the keyword embedded file. But not on the external NAS. Not sure why it can't find Keyword embedded data on the NAS but can find any other file on the NAS. BTW, its a Synology DS918+

Reply

Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,120 points

May 13, 2020 7:16 PM in response to kevmark58

Perhaps because "keyword" is not any sort of Spotlight metadata.

If Spotlight imported those "keywords," you would have to determine how it indexed them.

Did you just try, "Bridgeport?"

Reply

Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,120 points

May 14, 2020 10:05 AM in response to kevmark58

Not sure why it can't find Keyword embedded data on the NAS but can find any other file on the NAS.

Probably because it cannot index it for content. Or, it hasn't indexed it for content.

When you copy the file over, it gets indexed into Spotlight's database for that drive.

https://jonathansblog.co.uk/how-to-enable-spotlight-indexing-on-a-network-drive

I also found an old post here indicating it could only index if connected via AFP. I don't know if that still holds.

And, this post by John Lockwood is interesting.

Reply

Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

215,280 points

May 14, 2020 10:35 AM in response to VikingOSX

Use a special search like this:

Reply

Answer 6

kevmark58 Author

Level 1

10 points

May 14, 2020 10:50 AM in response to Old Toad

Thanks VikingOS, I did that just now and nothing. Blank screen when inside the NAS directories, but the one I copied to my desktop....it finds instantly when I tell it to search "this mac".

Reply

Answer 7

kevmark58 Author

Level 1

10 points

May 14, 2020 11:00 AM in response to Barney-15E

Barney -15E I've just forced Spotlight to reindex the drive...we will see if that changes anything.

Reply

Searching for keywords in photo metadata using finder doesn't work but does on PC

Similar questions