How to convert Finder tags to photo metadata?

I don't use Finder comments but I did a quick test. In Monterey I added a Finder comment to a .jpg file and it is displayed in exiftool like this:

exiftool -a -G1 -s -api RequestAll=2 .
[MacOS]         MDItemFinderComment             : Finder comment.
[MacOS]         XAttrMDItemFinderComment        : Finder comment.

MDItemFinderComment seems to be more readily available and XAttrMDItemFinderComment might not instantly appear.

I don't know how older macOS behaved and how fragile those might be. Anyone?

Anyway, I could successfully copy the Finder comment to IPTC/XMP Caption/Description to all files in a folder with the following command:

exiftool -m -P -overwrite_original_in_place '-IPTC:Caption-Abstract<MacOS:MDItemFinderComment' '-XMP-dc:Description<MacOS:MDItemFinderComment' .

Preview.app and Photos.app displayed them OK.

What other tags besides those there might be?

I hope this helps.

- Matti

I don't know if it is possible to add Finder Keywords somewhere? So I presume you want to duplicate the same Finder comment in the IPTC/XMP Caption/Description and Keywords/Subject, right? And then manually fine-tune them, if necessary?

The following command does that (and also mirrors the info in MacOS MDItemDescription and MDItemKeywords):

exiftool -m -P -overwrite_original_in_place '-IPTC:Caption-Abstract<MacOS:MDItemFinderComment' '-XMP-dc:Description<MacOS:MDItemFinderComment' '-IPTC:Keywords<MacOS:MDItemFinderComment' '-XMP-dc:Subject<MacOS:MDItemFinderComment' .

After that command there is the following metadata which Preview.app and Photos.app show:

[MacOS]         MDItemFinderComment             : Finder comment
[MacOS]         MDItemDescription               : Finder comment
[MacOS]         MDItemKeywords                  : Finder comment
[IPTC]          Keywords                        : Finder comment
[IPTC]          Caption-Abstract                : Finder comment
[XMP-dc]        Description                     : Finder comment
[XMP-dc]        Subject                         : Finder comment

The same info is duplicated in IPTC, XMP and MacOS tags. IPTC is the old standard and XMP the new but currently both are used because you never know what application happens to support or prefer one or the other.

> Probably also worth adding "(insert filename / folder name here)" at the end of the command

I prefer to use just the dot: The dot '.' at the end of the long command means 'this folder'. Or alternatively, omit that dot '.' at the end, and instead type the exact name of the file you want to process. Or type just the start of the filename, and then press Tab to use autocomplete and maybe insert '*' to the end, and hit Return to process all files that start with the same letters. Or add '-ext jpg' switch to the command to process only files that have .jpg suffix. Or use wildcard '*.jpg'. That was a rather clumsy instruction but I guess you get the idea.

> Is there a way to this at a non-programming/coding level

I prefer to add and edit Captions, Keywords, dates, locations to images with GraphicConverter's browser and after that import them to Photos library where that info is displayed and might be edited further. Disclaimer: just a long-time GC user.

https://www.lemkesoft.de/en/products/graphicconverter/

Hi. I am someone who has the same issue but zero programming knowledge. I've spent the last two days scanning heritage family photos and documents into my computer and adding finder tags. When I imported a couple into Photos, the tags did not go with them? Is there a way to this at a non-programming/coding level? Thank you so much!

Jolie