The Image Info Toolkit is an easy to learn, but powerful application that handles text information hidden within Jpeg and TIFF image files. It does this by using the IPTC-information fields (uses IPTC/NAA standard) that are embedded in the header portion of your image file. This feature (found as the File>> File info in Adobe Photoshop®) enables you to read and write image information data such as caption, keywords, copyright, date etc. to these types of digital image files. Thus, using Image Info Toolkit protects your images from the effect of additional "lossy" compression, which is unavoidable if you have to save a jpeg file in jpeg mode a second time (the changes are only made to the header of the file, not the image data). Text information will be saved within the digital image file according to the IPTC/NAA standard and can be read and processed by various image processing software programs (such as Adobe Photoshop®, Corel Photopaint®, Canto Cumulus, Extensis Portfolio, iView Media Pro, and other content or image management systems and databases).

Image Info Toolkit offers the choice between two different input "masks" or "skins" (data entry windows). One with image information fields grouped by function, and the other input mask showing all image information fields in one single window. If you have a reasonably large monitor I'd suggest changing to the "single-view window/skin" as this saves time remembering to switch to the keyword section when you drag-and-drop your keywords on the fly.

In addition to reading and editing image file information Image Info Toolkit offers the possibility to create and edit your own hierarchical keyword catalog. These sometimes are referred to as a classification list, taxonomy, or thesaurus as well. You may include as many cross-reference synonyms per keyword and go as deep as you wish, in terms of the number of classification levels. From an existing keyword catalog you can use the convenient "find" function to type in and find the appropriate keyword or synonym you want to associate with the open image. Then simply select that word and "drag-and-drop" to the keyword window. The selected keyword, and all those above it in the data tree, will be transferred. Repeat as needed till the image is annotated or described to your liking.

Another powerful feature is that you can use the Image Info Toolkit to save your basic image information (base level description and contact info for example) as templates and apply it automatically to a batch of images. In addition, by changing the program preferences to "append" the metadata, you can "layer batch" a set of images. Add the data that goes in all the images first (perhaps your copyright/contact info, as well as the date of the event, and a brief beginning of a caption). Then break up the images into different logical sets and apply a second round of metadata. Perhaps group all the photos with people into one folder, and all the images containing animals in another. It may seem like you are wasting time since you have to make several rounds, but compared to opening each file one by one it's actually much less mind numbing... and isn't that what it's all about?

David