Removing Metadata

To remove metadata, choose the + button in the ModifyMetaData# node properties panel; a placeholder will be created in the metadata box. Next, double-click on the cell under action to display a flyout and then choose remove from the flyout. Invoke the Pick Metadata key dialog box as discussed earlier. Select the keys to be removed from the dialog box and then choose the OK button; the selected key will be removed from the metadata. To cancel an existing action choose the - (minus) button from the ModifyMetaData node properties panel.

Note: When you delete a key from the metadata, it only affects the ModifyMetaData node calculations. It does not alter the embedded metadata in the input images.

Editing Metadata

To edit metadata, in the ModifyMetaData# node properties panel, choose the + button; a placeholder will be created in the metadata box, refer to Figure art18-1. Next, double-click on the first cell under key column header; the Pick metadata key dialog box will be displayed, refer to Figure art18-2. In this dialog box, first select the key that you need to edit and then choose the OK button. Now, edit the value(s) and key(s) as required.

Figure art18-1 The ModifyMetaData1 node properties panel

Figure art18-2 The Pick metadata key dialog box

Adding Metadata

To add metadata, select the node whose metadata you need to add and then choose the ModifyMetaData node from the MetaData menu; the ModifyMetaData# node will be connected with the selected node and its properties panel will be displayed. In this properties panel, choose the + button from the ModifyMetaData tab; a placeholder will be created in the metadata box, refer to Figure 1.

Next, double-click on the first cell under the key column header; the Pick metadata key dialog box will be displayed, refer to Figure 2. Enter a new name in the field located at the bottom of the dialog box and then choose the OK button. Now, double-click on the first cell under the value column header and then enter the value in it; the new key and its value will now flow downstream.

Figure 1 The ModifyMetaData1 node properties panel

Figure 2 The Pick metadata key dialog box

Comparing Metadata

To compare metadata between the two inputs, add the CompareMetaData node from the MetaData menu and then connect the nodes that you need to compare with the A and B inputs of the CompareMetaData# node, refer to Figure art16-1. On doing so, the CompareMetaData node will display a list of keys where there is difference in the metadata of the two input images, refer to Figure 2.

Figure 1 The Read1 and Read2 nodes connected to the CompareMetaData1 node

Figure 2 The CompareMetaData1 node displaying
difference in the keys of the two input images

Viewing Metadata

Metadata is data within the data. It is information such as original bit depth, width, height, and so on of an image which is embedded in it. NukeX reads the embedded metadata information and passes it down to the process tree. You can change the metadata information in NukeX and also embed the new metadata to an image. You can access metadata nodes from the Metadata menu which is displayed on choosing the MetaData button from the Nodes toolbar. In this section, you will learn how to view, edit, and render the metadata.

To view the metadata embedded to an image, select the node whose metadata you want to view and then choose the MetaData button from the Nodes toolbar; the MetaData menu will be displayed. Next, choose ViewMetaData from the menu; the ViewMetaData# node will be inserted in the Node Graph panel. You can view the metadata information in the ViewMetaData tab of the ViewMetaData# properties panel, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 The metadata information displayed in the
ViewMetaData1 node properties panel

To filter the metadata list, you can use the search metadata for field in the ViewMetaData# node properties panel. To do so, enter a filter criteria in this field; the filtered information will be displayed in the ViewMetaData tab of the properties panel of the node. Fox example, if you enter input in the search metadata for field and then press ENTER; the keys and values having the word input will be displayed in the properties panel, refer to Figure 2. By default, filtering is done for both keys and values. However, you can limit it to keys or values by selecting the keys only or values only option from the within drop-down of the ViewMetaData# properties panel.

Figure 2 The filtered metadata list displayed for key input

Tip: The keys can be referenced while writing expressions.

Note: 1. While viewing the metadata information of a QuickTime file, the ViewMetaData node does not display the gamma or bit depth, refer to Figure 3.

2. If you add the ViewMetaData node after the Merge node having two inputs A and B, you can specify the input whose metadata will flow downstream. To do so, select A or B option in the metadata from drop-down from the Merge tab of the Merge node properties panel.

Figure 3 The metadata of a QuickTime file displayed in
the ViewMetaData# node properties panel