I developed an application which is called Appia. Appia extracts image
information from the JPEG headers (whether EXIF or XMP) as well as from
the filename. It then creates the related media records in TMS, moves
the image file into the correct folder location, generates a thumbnail
image file, writes the appropriate Media to Object xref in TMS, and
finally collects tombstone data from TMS about the objects depicted in
the image and embeds that information into the XMP header of the jpeg.

 

It works on a hotfolder basis - so images are placed into a folder on
the network, and Appia will process all of the images in that folder. It
also comes with a feature to update a single image (in case a color
corrected derivative of the same file name supersedes an image in TMS or
you accidentally delete the image file from the file server), and
another to spider over images in a folder an update the object tombstone
metadata embedded in the XMP header.

 

The process almost completely automates our image workflow - we used
this script to link 9000 images in two days. The only drawbacks are that
we have to run the thumbnail utility to embed thumbnail blobs into the
database, and we have to change ranking for objects with multiple
images. But all in all, I spend less then fifteen minutes processing
images, regardless of how many derivatives photography sends me that
day.

 

Chad M Petrovay

Collections Database Administrator

P: 410.547.9000 x266

 

-----Original Message-----
From: The Museum System (TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Fournier, Melissa
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 10:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: media record creation/automation

 

Dear TMS users - 

 

I am interested to hear from any of you that have automated or otherwise
developed methods to streamline the creation and population of TMS media
records (media type digital images/linked to Objects) as part of your
digital imaging workflow.

 

Anyone out there who has done this and wouldn't mind answering a few
questions?  Please feel free to contact me directly, unless this is of
general interest to the list.

 

Thanks,

 

Melissa

 

 

Melissa Gold Fournier
Associate Museum Registrar
YALE CENTER FOR BRITISH ART

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