Over the years I have built several (generic) File Info panels and
Bridge Metadata Panes that can display multi-dimensional XMP arrays,
such as those used in IPTC Extension, PLUS , and PRISM Metadata for
Images schemas.
These directly index the row and column in the array. Attached is a
partial screenshot of a CS4 Bridge Metadata Pane for PRISM Metadata
for Images that uses IPTC Extension arrays that have been extended by
one sub property: agreementID. With the preference "Hide Empty Fields"
this pane is practical for viewing existing complex XMP metadata in a
file. There is a version of this pane for old File Info, and one for
the newer File Info (XML).
The second attachment is a screen shot of the corresponding (old) File
Info Panel (0.0/1.0). The two dimensional arrays are displayed as
fixed height tables with column headers: Location, City, State, ... A
new ( 2.0+) File Info Generic Panel was constructed, but with a
separate line per sub property, it is very, very tall and not
practical for use.
The array fields in this pane and this panel are set to be display-only.
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If the array fields were set to be read/write and the array already
contained data when the XMP packet is opened, then File Info is
capable to editing/appending to it. However, if the array does not
exist when File Info opens the XMP packet, any data entered into these
fields will be ignored when the packet is updated. It appears that
(generic) File Info cannot generate a new XMP array structure. As a
result, these panes and panels were constructed with the array fields
as display-only.
I have experimented with directly indexing into 3, 4 and 5 dimensional
XMP arrays in File Info. It behaves the same as with 1 and 2 dimensions.
Observation: If File Info could generate new XMP array structures when
none previously existed in the packet, like it does for full custom
Flash File Info panels, then generic Bridge Metadata Panes and Acrobat
Pro (old) File Info panels could support read/write of complex XMP
metadata.
Regards,
Carl Rambert (previously with Pound Hill Software)