Search Replace Transfer is a plug-in for Lightroom Classic from version 2 to 12 which automates changes to metadata. It has a wide range of features including:
- Search and replace words like a word processor
- Append text before or after existing text
- Transfer text between metadata fields
- Workflow filters let you review your metadata entry in important fields like the title, caption and keywords
- Caption builder lets you construct captions from other fields
- Makes most EXIF/IPTC and Develop values searchable
Under these broad headings, this plugin is a bit of a Swiss army knife which can automate many mundane tasks while saving loads of time.
For example, while the plugin isn’t allowed to change text in filenames, one unexpected but powerful application is in complex file renaming as it lets you manipulate the filename in another field, which you then use in LR’s built-in renaming tool.
Try without buying
You can test the plugin without buying. While in unregistered mode, its features work fully but you are only able to process a few images at a time.
Help pages and tips
Tips for using Search and Replace
Search and Replace 2.2
I've just released version 2.2 of my Search and Replace. The main changes are in the Workflow Filters area where I've added more fields which can be displayed in Library Filter or smart collections. I've also added a command to delete JPEG sidecars for selected raw files, and Caption Builder can now write to title, headline, instructions and to the plugin's 16 custom fields.
Search and Replace 2.1
It’s a pretty good principle that if one person complains or can’t figure something out, there will be many more that I never hear from. Soon after I released Search and Replace 2.0 a few people contacted me with concerns about copying from the four IPTC Location fields, and I had to admit that my ...read more
Search and Replace 2.0
Version 2.0 is released today with a lot of tidying up and polishing, and a few subtle new features. What I hope will be most popular is that you can now launch plugin functions from keyboard shortcuts. While the Mac operating system already lets you set up a keyboard shortcut to run the plugin’s menu ...read more
Search & Replace 1.7 (ie 2.0)
I said April, and it's the 30th, so here is Search & Replace 1.7 with extra features and general tidying up to make it more intuitive to use.
Search and Replace’s “Workflow filters”
My plugin Search and Replace’s menu command Plugin Extras > Refresh Workflow Filters analyses the selected photos and copies the results to custom fields. These can be used in Smart Collections or added as Library Filter columns, letting you monitor your metadata as you work: The Date column is standard Lightroom, ...read more
How to use Caption Builder
Anyone want to try a new feature that's coming in my Search and Replace plugin? The new feature is called "caption builder" and lets you build up captions from other fields.
Parse and audit – workflow filters
I've just released version 1.47 of my Search Replace Transfer plugin. Apart from a couple of bug fixes, there are some new capabilities. You can now filter your catalogue on almost any EXIF/IPTC/Develop field.
Complex File Renaming – using Search & Replace
Replacing text in filenames is a common need and for example Adobe Bridge's renaming dialog box does it with its "string substitution" option. But this capability has never been available in Lightroom. I suspect it is as simple as Bridge's "string substitution" only introduced during Lightroom's early days and it was overlooked when batch rename was designed. And sadly, this omission has never been rectified, even 13 years after I started whining to Adobe about it....
Custom metadata and Lightroom
Maybe later this week I’ll wheel out the new LR3-friendly version of my Search, Replace and Transfer plug-in. There’s still a bit of testing to do though because I’ve had to find ways to work around LR3’s database access change – when your plug-in’s dialog box provides immediate feedback, you’ve a bit of a problem ...read more
Search and replace – the very first release
The term Release Candidate reminds me as much of Ronnie Biggs‘ impending release from jail, but here is a Release Candidate of BeardyReplace, my Lightroom 2.3 plug-in designed for changing text in Metadata Panel fields. It does three things: 1. Searches and replaces metadata text 2. Appends text to metadata fields 3. Transfers text between ...read more