MetaScope 1.2.1 (Build 24)
Extended Keyword Rules with regex and hierarchy templates, rebuilt Document Export System with PDF/HTML and cover pages, Batch Operations with pause/resume persistence, Photos download UX improvements, and customizable sidebar Quick Access.
MetaScope 1.2.1 (Build 24)
January 3, 2026 - Build 24
MetaScope 1.2.1 delivers powerful new automation capabilities, a completely rebuilt export system, and professional-grade batch processing for photographers managing large libraries.
Extended Keyword Rules (Pro)
Transform your metadata workflow with intelligent automation. Create rules that automatically populate IPTC and XMP fields based on your keyword hierarchies.
New Capabilities
- Regex Pattern Matching: Match keywords using powerful regular expressions for complex patterns like dates or structured naming
- Hierarchy Templates: Extract values from hierarchical keywords using
{root},{parent}, and{leaf}placeholders - Append & Prepend Modes: Add to existing list fields like Keywords or Subject without overwriting
- Rule Groups: Organize rules into collapsible groups for better management
- Import/Export: Share rule sets with your team using
.msrulesfiles
Use Cases
A rule matching Places|Europe|Germany|Berlin can automatically write:
- City:
{leaf}- “Berlin” - Country:
{parent}- “Germany” - Region:
{root}- “Places”
Perfect for wildlife photographers, stock contributors, and anyone with structured keyword vocabularies.
Document Export System Overhaul
The export system has been completely rebuilt from the ground up. The result: a unified, professional export experience with both PDF and HTML as first-class formats.
New Features
- PDF + HTML Export: Choose your format with a single click
- Cover Page Template Manager: Create professional cover pages with live preview, import/export templates, and 5 built-in designs
- Professional Typography: Independent fonts for section headers, bold/italic/underline styling, and color theming
- Portfolio & Metadata Modes: Visual showcases or comprehensive data reports
- HTML Lightbox: Click any image for full-resolution viewing
- Unified Settings: Wizard and preferences stay perfectly synchronized
Technical Improvements
Under the hood: ~5,400 lines of legacy code removed, 8 format renderers unified into a single architecture.
Batch Operations for Large Libraries
Process 100,000+ files over 12+ hours with complete peace of mind. The new batch system survives anything - app restarts, macOS updates, even system crashes.
Features
- Pause & Resume: Press Escape to pause, Return to resume. Take a break anytime
- Automatic Checkpoints: Progress saved every 100 files
- Resume on Restart: Quit the app and pick up exactly where you left off
- Sleep Prevention: Your Mac stays awake during long operations
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Escape (pause), Return (resume), Cmd+. (cancel)
Persistence
- Checkpoint state saved automatically during operations
- 30-day expiration for paused operations
- Security-scoped bookmarks maintain file access across restarts
Professional photographers can now safely process multi-day operations spanning hundreds of thousands of files.
Native Photos Download UX
See exactly what’s happening when MetaScope downloads photos from iCloud.
Progress Indicators
- Visual Feedback: Clear progress indicators in grid, list, and info panel views
- Smart Prefetch: Nearby photos download automatically while you browse
- Automatic Retry: Failed downloads retry with intelligent backoff
- Stall Detection: Stuck downloads identified and handled automatically
- Low Power Mode Aware: Respects your battery settings
Customizable Sidebar
Add your favorite folders to Quick Access for instant navigation.
Features
- Add Folders: Drag folders or use the context menu to add to Quick Access
- Custom Icons: Choose from 24+ SF Symbols to personalize your sidebar
- Rename Items: Give folders meaningful names for your workflow
- Drag to Reorder: Organize items in your preferred order
- Persistent Layout: Your sidebar configuration persists across launches
Multi-File Drag Export
Select multiple files and drag directly to Finder or any app that accepts files.
Supported Views
- File Browser
- Thumbnail Grid
- Search Results
Selection Methods
- Shift-click: Range selection
- Cmd-click: Individual file selection
- Drag: Export selected files directly
Additional Improvements
Fixes & Polish
- PDF page numbering now shows correct cumulative counts across multi-image exports
- Photos library connection recovery after extended idle or sleep
- Streamlined Batch UI with PDF Export moved to File menu (Cmd+Option+P)
Technical Highlights
- 5 RFCs Completed: RFC-0003 Phase 2, RFC-0007, RFC-0010, RFC-0011, RFC-0012
- 270+ New Tests: Comprehensive coverage for all new features
- ~5,400 Lines Removed: Major technical debt reduction in export system
- 61 Keyword Rule Tests: Production-hardened automation engine
Requirements
- macOS 15.4 or later
- MetaScope Pro subscription for Extended Keyword Rules
For questions, feedback, or feature requests, contact support via the MetaScope Help menu or visit the Mac App Store listing to download the update.
✨ New Features
- Extended Keyword Rules (Pro): Regex pattern matching, hierarchy templates with {root}/{parent}/{leaf} placeholders, append/prepend modes for list fields.
- Rule Groups & Import/Export: Organize rules into collapsible groups, share rule sets via .msrules files.
- Document Export System Overhaul: Unified PDF + HTML export with single-click format switching.
- Cover Page Template Manager: Professional cover pages with live preview, 5 built-in designs, import/export templates.
- Professional Typography: Independent section header fonts, bold/italic/underline styling, color theming.
- Portfolio & Metadata Modes: Visual showcases or comprehensive data reports with HTML lightbox for full-resolution viewing.
- Batch Pause & Resume: Press Escape to pause, Return to resume. Progress survives app restarts and system crashes.
- Automatic Checkpoints: Progress saved every 100 files with 30-day persistence.
- Photos Download UX: Clear progress indicators in grid, list, and info panel with smart prefetch and automatic retry.
- Customizable Sidebar: Add favorite folders to Quick Access with custom icons from 24+ SF Symbols.
- Multi-File Drag Export: Select multiple files and drag directly to Finder or any app from File Browser, Thumbnail Grid, or Search Results.
🔧 Improvements
- Regex pattern matching for complex keyword patterns like dates or structured naming conventions.
- Hierarchy template variables extract values from hierarchical keywords automatically.
- Append and prepend modes for list fields like Keywords or Subject without overwriting existing values.
- Rule groups with collapsible organization for better rule management.
- Unified export wizard with synchronized settings between wizard and preferences.
- Cover page template system with live preview and template sharing.
- Sleep prevention keeps Mac awake during long batch operations.
- Keyboard shortcuts for batch control: Escape (pause), Return (resume), Cmd+. (cancel).
- Smart prefetch downloads nearby photos automatically while browsing.
- Automatic retry with intelligent backoff for failed iCloud downloads.
- Stall detection identifies and handles stuck downloads automatically.
- Low Power Mode awareness respects battery settings during downloads.
- Sidebar Quick Access with drag-to-reorder and persistent layout.
- Shift-click for range selection, Cmd-click for individual file selection in drag export.
🐛 Bug Fixes
- Fixed PDF page numbering to show correct cumulative counts across multi-image exports.
- Fixed Photos library connection recovery after extended idle or sleep periods.
- Streamlined Batch UI with PDF Export moved to File menu (Cmd+Option+P).
📦 Download Information
File Size: ~55 MB
System Requirements:
- macOS 15.4 or later
- MetaScope Pro subscription for Extended Keyword Rules