ExifTool Forum

ExifTool => Bug Reports / Feature Requests => Topic started by: yarda on February 23, 2016, 01:16:25 PM

Title: Unwanted numerical conversion
Post by: yarda on February 23, 2016, 01:16:25 PM
Experienced in 9.12 as well as in 10.10 on a Linux machine.

I have a simple/silly photo description "13/09" - refering to March/13.

$exiftool -description 20150913.01.jpg
Description                     : 13/09

When I store that in an XML file, all is fine:

$exiftool -description 20150913.01.jpg -X > 20150913.01.jpg.xml

---
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf='http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#'>

<rdf:Description rdf:about='20150913.01.FOOD.jpg'
  xmlns:et='http://ns.exiftool.ca/1.0/' et:toolkit='Image::ExifTool 9.12'
  xmlns:XMP-dc='http://ns.exiftool.ca/XMP/XMP-dc/1.0/'>
<XMP-dc:Description>13/09</XMP-dc:Description>
</rdf:Description>
</rdf:RDF>
---

However, when I try to read the description from the stored xml file, a numerical conversion is performed during reading...

$exiftool -description 20150913.01.jpg.xml
Description                     : 1.44444444444444

What am I overlooking?
Title: Re: Unwanted numerical conversion
Post by: Phil Harvey on February 23, 2016, 01:25:55 PM
There are some automatic conversions that are done for XML values that look like rational or date/time strings.  You may use this option to disable this feature: -api xmpautoconv=0

- Phil
Title: Re: Unwanted numerical conversion
Post by: yarda on February 23, 2016, 01:34:58 PM
Alrighty, works with 10.10, not in 9.12 if anyone was curious (and for the record). Thank you, I am happy.
Title: Re: Unwanted numerical conversion
Post by: Phil Harvey on February 23, 2016, 01:42:30 PM
Right.  The XMPAutoConv API option was added in 8.78 (Feb 2012), but the -api command-line option was added in version 9.40 (Nov 2013).  So for versions from 8.78 to 9.39 you need to set the XMPAutoConv option in the config file to control this feature.

- Phil