Is there a common GPS tag that should work in all movies (mp4, m4v and mov)?
In macOS 11 Photos.app 6.0 Keys:GPSCoordinates works for mp4, m4v and mov. iOS devices seem to use Keys for mov so I have used it with some movies with exiftool.
But to my surprise in macOS 11 QuickTime Player Keys:GPSCoordinates works only in mp4 and mov, and not in m4v that AFAIK is very similar to mp4.
On the other hand when a GPS is pasted in GraphicConverter 11.4.3 (4893):
If mov from an iOS device has Keys:GPSCoordinates and another GPS is pasted GC preserves Keys tag but adds a weird UserData:GPSCoordinates-un tag. Not a big deal but I wonder why it adds such a redundant tag:
[Keys] GPSCoordinates : -36.6101 -66.9151 0
[UserData] GPSCoordinates-un : -36.6101 -66.9151 0
On the other hand, if mp4 or m4v has Keys:GPSCoordinates and another GPS is pasted, GC deletes that Keys tag, and writes a weird UserData: LocationInformation tag:
[UserData] LocationInformation : (none) Role=shooting Lat=-36.61009 Lon=-66.91510 Alt=0.00 Body=earth Notes=
Photos.app and QuickTime Player both do read that OK but I am not familiar with that tag and could not write or modify it with exiftool.
exiftool -m -P -overwrite_original_in_place -UserData:LocationInformation='(none) Role=shooting Lat=-36.6101 Lon=-66.91515 Alt=0.00 Body=earth Notes=' .
Warning: Sorry, UserData:LocationInformation doesn't exist or isn't writable
Nothing to do.
What is that UserData:LocationInformation anyway?
But all in all, both Photos.app and QuickTime Player can read the location GC pastes so this might be OK. But I am puzzled what is the standard to do this. Or is there currently any standard for GPS in movies?
p.s. I have used Keys:GPSCoordinates in Google Photos and for H.264 mp4 it has worked OK but for the latest H.265 mp4 it didn't display the location.
- Matti
Hi Matti,
I'm not aware of any standard that specifies where the various tags should be written in the different format video files. You could take a shotgun approach and write them all, and that may work.
However, LocationInformation isn't yet writable as the warning states. I would need more test samples to be able to add the ability to write this. If you want to send me some, my email is philharvey66 at gmail.com
- Phil
Hi Matti,
ExifTool 12.25 has just been released with the ability to write LocationInformation (plus a number of other 3gp tags).
- Phil
Thanks for the note. v12.25 now successfully writes UserData:LocationInformation:
exiftool -m -P -overwrite_original_in_place -UserData:LocationInformation='(none) Role=shooting Lat=-36.6101 Lon=-66.91515 Alt=0.00 Body=earth Notes=' 2020-0101-1200-00.mp4
Use of uninitialized value $format in hash element at /usr/local/bin/lib/Image/ExifTool/WriteQuickTime.pl line 317.
1 image files updated
exiftool -a -G1 -s 2020-0101-1200-00.mp4
[UserData] LocationInformation : (none) Role=shooting Lat=-36.61011 Lon=-66.91515 Alt=0.00 Body=earth Notes=
[Composite] GPSAltitude : 0 m
[Composite] GPSAltitudeRef : Above Sea Level
[Composite] GPSLatitude : 36 deg 36' 36.40" S
[Composite] GPSLongitude : 66 deg 54' 54.54" W
[Composite] Rotation : 0
[Composite] GPSPosition : 36 deg 36' 36.40" S, 66 deg 54' 54.54" W
[QuickTime] CompatibleBrands : mp42, mp41
[Track1] HandlerDescription : Apple Video Media Handler
[Track2] HandlerDescription : Apple Sound Media Handler
But neither Big Sur macOS 11 QuickTime Player or Photos.app display that location.
On the other hand, if I paste the same GPS from GraphicConverter 11.4.3 beta (4893), then QuickTime Player and Photos.app display the location. GC seems to make the following edits to the metadata:
[QuickTime] CompatibleBrands : isom, mp41, mp42
[Track1] HandlerDescription : Core Media Video
[Track2] HandlerDescription : Core Media Audio
[UserData] LocationInformation : (none) Role=shooting Lat=-36.61009 Lon=-66.91510 Alt=0.00 Body=earth Notes=
But anyway, I continue to use exiftool for Keys:GPSCoordinates for .mp4, .mov and also for .m4v locations because it works with Photos.app and Google Photos.
- Matti
Quote from: wywh on April 17, 2021, 05:51:09 AM
p.s. I have used Keys:GPSCoordinates in Google Photos and for H.264 mp4 it has worked OK but for the latest H.265 mp4 it didn't display the location.
In another thread I noticed that "Google Photos doesn't like positions in decimal degrees with more that 5 digits after the dot".
And sure enough, with 6 decimals neither H.264 nor H.265 new test .mp4 displayed location but with 5 decimals they both did. FWIW I had an older H.264 with 6 decimals that shows the location but maybe Google Photos has changed after that upload.
https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=11055.msg67171#msg67171