ExifTool Forum

ExifTool => The "exiftool" Application => Topic started by: Gabe on March 17, 2025, 01:57:28 AM

Title: Question related to cities included in the geolocation database
Post by: Gabe on March 17, 2025, 01:57:28 AM
Hello there,

First off, thanks for the amazing tool. I have been tinkering with it for the past couple of weeks, as my wife bought a second hand E-P1 here in Japan, and I am in charge of "handling" the files. :D

I am currently applying geolocation data to our photos, and the process is going smoothly, bar the occasional brain-fart on my part. Namely, I have just stumbled on a database-related bump, and I'd like to figure out if I am missing something.

The location/town I want to use to add the metadata is called Kokonoe (https://maps.app.goo.gl/5vV3UAiL2zW2ZE5LA). As far as I can tell, it's not in the database. I have tried to find it, both directly by name, and by listing all the cities using "-listgeo".
I did find it in the GeoNames online database, though, as Kokonoe Machi (https://www.geonames.org/7414053/kokonoe-machi.html). As far as I can tell, it matches the conditions to be included in the ExifTool database, but I assume this is not the case.

This is not the end of the world, I can pick another town nearby. I am mostly curious about what I am failing to understand about the setup.

For context, I am using version 13.25 installed via Homebrew on Ubuntu 24.04.

Cheers!
Title: Re: Question related to cities included in the geolocation database
Post by: StarGeek on March 17, 2025, 02:10:32 AM
I'm heading to bed, so I can't look at it in detail, but try this

You might try the Alternate Database (https://exiftool.org/geolocation.html#Alt) which is larger and includes places with a 500+ population, rather than the 2,000+ population database that is normally included.

It might be worth looking over the rest of the Geolocation page (https://exiftool.org/geolocation.html) as well.
Title: Re: Question related to cities included in the geolocation database
Post by: Phil Harvey on March 17, 2025, 07:41:19 AM
This feature isn't in the database because it is type "ADM3".  (See here for a full list of feature codes (http://www.geonames.org/export/codes.html#P).)  My understanding is that ADM3 doesn't represent a city, but please tell me if doesn't match your experience.  If it were a city, I think it should be PPLA3 or something like this.  The feature codes included in the ExifTool Geolocation database are listed in the API GeolocFeature option documentation (file:///Users/phil/source/exiftool_cvs/html/ExifTool.html#GeolocFeature).

Also note that you can add custom Geolocation entries in your config file (https://exiftool.org/config.html), which is what I do myself for things like this.

- Phil
Title: Re: Question related to cities included in the geolocation database
Post by: Gabe on March 17, 2025, 10:28:57 AM
Hi Phil, StarGeek,

As far as I can tell, Kokonoe is a town. So either the database is wrong, or things in Japan are not as straightforward as I think. My very limited understanding of Japanese political geography, doesn't allow me to really take a stand here.

Anyway, I think I will just pick another location, or go the route of the custom entry in the config file. At least now I understand why it's not being picked up.

Cheerio!