Title: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 12:08:34 PM
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 12:08:34 PM
Hi, I'm quite new to the program and a bit lost on how it works. My exif data is missing from my hundreds of pictures but I can read them with Exiftools GUI. I tried reading the guides to writing the EXIF information on every file of a given directory and couldn't find any that helped me. So, how can I write ALL of the data directly on EVERY file of a directory in one single command or manipulation?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: StarGeek on March 21, 2021, 01:05:37 PM
Post by: StarGeek on March 21, 2021, 01:05:37 PM
The basic command on the command line would be
exiftool -TAG1=value -TAG2=value ... /path/to/files/
The thing is you're not very clear on is which EXIF tag(s) you want to write. There are a lot of different EXIF tags (https://exiftool.org/TagNames/EXIF.html). And that doesn't even take into account all the other types of metadata (https://exiftool.org/TagNames/), as EXIF is only one type (all EXIF data is metadata, but not all metadata is EXIF data).
So the question is, what are you actually trying to do?
exiftool -TAG1=value -TAG2=value ... /path/to/files/
The thing is you're not very clear on is which EXIF tag(s) you want to write. There are a lot of different EXIF tags (https://exiftool.org/TagNames/EXIF.html). And that doesn't even take into account all the other types of metadata (https://exiftool.org/TagNames/), as EXIF is only one type (all EXIF data is metadata, but not all metadata is EXIF data).
So the question is, what are you actually trying to do?
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 01:33:18 PM
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 01:33:18 PM
I want to write every EXIF tag on the pictures and no other metadata. My computer cannot read the EXIF data after the pictures have been copied from my phone, but they are on the original files.
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: StarGeek on March 21, 2021, 02:35:39 PM
Post by: StarGeek on March 21, 2021, 02:35:39 PM
How did you "copy" the files? Copying files does not remove metadata.
You don't want to write "every EXIF tag". Nobody does that. A significant number of the tags on the page I listed above are rarely used.
Anyway, the command I listed above is how you would set the data. Look on the page I linked, pick a tag name in the "Tag Name" column, replace TAG# in the above command with that name, and replace "value" with the value you want to write. Repeat until all the tags you want to write have values in the command.
You don't want to write "every EXIF tag". Nobody does that. A significant number of the tags on the page I listed above are rarely used.
Anyway, the command I listed above is how you would set the data. Look on the page I linked, pick a tag name in the "Tag Name" column, replace TAG# in the above command with that name, and replace "value" with the value you want to write. Repeat until all the tags you want to write have values in the command.
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 03:31:08 PM
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 03:31:08 PM
I transferred them from my phone to my hard drive by connecting my phone + drag and drop. Usually, I can view the EXIF metadata in IrfanView but they seem to have disappeared without any reason. But ExifTools finds them without any problem, but it's not there anywhere else.
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: Alan Clifford on March 21, 2021, 03:47:12 PM
Post by: Alan Clifford on March 21, 2021, 03:47:12 PM
I can't see any exif data in that file.
I don't think png handles exif very well. Have you recently changed from using jpeg to png?
I don't think png handles exif very well. Have you recently changed from using jpeg to png?
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 04:02:35 PM
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 04:02:35 PM
It's a DNG file and always been using DNG. My other computer is able to find the EXIF data in IrfanView.
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: StarGeek on March 21, 2021, 04:31:34 PM
Post by: StarGeek on March 21, 2021, 04:31:34 PM
As much as I like it, Irfanview is not the best program to view metadata with. It doesn't always show EXIF metadata in DNG files. That doesn't mean it isn't there, it's just that Irfanview doesn't have the ability to view it. Heck, it can't even read XMP data and that's a 20 year old standard that's has had multiple support requests over the years.
If you need to view the data, you're better off using a more powerful program, one better designed to work with DNG files. Adobe Bridge, for example, which is free. Photo management software like DigiKam, Darktable (both free), or Lightroom.
If you need to view the data, you're better off using a more powerful program, one better designed to work with DNG files. Adobe Bridge, for example, which is free. Photo management software like DigiKam, Darktable (both free), or Lightroom.
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: Alan Clifford on March 21, 2021, 04:48:01 PM
Post by: Alan Clifford on March 21, 2021, 04:48:01 PM
Quote from: Alan Clifford on March 21, 2021, 03:47:12 PM
I can't see any exif data in that file.
I don't think png handles exif very well. Have you recently changed from using jpeg to png?
It has a .png extension and is only 35 kB in size!
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: StarGeek on March 21, 2021, 04:55:59 PM
Post by: StarGeek on March 21, 2021, 04:55:59 PM
The attached image isn't the file in question, it's a screen shot of the Irfanview interface for a file named RAW_2021_03_20_23_18_54_140.dng. Normally, there'd be a button to the left of the "OK" button that could be clicked to display the EXIF data.
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 05:13:32 PM
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 05:13:32 PM
Yes, usually the button is here, and by usually I mean on every other DNG file I didn't copy from my phone on my computer. This same picture (RAW_2021_03_20_23_18_54.dng), if copied on my laptop is displaying the info button just right.
Title: Re: Write EXIF information on every file of a directory
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 09:27:10 PM
Post by: Zupanic on March 21, 2021, 09:27:10 PM
I got an update, it's not the EXIF data that is missing, it's the picture's PROPERTIES that got wiped from the copying. It's Windows who whipped them clean. So, is there a way to copy the EXIF metadata on the picture's properties?
And thanks again for your comprehensive support Star Geek, you have legendary patience to help me while I'm learning how this works.
And thanks again for your comprehensive support Star Geek, you have legendary patience to help me while I'm learning how this works.