Hi all,
how can I add an XMP:ImageDescription to an existing exif:ImageDescription? I tried with exiftool
"-exif:ImageDescription+<xmp:ImageDescription" img.jpg
but it says "no writeable tag". But when I simply overwrite the exif tag with
"-exif:ImageDescription<xmp:ImageDescription" img.jpg
all goes fine.
I use Digicam for organization on a Mac (every description is in XMP:Description) - but know I want my relatives to comment on the scanned old photos, adding context to them with Synology Photos, which writes to exif:ImageDescription. So if they are done I want to merge the xmp description (mine) with the exif:description (relatives) so neither mine oder their descriptions get's lost. Does that make sense? :-)
So how can I write the line for exiftool to add the existing xmp:ImageDescription (e.g. "123") to an existing exif:ImageDescription (e.g. "456") so the image contains "123 456" in one tag?
Thank you for any help.
The plus sign + is only used to either increment a value or to add a entry to a list type tag.
In order to combine two tags, you would copy the original tag with the new tag appended back into the original tag
exiftool "-exif:ImageDescription<$exif:ImageDescription $xmp:ImageDescription" /path/to/files/
Example:
C:\>exiftool -G1 -a -s -ImageDescription y:\!temp\Test4.jpg
[IFD0] ImageDescription : exif:ImageDescription
[XMP-tiff] ImageDescription : xmp:ImageDescription
C:\>exiftool -P -overwrite_original "-exif:ImageDescription<$exif:ImageDescription $xmp:ImageDescription" y:\!temp\Test4.jpg
1 image files updated
C:\>exiftool -G1 -a -s -ImageDescription y:\!temp\Test4.jpg
[IFD0] ImageDescription : exif:ImageDescription xmp:ImageDescription
[XMP-tiff] ImageDescription : xmp:ImageDescription
Thanks a lot! :) Sorry that I got that wrong.
Sorry but it doesn't work.
I did
exiftool -G1 -a -s -ImageDescription /Users/user/Desktop/test.jpg
[IFD0] ImageDescription : Hi
[XMP-tiff] ImageDescription : Test
and then:
exiftool -P -overwrite_original "-exif:ImageDescription<$exif:ImageDescription $xmp:ImageDescription" /Users/user/Desktop/test.jpg
But exiftool says:
Warning: No writable tags set from /Users/user/Desktop/test.jpg
Warning: Invalid tag name ':imagedescription :imagedescription' - /Users/user/Desktop/test.jpg
0 image files updated
1 image files unchanged
If your using something other than Windows CMD (Linux/Mac/Windows PowerShell), then change the double quotes into single quotes.
I do not recommend using PowerShell with exiftool. PowerShell will corrupt binary data when redirecting/piping and has a multitude of other problems.
You are a StarGeek! Thank you - I am on Mac/Terminal, so the " vs ' was the problem. :)