"unknown" value for -exif:offset... tags

Started by herb, August 08, 2020, 01:08:25 PM

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herb

Hallo Phil,

The Olympus camera OMD EM5iii writes all -exif:offset... tags with values: "   :  ".
This is allowed by EXIF standard and means: value is unknown.

Exiftool 12.03 displays these values as:
OffsetTime                      :    :
OffsetTimeOriginal              :    :
OffsetTimeDigitized             :    :


For me it is a little bit difficult to realize the value "   :" (trailing spaces are removed).
So I would like to propose to display these values as "--:--".

Thanks in advance and
Best regards
herb

herb

Hello,

No comment!?
Is it really a bad idea?

Regards
herb

Phil Harvey

Somehow I missed this post.

I don't really like the idea of changing the spaces to dashes in the time.  I would have to check the specification, but spaces are valid in other date/time fields and ExifTool doesn't translate these either.

- Phil
...where DIR is the name of a directory/folder containing the images.  On Mac/Linux/PowerShell, use single quotes (') instead of double quotes (") around arguments containing a dollar sign ($).

herb

Hello,

Thanks for your comment; I understand.
My proposal was based on the fact that ExifTool removes the trailing spaces after ":" in case of display. So it is difficult to "recognize" the ":".

Best regards
herb

Phil Harvey

Hi Herb,

Why is it difficult to recognize the ":"?

- Phil
...where DIR is the name of a directory/folder containing the images.  On Mac/Linux/PowerShell, use single quotes (') instead of double quotes (") around arguments containing a dollar sign ($).

StarGeek

#5
Other options would be using -api "Filter=s/ /-/g" to swap spaces for hyphens, though that would be global. 

The other option would be to make user defined tags for these to do the swap.
%Image::ExifTool::UserDefined = (
'Image::ExifTool::Composite' => {
MyOffsetTime => {
Require => 'OffsetTime',
ValueConv => '$val =~ s/ /-/g;$val',
},
MyOffsetTimeOriginal => {
Require => 'OffsetTimeOriginal',
ValueConv => '$val =~ s/ /-/g; $val',
},
MyOffsetTimeDigitized => {
Require => 'OffsetTimeDigitized',
ValueConv => '$val =~ s/ /-/g;$val',
},
},
);
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1;  #end


Edit: Updated config file so it will pass through original data if no changes are made
"It didn't work" isn't helpful. What was the exact command used and the output.
Read FAQ #3 and use that cmd
Please use the Code button for exiftool output

Please include your OS/Exiftool version/filetype

herb

Hello Phil, hello StarGeek,

@StarGeek: Thanks for your proposal; But I think only on tags that represent a timezone-value.

QuoteWhy is it difficult to recognize the ":"?

Looking at the following timezone-values
tag1     :   +01:00
tag2     :      :
tag3     :    --:--

I thought that tag3-line looks better than tag2-line. That's all.

Thanks and best regards
herb

Phil Harvey

Hi Herb,

Quote from: herb on September 13, 2020, 01:29:35 PM
tag3     :    --:--
I thought that tag3-line looks better than tag2-line. That's all.

I agree, but I don't think this is worth changing, especially because people familiar with the EXIF specification may expect spaces.

- Phil
...where DIR is the name of a directory/folder containing the images.  On Mac/Linux/PowerShell, use single quotes (') instead of double quotes (") around arguments containing a dollar sign ($).

StarGeek

Quote from: herb on September 13, 2020, 01:29:35 PM
@StarGeek: Thanks for your proposal; But I think only on tags that represent a timezone-value.

That's why listed a config file.  It only affects the three OffsetTime tags. Example output:
C:\>exiftool -config MyOffset.config -g1 -a -s -offset* -myoffset* y:\!temp\Test4.jpg
---- ExifIFD ----
OffsetTime                      : +07:00
OffsetTimeOriginal              :   :
OffsetTimeDigitized             : +07:
---- Composite ----
MyOffsetTime                    : +07:00
MyOffsetTimeDigitized           : +07:--
MyOffsetTimeOriginal            : --:--
"It didn't work" isn't helpful. What was the exact command used and the output.
Read FAQ #3 and use that cmd
Please use the Code button for exiftool output

Please include your OS/Exiftool version/filetype

herb

Hello StarGeek,

Yes, you are right; I should have thought on user-defined tags at the very beginning.

Best regards
herb