Why LargeFileSupport is not enabled by default?

[mnaoumov]

Without -api LargeFileSupport=1 you might have the following warning

Warning: End of processing at large atom (LargeFileSupport not enabled) - video.mp4

So I started to add this flag to all my commands. But I wonder why do I have to do that at all? Why it is just not enabled by default? What's the drawbacks of using this flag?

[StarGeek]

I can't comment as to why, but you can turn it on in your .exiftool_config file by adding this

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%Image::ExifTool::UserDefined::Options = (
LargeFileSupport => 1,
);

[Phil Harvey]

Two reasons:

1. Some systems don't support it, and enabling it on these systems could cause runtime errors.

2. Processing large files takes a long time, and I would rather that people opt into processing such large files rather than just wondering why ExifTool is running so slowly.

- Phil

[mnaoumov]

Phil, thanks for the explanation

1. What kind of system don't support it? Can't you detect the support ability in runtime and if it's not suppprted just show the warning to notify the end user?

2. You could just show a warning before processing a large file so it won't be surprising to the end user.

[Phil Harvey]

If I get enough complaints about this I may consider changing it, but for now I don't see a clear advantage in spending time on this.

- Phil

[zeus64]

Hi phil,

I Just encounter this problem todays and I think it's must be enabled by default. It's really a pain to update the default config file as you need in all updates/deployements of exiftool to track all the changes made in the config file

For exemple, I m an IT guy and i don't know how to edit the config file (I just have the exiftool.exe) don't know what to do

[StarGeek]

For exemple, I m an IT guy and i don't know how to edit the config file (I just have the exiftool.exe) don't know what to do

The example.config file is just a text file and it contains instructions on where to place it.  You don't even need to copy everything in that example file.  You can make a 3 line file with just what I listed in this post above.

[EvraKeDabra]

If I get enough complaints about this I may consider changing it, but for now I don't see a clear advantage in spending time on this.

- Phil

Hello Phil,
Thank you for making this software.

I just signed in to add my request that I also feel it's time to allow this by default, to show a warning and to ask the user if they wish to proceed.

I'm reading the instruction now in the posts above but still don't understand where the file is and how to edit it.

On the same note, signing up to the website as new user is also bit too much IMHO, in the
Verification part: The shooting mode in the "Example Output" section of the ExifTool home page:
The white balance mode for the image in the "Example Output" section of the ExifTool home page:
The value of "Color Tone" in the "Example Output" section of the ExifTool home page:


Thank you.

[Phil Harvey]

Thanks for your feedback.

I just signed in to add my request that I also feel it's time to allow this by default,

Noted.

to show a warning and to ask the user if they wish to proceed.

Not a good idea.  This would cause ExifTool to hang for applications that run it without user intervention.

I'm reading the instruction now in the posts above but still don't understand where the file is and how to edit it.

See the 3rd paragraph in the description of the sample config file.

On the same note, signing up to the website as new user is also bit too much IMHO

Unfortunately the forum has had some spam attacks which make measures like this necessary.

- Phil

[EvraKeDabra]

Hi Phil, Thanks for the quick answer!

Can you help with this please?

I'm trying to use the GUI version with large files support.

I have on my desktop the "exiftoolgui" folder. Inside it there are 3 files:
ExifToolGUI.exe, ExifToolGUI_readme.txt, ExifToolGUIv5.ini and 2 folders.

I created an empty txt file called .ExifTool_config and put it in this folder.
In this file I wrote the code mentioned in the post above.

But it doesn't work with my large files writing:
"End of processing at large atom (LargeFileSupport not enabled)"

Can you advice on how to fix it?

Thank you

[Phil Harvey]

The .ExifTool_config file should go in your home directory or the directory of "exiftool.exe".

- Phil

[EvraKeDabra]

It worked, Thanks for your help!

It was recommended in the instructions that I'll put exiftool.exe in the Windows directory, so I put the config file there as well.

[authkickball]

+1 to enabling this flag by default. Better than every user having to find this thread.

Also, this command changes the EXIF Created Date. Just curious, why does it take longer with large files? I would think it would be constant time.

`exiftool -AllDates-=7 -overwrite_original -quiet -api LargeFileSupport=1 PXL_20230427_173036576.mp4`

(That being said, thank you for this amazing tool. )

[Phil Harvey]

Also, this command changes the EXIF Created Date. Just curious, why does it take longer with large files? I would think it would be constant time.

FAQ 31 explains this.

- Phil

[Marsu42]

Two reasons:

I just ran into this when generating md5 for video files - 2GB+ is not unusual for these.

Suggestion: The current error message is rather cryptic...

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End of processing at large atom (LargeFileSupport not enabled)
... because you have to search for the solution - I suspected my local Perl, not Exiftool. An updated error message might be helpful there like for example

Code Select Expand

End of processing at large atom (LargeFileSupport not enabled - use -api LargeFileSupport=1 in ExifTool)