Tags (keywords) not seen by Windows File Explorer

[Hugh]

I've noticed that for a few of my photos Windows File Explorer is not seeing the keywords (tags). In each of the cases the photos are wrongly oriented: they should be portrait but appear rotated 90 degrees clockwise.

I attach one of the jpg files. Can anyone see what is wrong with the metadata, please?

[Alan Clifford]

This photo has an image height that is bigger than the width, so it looks like it has been physically rotated.  However, there is still an orientation tag, well, actually, two so the viewer software is rotating it again.

Code Select Expand

[File]          Image Width                     : 1237
[File]          Image Height                    : 1920
[EXIF]          Orientation                     : Rotate 90 CW
[XMP]           Orientation                     : Rotate 90 CW



Removing the orientation tags will sort it out.

I am not familiar with the software

Code Select Expand

[EXIF]          Software                        : Photo Supreme Version 3.3.0.2598

but my guess is that it physically rotated the photo but did not remove the orientation tags.

[Alan Clifford]

exiftool -orientation= IMG_2692.JPG

removed the exif:orientation tag and the photo displays correctly on my computer.  You probably should remove the xmp:orientation tag as well.

When running that command, exiftool reported

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Warning: Undefined XMP namespace: prefix6 - IMG_2692.JPG
    1 image files updated


but maybe you know what that is all about?

[Hugh]

Thanks, Alan, that's very helpful. Is there a command (preferably one that I could input into the "Exiftool direct" box in ExifToolGUI) that will remove all orientation tags in one go?

[StarGeek]

-Orientation=

[Hugh]

Thanks.

[StarGeek]

Removing the Orientation tags will not sort out the problem with Windows not reading the keywords, though.  Windows doesn't seem to like the XMP-prefix4 data that Photo Supreme puts in the file.  Removing that data with -XMP-prefix4:all= will allow Windows to read the keywords but that will remove all of that Photo Supreme data.  You'll have to decide if it's important or not

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---- XMP-prefix4 ----
IsEnabled                       : 1
RecipeName                      : Recipe
RotateOpacity                   : 255
RotateRecipeEnabled             : 1
RotateAngle                     : -90
RotateBackgroundColor           : 0
RotateBlendMode                 : 1
RotateCrop                      : 0
RotateFriendlyName              : ROTATE
RotateOpacity                   : 255
RotateRecipeEnabled             : 1
RotateBlendMode                 : 1
RotateFriendlyName              : ROTATE
RotateAngle                     : -90
RotateCrop                      : 0
RotateBackgroundColor           : 0

[Hugh]

Thank you very much for pursuing this further StarGeek. I had in fact already seen that the keyword issue had not been solved and noticed the prefix4 section. Thanks to previous advice from you and others on how to remove unwanted tags I've gained a little bit of confidence in using ExifTool and have just been experimenting with exactly the command you suggested and have been glad to find that it works!

I shall assume for the time being that it will be OK for me to remove the unwanted metadata from copies of photos that I export from Photo Supreme for use elsewhere.

Thank you again for your help.

(It's curious that, although Windows didn't like the prefix4 code to the extent of ignoring the keywords, it still showed the Rating correctly. I wonder why.)

[Alan Clifford]

-Orientation=

That didn't remove the xmp:orientation for me.

[StarGeek]

That didn't remove the xmp:orientation for me.

I'm not sure why that would be.  Using it directly on the command line works here.

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C:\>exiftool -g1 -a -s -orientation Y:\!temp\aa\bbb\IMG_2692.JPG
---- IFD0 ----
Orientation                     : Rotate 90 CW
---- XMP-tiff ----
Orientation                     : Rotate 90 CW

C:\>exiftool -P -overwrite_original -Orientation= Y:\!temp\aa\bbb\IMG_2692.JPG
    1 image files updated

C:\Programs\My_Stuff>exiftool -g1 -a -s -orientation Y:\!temp\aa\bbb\IMG_2692.JPG
Warning: IPTCDigest is not current. XMP may be out of sync - Y:/!temp/aa/bbb/IMG_2692.JPG

C:\>

[StarGeek]

(It's curious that, although Windows didn't like the prefix4 code to the extent of ignoring the keywords, it still showed the Rating correctly. I wonder why.)

No idea.  At the very least it should be reading the IPTC:Keywords, as that shouldn't be affected by strange XMP, but it doesn't.

[Alan Clifford]

That didn't remove the xmp:orientation for me.

I'm not sure why that would be.  Using it directly on the command line works here.

Code Select Expand

C:\>exiftool -g1 -a -s -orientation Y:\!temp\aa\bbb\IMG_2692.JPG
---- IFD0 ----
Orientation                     : Rotate 90 CW
---- XMP-tiff ----
Orientation                     : Rotate 90 CW

C:\>exiftool -P -overwrite_original -Orientation= Y:\!temp\aa\bbb\IMG_2692.JPG
    1 image files updated

C:\Programs\My_Stuff>exiftool -g1 -a -s -orientation Y:\!temp\aa\bbb\IMG_2692.JPG
Warning: IPTCDigest is not current. XMP may be out of sync - Y:/!temp/aa/bbb/IMG_2692.JPG

C:\>

cellini:temp alan$ exiftool -a -G -orientation IMG_2692.JPG
[EXIF]          Orientation                     : Rotate 90 CW
[XMP]           Orientation                     : Rotate 90 CW
cellini:temp alan$ exiftool -orientation= IMG_2692.JPG
Warning: Undefined XMP namespace: prefix6 - IMG_2692.JPG
    1 image files updated
cellini:temp alan$ exiftool -a -G -orientation IMG_2692.JPG
[XMP]           Orientation                     : Rotate 90 CW
cellini:temp alan$


exiftool version is 12.16 on a mac running macos bigsur

[Phil Harvey]

Warning: Undefined XMP namespace: prefix6 - IMG_2692.JPG

The XMP isn't being written because of this invalid XMP.

- Phil

[StarGeek]

exiftool version is 12.16 on a mac running macos bigsur

I'm on version 12.36 and it removes the Orientation without error.

[Phil Harvey]

Hmmm.  You're right.  This change in ExifTool 12.25 allows this invalid XMP to be written.

Apr. 22, 2021 - Version 12.25
  - Patched bug that could give runtime warning when trying to write an empty
    XMP structure

I'll have to look into this.  The "prefix6" namespace is not defined, and ExifTool should complain about this.

- Phil

Edit: I'll fix ExifTool 12.37 to restore the "undefined namespace" warning and avoid writing XMP like this.