Copy multiple GPS Tags from all images in one folder to all images in another

[peterholl]

Hi,

this is my first post! After hours of fails I registered to ask this question:

In the need to migrate from Aperture to Lightroom I had to notice that it is not possible to keep the GPS location entries I've made in Aperture's own database! What a downer! Tens of thousands of laboriously tagged images.

My workaround here has been as follows:
I exported all versions of the original files to another folder keeping the exact folder and filename structure. Luckily it is possible to attach the GPS values to the exported versions.

And this is my history of fails in exiftool:
First, I exported the GPS tags to a csv and then I was trying to import the corresponding values to the original images without success.
Then I tried -tagsFromFile, but I could't get to work with folders

Anyone here who can help to get the job done? Maybe there's even a better approach?

Thank you,
peterholl

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Peterholl,

Welcome!

First, you should change directories to the root folder of the images you want to add GPS to.  The command will look something like this:

cd /Users/USER/DSTDIR

Then copy the GPS tags from the source images, something like this:

exiftool -tagsfromfile /Users/USER/SRCDIR/%d%f.%e -gps:all -r .

The %d represents the directory name of the image being processed (starting at ".", since we are processing the current directory).  The -r recursively processes subdirectories.

This command will leave an "_original" backup file for each image processed.  If you already have backups of your images, you can add a -overwrite_original option to the command to avoid saving the backup images.

- Phil

[peterholl]

Hi Phil,

Thank you so much for your quick reply!

It works wonderfully! I double checked and I am ready to batch now 

BTW Thank you so much for your incredible tool and the support you give to everyone!
You're a great person 

My best,
peterholl