Camera EXIF and GPS data not being exported - Solved

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

Hello all,

I am new to Darktable and am having issues with Darktable not exporting any EXIF or GPS data.

I am running:

Linux Mint Cinnamon 21.2

Darktable 3.8.1 (downloaded from synaptic as latest version)

GIMP 2.10.30

Darktable is showing EXIF information in Metadata and the Map function is locating the photo. However, it appears to not be exporting the information, even though EXIF Data, Metadata, and Geo Tags are selected for export.

I have tried using EXIFtool to copy data from the original RAW file to the final jpg, post GIMP processing. But this does not appear to work. Yet if I grab the same file in Corel After Shot Pro (ASP), it exports all the data. I can also do the RAW processing in ASP and send it straight to GIMP for final processing and keep all metadata/GPS data.

I cannot work out whether it is the export to XCF from Darktable or the processing of a Darkatable exported file, which is preventing metadata from being exported or appended to the final jpg.

I have reinstalled both Darktable and GIMP, with no effect.

Since then I have tried turning off some export values (EXIF Data & Geo Tags) and then defining them in the per metadata settings

and still no luck when exported into GIMP and processed

https://www.flickr.com/photos/macr237/53139659905/

Then I ran Exiftool from the original .nef file to the .jpg and this time it transferred all the EXIF.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/macr237/53139659910/

This is not a solution, this is a workaround until I find a solution. But it doesn’t answer why in the earlier version when I had selected Exif data & geotags, I could no longer even get the Exiftool to work.

I have done searches on the net, but I have not identified a solution. Does anyone know what may be going wrong?

[elstoc (Chris E)]

Step one is probably to install the latest version of darktable, just in case it’s an issue that has been fixed in the meantime. The latest version is 4.4.2. Version 3.8.1 is 18 months old now and darktable dev moves pretty quick.

It’s also worth unchecking “develop history” as there are sometimes issues if the develop history gets too large.

[g-man]

I read this 3 times to be clear because it is not. Let’s forget about GIMP for a second. If you export an image from darktable selecting the exif checkbox and map checkbox, does it have metadata? If you export as jpg, does it have the metadata?

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

What I am saying is there appears to be no issue with GIMP that I can see, as I tested it using ASP and EXIF is exported. I was trying to rule out one part of the processing chain, so I could target where the issue may be.

@g-man

If you export an image from darktable selecting the exif checkbox and map checkbox, does it have metadata? If you export as jpg, does it have the metadata?

I must not have explained it well enough when I said “it appears to not be exporting the information, even though EXIF Data, Metadata, and Geo Tags are selected for export”.
Or am I missing something in what you said?

I just tried an export to .jpg and it has all its EXIF.

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

@elstoc

Step one is probably to install the latest version of darktable, just in case it’s an issue that has been fixed in the meantime. The latest version is 4.4.2. Version 3.8.1 is 18 months old now and darktable dev moves pretty quick.

It’s also worth unchecking “develop history” as there are sometimes issues if the develop history gets too large.

I tried going to the OBS site to get the latest, but the page appears to be under maintenance. The install page also suggests, " Linux/Unix Binary Packages

From Your Package Manager

If your unix-like operating system is capable of running a graphical session, darktable is likely available. Check your package manager or software center".
I will try again later.

I will try unchecking the ‘develop history’ and see if that makes a difference.

[g-man]

@Macr

I just tried an export to .jpg and it has all its EXIF.

Ok. Exports with jpg do work, but export with XCF format do not have the metadata. I did a search in GitHub and support for XCF metadata was added in 4.4 PR 13425. There is an important note: you have to select all of the checkboxes for it to work (see Release Notes).

The OBS site must be down. Give it a try later.

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

@g-man

Ok. Exports with jpg do work, but export with XCF format do not have the metadata. I did a search in GitHub and support for XCF metadata was added in 4.4 PR 13425. There is an important note: you have to select all of the checkboxes for it to work (see Release Notes).

The OBS site must be down. Give it a try later.

Thanks. I will wait until OBS is back up and running and see how easy it is to get the latest version and install it.

[kmilos]

@g-man

There is an important note: you have to select all of the checkboxes for it to work (see Release Notes).

Indeed.

[darix]

OBS is back now.

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

Yeah, thanks. I downloaded 4.4.1, then went and downloaded a Jammy 4.4.2 version through a different site.

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

@g-man

Ok. Exports with jpg do work, but export with XCF format do not have the metadata. I did a search in GitHub and support for XCF metadata was added in 4.4 PR 13425. There is an important note: you have to select all of the checkboxes for it to work (see Release Notes).

I eventually downloaded 4.4.2.
When I tick every box it does export some metadata, but not my tags.

GPS Data is good

Missing these tags

I am getting closer to the full solution. I could add tags on Flickr by hand, but that is the same as me running EXIFTool once again. Is there something I could be missing or is this another bug yet to be solved?

On a side note and one which you may not care about, I receive this error when I open the .xcf in GIMP.

Thanks for all the support up to this point.

[g-man]

The tags are missing when you look at them with exiftool?

Is your gimp version the latest?

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

When I look at them through GIMP and Xviewer.

I am running GIMP 2.10.30.

[g-man]

@g-man

The tags are missing when you look at them with exiftool?

Are the tags there when you look at them via exiftool or exiv2 (current release versions)?

GIMP 2.10.30 was released in Dec2021. The current release is 2.10.34 from Feb23. I dont know all the changes they did to XCF. Maybe try a newer version.

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

Edited to shorten post.

But it appears not to have grabbed tags. Or I have made an error somehow.

ExifTool Version Number : 12.40File Name : Purple_Flowers4.jpgDirectory : . -...

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

GIMP 2.10.34 installed, still have the same XMP corrupt metadata issue.

[g-man]

Use pastebin.com to post the long data. I don’t see tags in what you posted but it could just not be complete. Also confirm you don’t have special characters in your tags.

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

I do have the copyright symbol. I will remove that and try again.
Thanks for the pastebin tip, I had never heard of it.

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

I have nutted it down to the error with the Corrupt ‘gimp-metadata’ parasite discovered.
XMP data could not be migrated.
I took out the Keyword with the copyright symbol

and converted it to jpg for export and no issue.

I then exported it to .xcf and had the fail, but then I edited Metadata and wrote it to the file and GIMP created a new XMP file.

[Macr (Mark McIntosh)]

I am pushing this to the top again, as it has been 2 years and numerous version updates, yet still no progress in exporting GPSinfo to the .xcf file.

Where am I at now
Darktable: v5.0.1 with constant updates
GIMP: v3.1.1 with nightly updates
Edit Metadata exportation preferences:

I don’t think there is any other GPS data point that I can select.
I am still convinced that Darktable is either ripping it on import of the library, or export.
I can mandraulically use EXIFTool to get the information from the RAW, but not from the .xcf. This is why I am convinced that Darktable is not getting/sending the data.

Are there any developers who can comment or discuss a way forward? It has been years, with no answer.