dt: copy tags between images; tag properties

Software darktable
1

Is it possible to copy an image’s tags to another image or images? If so, how?

I can physically copy and paste individual tags, one at a time, via an intermediate text file, or I can make a note of the tags which have been applied to an image and then apply them, individually, to a selected image or images. This is cumbersome and error prone when the number of tags and/ or the number of target images is large.

The user manual says that a tag’s properties are updated when an imported tag has the same name as an existing tag. What and where are these ‘properties’ - aside from the text string defining the name of the tag (which cannot be updated of course, or it becomes a different tag - doesn’t it?)

2

If I understand your request correctly, there’s a lua script for that: https://github.com/darktable-org/lua-scripts/blob/master/contrib/copy_attach_detach_tags.lua. It is best installed via the lua script manager.

For the second question, I would guess the name and the type of tag. But this is pure speculation.

3

Regarding installation (script repository and script manager), you can follow the explanations here: https://github.com/darktable-org/lua-scripts.

4

Or you can just use the metadata tab on the selected images module: darktable 3.8 user manual - selected images

5

Thanks for this - it worked just as I wanted on a simple test (I didn’t assign short cut keys - just licking on the relevant buttons, in the 'tagging additions panel, seems easier and quicker, to me).

6

I checked an export file, and there are different metadata encoded:

[test]
	{test2}
test2
[test3]
	{test2}
	{bla}
	{blubb}

It seems that square brackets are denoting categories, and curly brackets synonyms. Private entries seem not to be marked at all. And then there is the hierarchy, but I do not expect that moved tags are updated but added.

I tried google to learn more about the file format used which is the one that comes with lightroom. However, i was not able to find something useful quickly. However², a lot of first and second page results are about darktable rather than lightroom – is this only me (search string: “lightroom tag export file format”)?

7

Unfortunately I was not able to define a shortcut for copy-paste tags only, is this possible? Of course it works if I select tags, but what if something else is selected?

8

Yes, now that you have taught me, it seems obvious. I just never thought to examine the manual under ‘selected images’ - only under ‘tagging’. This way is so straightforward. Thank you.

9

I just checked my ‘exported tags’ file - which is large. It does not contain any square or curly bracketed strings, even though I have both categories and synonyms defined. Perhaps I screwed up the export somehow.

I should also observe that Windows does not like the use of the colon in the file name for the exported file that dt creates.

10

That’s perfectly right.
Here or here are some explanation about the plain-text format.
EDIT: note that dt supports various levels of categories.

11

An alternative is to save the tags currently attached to an image as a tagging preset. Then you apply the preset to whatever other images.
This process should be improved by the PR #10756 (appends the tags instead of replacing).