dt 3.2.1, Ubuntu 18.04
In preferences → lighttable we have the option "overlay txt sidecar over zoomed images". I used this option from time to time, but now it seems to be broken. From the manual :
When there is a text file next to an image it can be shown as an overlay over zoomed images on the lighttable. The text file has the same base name as the image file with file extension “.txt”. It either has to be there at import time or the crawler has to be enabled – see option “look for updated xmp files on startup” in Section 8.2, “Core options” (default off).
I have reimported the images with txt sidecar files but pressing “W” in lighttable to zoom the image under the mouse cursor, does not show the text overlay any more. Furthermore the option “look for updated xmp files on startup”, mentioned in the manual, does no longer exist in the reorganized preferences dialog.
Is this option to show the text overlay no longer supported, or am I missing something ?
My situation is almost the same, the text-overlay appeared as usual for earlier saved text files along corresponding pics, saved in version of darktable_3.1.0_git2447.7408c6d3f.
New darktable 3.2.1 and newly created text overlays didn’t appear until i checked (on) in >darktable preferences / storage / xmp / “look for updated xmp files on startup”, and only after restarting darktable.
I also see that changes in those text-overlays only appear after restarting darktable…
There are a bunch of new display modes for kighttable. They’re available from the circle button with four dots inside it, just above the light table to the right side.
OK, found the switch, and it is checked (and ever was checked). I know this for certain, because I regularly modify xmp’s and they always are recognized when dt launches. But the txt sidecars are no longer recognized.
created new txt sidecar for one image in filmroll with text editor
removed all images from filmroll
restarted darktable
imported (previously deleted) filmroll again (one RAW with corresponding txt)
pressed “W” in lighttable (mouse cursor over RAW with txt sidecar), image is shown zoomed with box with image infos in upper left corner, but no text from txt sidecar.
Also txt sidecars from elder imports / edits are no longer shown. I have to remove my local darktablerc, data.db and library.db, then to reimport the filmroll to get the feature back. But this can not be the solution with thousands of images.
This is the button to show/hide members of a group. What you mean is the star (options for image infos). But this is not the feature i mean. I refer to the image info box shown in the left upper corner of the zoomed image (pressing “W” with mouse cursor over the image).
The image info box in preview (or culling) is related to a setting in lighttable tab in preferences and this is different from txt sidecar (both could be seen but 2 different things). For info box content, check “pattern for the thumbnail extended overlay text” in lighttable tab in preferences window.
About txt sidecar, which is different, I can’t help. I don’t use it.
Thank you @Nilvus , that was the crucial hint. There is a new variable $(SIDECAR_TXT) which must be added to get the funcionality of showing the text content of the txt sidecar file. The list of pre-defined variables in the pdf usermanual, build from master, is not up-to-date, several entries are missing. Same for “session options” in the darktable usermanual . Can an up-to-date list be found anywhere ?
The doc needs to be updated on many parts. Many changes have been made past months. And any help to do that is welcomed. You could issue issues on darktable Github (search documentation tag)
For those who don’t want to wait for an update of the documentation : the names of the variables can be found in darktable/variables.c at master · darktable-org/darktable · GitHub , method static char *get_base_value(dt_variables_params_t *params, char **variable).