[Digikam-users] IPTC, EXIF, Kphotoalbum

[Caulier Gilles]

Le Mardi 31 Octobre 2006 13:04, Thomas Hummel a écrit :
> I'm new to this list. I search hard for answers but I'm not sure I get
> everything right and feel I might use your help :
>
> My understanding is that :
>
>   . EXIF tags are for technical picture info (focal, exposure, ...)

yes

>
>   . IPTC tags are more adequate to store comments or personnal info

yes

>
>   . digikam will be, through the soon-to-be-released Metadata Kipi
>     plugin, able to write tags into IPTC tags fields in the picture file
>     itself. Or maybe does it that already and the Metadata plugin is for a
>     convenient way to edit them ? 

yes, i working on. 90% completed. Look here :

http://www.digikam.org/?q=node/163

>     As well, would all digikam tags be 
>     writable into the picture file or just a subset ?

yes. current implementation do it (future 0.9.0 release planed to Christmast).

http://www.digikam.org/?q=node/150&size=_original

>
>   . although able to write metadata into the picture file, digikam
>     does have, I guess, for performance reason, its own "database"

yes, of course. to perform search.

>
>   . does digikam automatically write those in-picture-file tags or
>     does it store tags into its "database" only and flush them only when
>     explicitly requested ?

both at the same time. A batch tool will be written to synchronise pictures 
metadata with database, especially for picture already imported with digikam 
< 0.9.0.

With digikam 0.9.0, when you import a new picture in collection, IPTC tags are 
parsed to create in database the right Rating/Tags/Comments/Date 
informations .

>
>   . concerning tagging : what's the difference with Kphotoalbum ? I
>     mean is there some tag-oriented actions
>     which are possible in one an 
>     not in another (or is it just a matter of how easily it is to perform
>     those actions ?)

What do you mean by 'tag-oriented actions' exactly ?

Are you read the digiKAm handbook before to ask questions about tags ?

http://www.digikam.org/?q=docs

>
> Though Kphotoalbum seems to better suit my needs, 

Why ?

> I worry about it not 
> writing tags into pictures (in the case of the need to step to another
> software - I wouldn't lose all the tagging work done). digikam,
> through IPTC tagging seem to produce more portable work.

Already done (:=)))

>
> Also, though digikam seem to leave my underlying file-system folder
> layout intact, when importing a directory which holds only
> sub-directories (and no pictures), it creates empty "Albums" named
> after those sub-directories : is there a way to avoid that ?

Do you mean the root director on album collection ?

Gilles Caulier