[Digikam-users] How to remove IPTC tags.

[Paristo]

>> Is there way to remove IPTC tags or non-camera exif (user added Exif)
>> info from pictures?

> You could try exiv2 on the command line, in particular the -d option.
> If you have isolated the file which causes the problem,
> please make a copy before so that we could have a look at
> the file to find the origin of the problem.

This is little problematic because i cant be 100% sure what pictures makes 
this. I have tryed to narrow down those pictures by type (jpeg, orf, nef, cr2 
etc) and by time when pictures has taken. Like i can remove all other than 
jpeg files but digikam still dont start. I can remove all jpeg files, and 
digikam dont start. 

I have moved small groups of albums to digikam (from filemanager and then 
started digikam and checked does it start) to that point when it dont anymore 
start. Then move last moved group away and restart digikam and it still dont 
start, even if i move away few moved groups more, digikam dont start. That's 
why it is really dificult to find what pictures makes this.

I have tryed this on Digikam 8.2 to latest 9.3 beta3 and problem exist. It 
came on 9.0 version and if i remember correctly now, when i merged digikam 
album and database info.

I have even removed (backupped) .db files and it still exist. Tryed on 4 
different PC with different digikam version and only thing what is related is 
same USB harddrive (same mount point on every PC) and same pictures. And i 
have even copied pictures from USB HD to internal HD and same effect.

>> I had this problem that Digikam dont start, it just hangs to "Reading
>> database" and mayby 1/20 it get pass that. It didnt help to recompile
>> with --debug option because then it started normal way and didnt give
>> any erros

> So there are no messages on the console which would give any hint?

No, console didnt give any good hint what could be problem when debug was 
compiled in. It was hilarius that when debug was ON, it didnt give any errors 
and when debug was OFF, digikam didnt start :-)

>> I think problem is now on those IPTC or Exif data what i have added to
>> pictures by "sync with database" option.

> Might be...
> Which version of digikam are you using?
> Which version of exiv2 are you using?
> (Can be found with a running digikam under "About")
> Which instructions did you follow to generate
> the debug version (e.g. http://www.digikam.org/?q=download/svn )?

Yes, i compiled SVN version about 1 month ago and i was contact with KDE devs 
via IRC and it couldn't get solved. I should try it again with new SVN 
version. I just toke newest version from Mandriva Cooker.

Current version of:
Digikam is 0.9.3 Beta3 (0.9.3-0.beta3.2mdv2008.1) 
Exiv2 is 0.16-0.pre1 (0.16-0.pre1.3mdv2008.1)
libexiv2 is 0.15 (0.15-2mdv2008.0)
libexiv2_2 is 0.16-0.pre1 (0.16-0.pre1.3mdv2008.1)
libkexiv2 is 0.1.6 (0.1.6-4mdv2008.1)
libkexiv21 is 0.1.5 (0.1.5-4mdv2008.0)
libkexiv23 is 0.1.6 (0.1.6-4mdv2008.1)

>Your problem reminds me of a bug which has been fixed recently...

I think it wasn't same because on beta3 this my problem still exist. It seems 
only way is to narrow down false pictures (what is very dificult, like catch 
a bird from sky! ;-)) and try again with SVN version with debug option and 
find something from there with better luck OR make copies from pictures, 
remove all IPTC tags or other what can come from Digikam and keep original 
Exif data and try again.


Biggest problem here is that i cant give right info for developers to help me 
out :-)