[Digikam-users] How to remove IPTC tags.

[Arnd Baecker]

Hi,

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007, Paristo wrote:

> >> 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.

Yes, this is one of the worst situations...
If we don't get a better idea, you could
zip the whole directory with data-base and images and
put it somewhere to download, so we could have a look
(of course it depends on the contents of your pictures if you
really would like to do that; in any case it is best to send such
a link off-list ...;-).

> 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.

It seems that you have really gone through a lot of reasonable tests!

> >> 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 :-)

Sounds like a really weird problem ...

> >> 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)

Why do you have two libexiv2 and two libkexiv2
(maybe you could remove  libexiv2 and libkexiv21)?

> >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 :-)

And I am running out of ideas ...
Anyone else having an idea how to debug this issue?

Arnd