[Digikam-users] Image file alterations

[Gerhard Kulzer]

On Tuesday 13 January 2009 06:10:09 Chris Savery wrote:
> Hello,
> I'm new to digiKam. I am currently using Lightroom on WinXP under
> VirtualBox. I would very much like to move to using digiKam so that I
> can do my photo work under linux.
>
> First thing that comes to mind when trying this out:
>
> -> if I add my image file tree being used under Lightroom into digiKam
> as albums is digiKam going to write back to the image metadata on those
> images?
digiKam cannot write into RAW files, but can write into DNG files and normal 
formats like jpg and png, tif. The latter depends on your settings: you can 
leave it at the default where metadata are kept in the database only, or tell 
digikam to write into the images (I prefer the latter for security reasons).

> I'd rather that all my Canon CR2 images remained intact and unaltered. I
> would also very much like if they can co-habitate in both Lightroom and
> digiKam until I have decided that digiKam offers enough incentive to
> drop Lightroom. I have looked through the manual but can't find a clear
> answer on this.
see above, CR2 will not be touched. 
But digikam can convert them into DNG files and add metadata. (If you read my 
article on Digital Asset Management http://www.gerhard.fr/DAM you'll find 
arguments against keeping propriatary formats in the long run)

> Second thing that I'm not clear on is when adding images from my CF
> cards using the auto-album mode to create date folders is what those 3
> date options really mean. It isn't stated anywhere that I can find, but
> maybe I'm not looking enough. I want to use the same format I do now -
> eg. 2009/January/03 for the folder name. Is that "full text" or ISO. It
> would really help if that selector box there gave examples of what the
> options mean. I guess that should be added to some wish list.
Use the context help: Shift+F1 (question mark appears), then click onto the 
Date format and a detailed example explanation will come up.

> Lastly, in digiKam it looks like there is no similar concept to the
> "catalog" of Lightroom. As far as I can tell when images are added to an
> album it is simply a way of managing a file folder tree. So if that's
> the case I'm not clear how one works with offline content stored on
> removable media. If the albums are "out there" (not online) is the data
> still stored in the database. So is there only ONE really big database
> for everything ever touched in digiKam or is there some way to select a
> current database, ie. catalog?
Currently digiKam can not deal with offline content, but that feature is in the 
development pipeline.
> I have many years background programming for Win32 GUI in C/C++. If I am
> able to really use digiKam for my photography under Linux then I'd be
> really happy to contribute through programming for digiKam too. There
> would be a learning curve for me as I have not yet coded for Linux Gui
> (just console apps so far).
You are more than welcome to contribute to digikam. It's best to write or talk 
to Gilles Gaulier, our lead developer, directly. He is often on the freenode 
#digikam channel.

Cheers
Gerhard
> Thanks for any input on my questions above.