Dates missing from my digiKam database

Tue Jul 21 05:56:35 BST 2026

No, I just tried 9.2.0. I fell back to 9.1.0. I have now attempted to
create a new database on a small collection, and the attempt drew the
following error: (I have a screenshot, too, but it's too big for the
mailing list)

An error occurred during the internal server start.
> Details:
> Could not start database initializer.
> Executable: /Applications/digiKam.org/digikam.app/Contents/lib/mariadb/
> bin/mariadb-install-db
> Arguments: --defaults-file=/Applications/digiKam.org/digikam.app/
> Contents/Resources/digikam/database/mysql-global.conf, --basedir=/
> Applications/digiKam.org/digikam.app/Contents/lib/mariadb/, --datadir=/
> Users/randolph/Documents/dktest/.mysql.digikam/db_data
> Process error: Unknown error
> Please check the database settings in this dialog.

A bit of poking at the command line suggests a missing symlink in the
application bundle, but I really don't know for certain.
-- 
Randolph M. Fritz || rmfritz3 at gmail.com

On Fri, Jul 17, 2026 at 11:27 PM Gilles Caulier <caulier.gilles at gmail.com>
wrote:

> How did you double check that. Did you start a new database from
> scratch on a small collection to see if the datetime field is
> populated ?
>
> Best regards
>
> Gilles Caulier
>
> Le sam. 18 juil. 2026 à 06:29, Randolph M. Fritz <rmfritz3 at gmail.com> a
> écrit :
> >
> > Unfortunately, no, that version does not fix the problem.
> > --
> > Randolph M. Fritz || rmfritz3 at gmail.com
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Jul 16, 2026 at 9:37 PM Maik Qualmann <metzpinguin at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> The issue with the date view should be fixed in the digiKam-9.2.0
> pre-release;
> >> please test it here:
> >>
> >> https://files.kde.org/digikam/
> >>
> >> Maik
> >>
> >> Am Freitag, 17. Juli 2026, 06:03:22 Mitteleuropäische Sommerzeit schrieb
> >> Randolph M. Fritz:
> >> > I should add at this point that I can see dates in the file
> properties, so
> >> > they're in the image metadata.
> >> >
> >> > > I tried creating a small collection like you suggested and did the
> >> > > metadata scan, and it doesn't seem to do anything. Still no dates
> in the
> >> > > display.
> >> > >
> >> > > How do I query the internal mysql database? I'm suspecting at this
> point
> >> > > that the dates are actually in the database, but not being
> displayed; can
> >> > > you send me some commands to run?
> >> > > --
> >> > > Randolph M. Fritz || rmfritz3 at gmail.com
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > On Thu, Jul 16, 2026 at 1:52 AM Gilles Caulier <
> caulier.gilles at gmail.com>
> >> > >
> >> > > wrote:
> >> > >> In fact this depend of multiple parameters.
> >> > >>
> >> > >> What I don't understand is why the data is not populated in the
> >> > >> database. If date of shoot cannot be taken from the file metadata
> >> > >> there is a fail back to the file system date. So typically the date
> >> > >> must be populated in all cases in the database.
> >> > >>
> >> > >> I recommend creating a small collection for testing and to
> populate a
> >> > >> small database with it. You must reproduce the problem. If yes,
> >> > >> capture the debug trace from a terminal to see where the problem
> is.
> >> > >> Look instructions here :
> >> > >>
> >> > >>
> https://www.digikam.org/contribute/#freezes-and-other-run-time-issues
> >> > >>
> >> > >> Best regards
> >> > >>
> >> > >> Gilles Caulier
> >> > >>
> >> > >> Le jeu. 16 juil. 2026 à 03:31, Randolph M. Fritz <
> rmfritz3 at gmail.com> a
> >> > >>
> >> > >> écrit :
> >> > >> > I've got the "Write to item and XMP Sidecar" setting turned
> on—is that
> >> > >>
> >> > >> OK?
> >> > >>
> >> > >> > Dates don't seem to be mentioned in the Advanced Metadata panel;
> do I
> >> > >>
> >> > >> need to add them?
> >> > >>
> >> > >> > --
> >> > >> > Randolph M. Fritz || rmfritz3 at gmail.com
> >> > >> >
> >> > >> >
> >> > >> > On Wed, Jul 15, 2026 at 11:16 AM Gilles Caulier <
> >> > >>
> >> > >> caulier.gilles at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > >> >> Yes the metadata sync to repopulate the date in the database.
> >> > >> >>
> >> > >> >> But the most important point is to know where to take the date
> in
> >> > >> >> metadata in your case. There is a advanced metadata panel in
> digiKam
> >> > >> >> where you can customize that. Another point is to know if the
> XMP
> >> > >> >> sidecar option need to be turned on.
> >> > >> >>
> >> > >> >> Best regards
> >> > >> >>
> >> > >> >> Gilles Caulier
> >> > >> >>
> >> > >> >> Le mer. 15 juil. 2026 à 17:46, Randolph M. Fritz <
> rmfritz3 at gmail.com>
> >> > >>
> >> > >> a écrit :
> >> > >> >> > Thanks. I've been using mySQL internal which, at least on the
> Mac,
> >> > >>
> >> > >> is in fact Maria.
> >> > >>
> >> > >> >> > Which option of the maintenance tool should I use? The
> metadata
> >> > >>
> >> > >> synchronizer? Or some other option?
> >> > >>
> >> > >> >> > --
> >> > >> >> > Randolph M. Fritz || rmfritz3 at gmail.com
> >> > >> >> >
> >> > >> >> > On Wed, Jul 15, 2026, 4:51 AM Gilles Caulier <
> >> > >>
> >> > >> caulier.gilles at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > >> >> >> Migrating the databases without dates will not solve the
> problem.
> >> > >>
> >> > >> The
> >> > >>
> >> > >> >> >> items are not re-scanned.
> >> > >> >> >>
> >> > >> >> >> Try to run the maintenance tool and be forced to scan all
> items.
> >> > >> >> >>
> >> > >> >> >> Note: MySQL has diverged from MariaDB in terms of
> compatibility,
> >> > >> >> >> particularly with the latest versions of MySQL. We strongly
> >> > >>
> >> > >> recommend
> >> > >>
> >> > >> >> >> using MariaDB instead of MySQL.
> >> > >> >> >>
> >> > >> >> >> Best regards
> >> > >> >> >>
> >> > >> >> >> Gilles Caulier
> >> > >> >> >>
> >> > >> >> >> Le mer. 15 juil. 2026 à 07:20, Randolph M. Fritz <
> >> > >>
> >> > >> rmfritz3 at gmail.com> a écrit :
> >> > >> >> >> > Since no-one replied, I ran the migration and…nothing
> happened.
> >> > >>
> >> > >> It didn't change the database in settings, and the dates didn't
> reappear.
> >> > >> Do I have to rebuild the database from scratch? How do I even do
> that?
> >> > >>
> >> > >> >> >> > --
> >> > >> >> >> > Randolph M. Fritz || rmfritz3 at gmail.com
> >> > >> >> >> >
> >> > >> >> >> >
> >> > >> >> >> > On Sun, Jul 12, 2026 at 8:38 PM Randolph M. Fritz <
> >> > >>
> >> > >> rmfritz3 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > >> >> >> >> Or at least, the dates don’t show up in the “Dates” view.
> >> > >> >> >> >>
> >> > >> >> >> >> It’s an internal mySQL database. Is there any easy way to
> repair
> >> > >>
> >> > >> this? Or would it be better just to migrate to SQLite? (I have 653
> GB of
> >> > >> image files.)
> >> > >>
> >> > >> >> >> >>> digiKam: 9.1.0
> >> > >> >> >> >>> KDE Frameworks: 6.26.0
> >> > >> >> >> >>> Qt: Using 6.11.0 and built against 6.11.0
> >> > >> >> >> >>> macOS Sequoia (15.7.7)
> >> > >> >> >> >>> Build ABI: arm64-little_endian-lp64
> >> > >> >> >> >>> Kernel: darwin 24.6.0
> >> > >> >> >> >>
> >> > >> >> >> >> --
> >> > >> >> >> >> Randolph M. Fritz || rmfritz3 at gmail.com
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
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