Dates missing from my digiKam database

Fri Jul 24 14:53:43 BST 2026

Create a new account on your system and run from scratch digiKAm on a
small collection.

Gilles Caulier

Le ven. 24 juil. 2026 à 15:50, Randolph M. Fritz <rmfritz3 at gmail.com> a écrit :
>
> I just tried creating a new database on a small set of images, and I was asked if I wanted to delete digikamrc. No! I don't! I don't want to throw away my existing database of, literally, decades of images.
>
> How do I run this test without losing all my data?
> --
> Randolph M. Fritz || rmfritz3 at gmail.com
>
>
> On Thu, Jul 23, 2026 at 12:03 PM Randolph M. Fritz <rmfritz3 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Tried this with 9.2.0; same error, fell back to 9.1.0 again.
>>
>> I'm just relieved I didn't have to roll my database all the way back.
>> --
>> Randolph M. Fritz || rmfritz3 at gmail.com
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jul 20, 2026 at 9:56 PM Randolph M. Fritz <rmfritz3 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> 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
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>