Dates missing from my digiKam database

[Maik Qualmann]

This is currently a MariaDB issue; it affects openSUSE Tumbleweed as well. 
That’s simply the downside of using cutting-edge software sometimes.

Maik

Am Freitag, 24. Juli 2026, 15:53:43 Mitteleuropäische Sommerzeit schrieb 
Gilles Caulier:
> 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