no writeable tags found - <filename>.x3f

Posted on 2009-05-24 20:19:36-07 by snah

Hi Phil,
normally I succeed transferring exif-data between image-files but for the file-type Sigma-X3F I don't.

Displaying the exif-information works well using this command:

exiftool -a -u -g1 img110500.x3f

Of course, it perfectly displays the tag: 'DateTimeOriginal' among all tags available.

But I don't succeed copying this exiftag -DateTimeOriginal to the converted TIF-File with this command:

exiftool -tagsfromfile img110500.x3f -exif:DateTimeOriginal img110500.tif

I'd assume this may be caused by Sigma not really conforming to standards.
I hope my assumption is wrong and that you've got a simple solution for this dilemma.

I was thinking of reading the 'datetimeoriginal' and writing it to 'file-list.txt' with a header like '$filename/$datetimeoriginal', listing each filename with its unique 'datetimeoriginal'.
In a second step I'd use the file-list.txt and read the data to be put into the corresponding tif-file.
I guess that might be a complicated workaround (? ), but still, I am not succeeding with the proper syntax.
Your advice is highly appreciated, thanks.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
with kind regards, Hans.

Direct Responses: 10805 | Write a response

Posted on 2009-05-24 22:24:47-07 by snah in response to 10804

Re: no writeable tags found - <filename>.x3f

Add on:
Meanwhile I've got the list of filenames with the corresponding data for 'datetimeoriginal' the listed tif-files should receive:

IMG110500.tif, 2009:01:11 10:51:23 IMG110501.tif, 2009:01:11 10:51:32 IMG110502.tif, 2009:01:11 10:52:47 IMG110503.tif, 2009:01:11 10:56:11 IMG110504.tif, 2009:01:11 10:56:43 IMG110505.tif, 2009:01:11 10:58:01

The question for the above post is now:

How can exiftool write the 'datetimeoriginal' data from a file like above into the corresponding tif?

Thanks, Hans.

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Posted on 2009-05-25 11:03:44-07 by exiftool in response to 10805

Re: no writeable tags found - <filename>.x3f

Hi Hans,

This is FAQ number 3. You need to copy DateTimeOriginal without specifying the group since the X3F image does not contain EXIF.

- Phil

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Posted on 2009-05-26 00:02:12-07 by snah in response to 10808

Re: no writeable tags found - <filename>.x3f

Hi Phil,
Sorry, somewhat I get it, but I am not quite happy with what I did.
I believe this could be done more elegant.

I can redirect 'datetimeoriginal' from one X3F to another TIF allright.

exiftool -Tagsfromfile ../img110501.x3f "-datetimeoriginal" img110501.tif 1 image files updated

But I do not quite succedd with the same command for a list of files in 'file_list.txt'.
OK, I must admit the tag 'datetimeoriginal' is perfectly updated with this command:

exiftool -Tagsfromfile %d../%f.x3f "-datetimeoriginal" -@ d:\images\2009\file_list.txt 473 image files updated 54 files weren't updated due to errors

- The file_list.txt contains the filenames only.
- 'File_list.txt' must be placed where there are no spaces in the path. (?)
- The command was executed from the folder containing the files that receive the tag 'datetimeorignal' from the X3F one folder up in the brach.

All the German Umlaute like 'ä', 'ö', 'ü' get trashed.
'Graubünden' becomes 'GraubÃ¼nden'.
Probably caused by US-ASCII charset.

I bet there is a way to handle this as well since exiftool appears in Japanese.
What would be the syntax to preserve the utf-8 charset in textfields like 'Location', 'State' or 'Description'?
Or, how can I avoid that these values get thouched at all? (seekeing the more elegant way to accomplish this).

Then when using the verboose option '-v', it gets somewhat scarry. Quite some information is displayed, seems as the whole image is being rebuilt.

Setting new values from ../IMG110813.x3f Rewriting IMG110813.tif... Editing tags in: ExifIFD IFD0 MIE-Doc MakerNotes TIFF XMP FileType = TIFF MIMEType = image/tiff ExifByteOrder = II Rewriting IFD0 Rewriting XMP Rewriting IPTC [nothing changed] Rewriting Photoshop Rewriting ExifIFD Rewriting ICC_Profile Copying 1 image data blocks

Leaving out '-Tagsfromfile' then about 180 lines of values are displayed (probably shouldn't do that).
I'd assume that's how it's supposed to be, right?

Thanks, Hans.

Direct Responses: 10824 | 10825 | Write a response

Posted on 2009-05-26 11:00:15-07 by exiftool in response to 10819

Re: no writeable tags found - <filename>.x3f

Hi Hans,

Yes, the verbose option gives a lot of detail. This is normal.

If a path contains spaces, you must put quotes around the argument.

The command you give should only write the DateTimeOriginal tag, so I don't understand why you say the special characters get trashed, because they won't be affected by this command. (Unless you are doing something funny in your -@ file.)

I really don't understand what you are doing. Please give more specific examples.

- Phil

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Posted on 2009-05-26 11:40:19-07 by snah in response to 10819

Re: no writeable tags found - <filename>.x3f

...update

The UTF-8 issue got sorted (FAQ #18).

The commandline is doing allmost exactly what I want it to do:

exiftool -v -overwrite_in_place -Tagsfromfile ../%9f.x3f "-datetimeoriginal" -@ d:\images\2009\file +_list.txt

'file_list.txt' only contains the filenames.

Still, using the verboose option irritates me.
Would there be a way to do the same by not using 'Tagsfromfile'?
Instead by using only the resulting value of:

exiftool -datetimeoriginal ../img110516.x3f Date/Time Original : 2009:01:11 11:06:48

Thanks, Hans.

Direct Responses: 10826 | Write a response

Posted on 2009-05-26 11:49:37-07 by snah in response to 10825

Re: no writeable tags found - <filename>.x3f

Hi Phil,
your answer and my update crossed eachother, so here is what I want to do:
Read the tag 'datetimeoriginal' from Sigma-X3F files and insert it to the corresponding TIF and PSD files which are already converted but in those files the tag 'datetimeoriginal' got screwed up by some software I was playing with (no back-up available).
With Exiftool I can restore the correct value from the original RAW file into the converted files.
Thanks, Hans.

Direct Responses: 10827 | Write a response

Posted on 2009-05-26 12:23:31-07 by exiftool in response to 10826

Re: no writeable tags found - <filename>.x3f

Hi Hans,

It sounds like you have solved all your problems except for your issue with the -v option. If you write to an image, yes, the file gets rewritten. If you don't want to see the details, then don't use the -v option.

- Phil

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