On Fri, Jan 14, 2011 at 10:00 AM, Richard Esplin <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks for the explanation about iPhoto. > > Storing information about a file in someplace other than within the file is > destined to fail over long periods of time. > > A friend of mine pointed out that iPhoto and other applications strip the > metadata from the image files and store them in an external db for > performance reasons. He said that the iPhoto export function reinserts the > metadata on export. If there was some setting that would make this the > default behavior (regardless of performance) so that I don't have to do it on > every change to every file, then it would meet my needs. > > I don't mind it using a cache of the metadata for searching. But when I enter > content I insist that it gets inserted into the file and not hidden somewhere > else. Any other behavior is just a waste of time, as far as archiving goes. > > Any ideas on how to get iPhoto (or anything else) to do this?
Actually that is not true at all. iPhoto does not strip any existing metadata from the files you import. That is completely false. In fact, any modifications made using iPhoto are done to a separate copy, while the original file is retained 100% intact. I agree that keeping metadata inside the file is the best case scenario. I would like to find a photo organizer that is standards based, easy to use, and full of features. Digikam sounds interesting, I might try it. However, I really like using iPhoto. It works well. Of course I can't simply move all my metadata around to other programs without some custom data extraction, export, and import. But I have yet to see any two programs that can easily move *all* my meta data around easily. I believe the problem is in the metadata itself. Some applications have special features whose metadata is difficult or not supported in EXIF (eg. Faces). To me, as long as I can get access to the metadata using easily available tools/formats and have an enjoyable/easy usage, I will be happy. At least for now... until I can find the Holy Grail photo app, like you are looking for. --lonnie /* PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug Don't fear the penguin. */
