Correction and clarification below: On Friday January 14 2011 18:06:44 Lonnie Olson <[email protected]> wrote: > 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.
Strip is the wrong word. He was saying what you are saying. Ingest or cache would be better words. > 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 Thanks for the insight. You always have very informed input. I appreciate your contributions. My "good-enough-for-now" is a photo app that only allows me to enter data that is storeable as part of standard metadata. I understand that means a reduction in features, but I'm too lazy to enter tagging information / comments if it isn't going to stay around forever (or a reasonable approximation thereof). Thanks, Richard /* PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug Don't fear the penguin. */
