digiKam backup

[EMoShunz]

Anyone know how I can backup and save all the tags and comments I just pain-stakingy entered for all of my photos in digiKam?
I can export all the photos, but when I access them off the DVD the tags are not there.

[EMoShunz]

Re: digiKam backup

bump

[SheeEttin]

Re: digiKam backup

I don't think you can, if you're going to burn them to DVD. The DVD filesystem doesn't handle metadata.

Of course, I don't know that for a fact, but...

[blobfish]

Re: digiKam backup

I am guessing here, but from a purely back up point of view, you could burn the digikam3.db file that should be in your main pictures folder. That won't allow the data to be viewable from the dvd, but you should be able to restore it in case of an emergency. I think you may want to look into EXIF and IPTC. I believe these will allow you to store metadata in the pictures themselves. Like I said this is all speculation for I haven't done any of this. Good luck.

[ThorstenNY]

Re: digiKam backup

To elaborate on tanderson's comments, yes, if all you care about is backing up comments and tags, backing up digikam*.db would be sufficient. If you also care about accessing comments and tags for applications other than digikam, you may want to enable

• Save image tags as "Keyword" tag
• Save image comments as embedded text

in "Settings" -> "Configure digiKam."

This will store comments and tags directly in the images files. Consequently, backing up just the images will also backup the meta data. In addition, many "photo gallery builder" apps will be able to extract and display such meta data.

In addition, you may want to look into digikam's different "Album" -> "Export" options. Saving so-generated HTML files (on your photo DVDs, e.g.) should include comments and tags.

HTH,
Thorsten

[EMoShunz]

Re: digiKam backup

That did it!
Wonder if that shouldn't be the default, or at least a more visible option.

[bugmenot]

Re: digiKam backup

Careful!

Even though you told Digikam to save the tags in the .jpgs, it won't necessarily do it!

When I copied some photos to a different album, the comments and tags were different.

You also have to periodically sync the metadata with the database. Look under the "Tools" menu.

It warns you that the process will take a long time (it took about an hour for me yesterday).

I really wish that Digikam would do what you tell it to do the first time....

[ThorstenNY]

Re: digiKam backup

When I copied some photos to a different album, the comments and tags were different.

Did you move (or did you really copy, i.e., duplicate) your photos using digikam or some other method (konqueror, command line, ...)? If you did the latter, yes, the digikam database would be out of sync.

Thorsten

[bugmenot]

Re: digiKam backup

Did you move (or did you really copy, i.e., duplicate) your photos using digikam

I copied them directly with Digikam, not with Konqeror, etc. I've also experimented with other copying methods, with similar results.

Just to convince myself that I wasn't crazy, I looked at the picture metadata directly with the EXIF viewer. Sure enough, changing comments in Digikam did not necessarily change the value of the data in the image file.

It's scary that hours and hours of commenting and tagging can disappear in the blink of an eye!

[ThorstenNY]

Re: digiKam backup

I copied them directly with Digikam [...]

Just to convince myself that I wasn't crazy, I looked at the picture metadata directly with the EXIF viewer. Sure enough, changing comments in Digikam did not necessarily change the value of the data in the image file.

Copied as in duplicated? If so, did the original copies have comments embedded in the files?

What application do you mean by "the EXIF viewer"? You may or may not know that the JPEG comment field is not an EXIF field. Therefore, some EXIF viewers simply don't display "normal" JPEG comments. You can (reliably) view JPEG comments with Konqueror, e.g., (Right click -> Properties -> Meta Info.)

I've been using digikam quite heavily for years and I've never noticed any of the problems you're describing. If you're absolutely sure that you have writing comments to files enabled, feel free to file a bug report.

HTH,
Thorsten