Editing File Metadata¶

Many file formats support storing metadata in a dedicated header section. This can be enriched or altered.

• ExifTool: https://exiftool.org How ToHow To

  Change value of a tag¶

  • List of tags exiftool supports: https://exiftool.org/TagNames/index.html

  For example change the value of the EXIF tag 'Artist'. With Windows cmd line.

  1. open cmd line (press Windows+R, type cmd and press enter)
  2. in cmd line navigate to folder containing exiftool executable
  3. to find the name of the tag you want to change, firs list metadata with actual tag names (use -s flag)
     

     exiftool -s ..\..\..\Documents\tmpStuff\bieber_PC_OeNB\042_OeNB_1904-1a.tif

     
     This gives
     

     ExifToolVersion                 : 11.86
     FileName                        : 042_OeNB_1904-1a.tif
     Directory                       : ../../../Documents/tmpStuff/bieber_PC_OeNB
     FileSize                        : 10 MB
     FileModifyDate                  : 2019:07:18 13:33:42+02:00
     FileAccessDate                  : 2020:02:13 10:41:31+01:00
     FileCreateDate                  : 2020:02:13 10:41:31+01:00
     FilePermissions                 : rw-rw-rw-
     FileType                        : TIFF
     FileTypeExtension               : tif
     MIMEType                        : image/tiff
     ExifByteOrder                   : Little-endian (Intel, II)
     SubfileType                     : Full-resolution image
     ImageWidth                      : 2263
     ImageHeight                     : 1515
     BitsPerSample                   : 8 8 8
     Compression                     : Uncompressed
     PhotometricInterpretation       : RGB
     Model                           : Microbox GmbH - Book2Net
     StripOffsets                    : 272596
     SamplesPerPixel                 : 3
     RowsPerStrip                    : 4294967295
     StripByteCounts                 : 10285335
     XResolution                     : 400
     YResolution                     : 400
     ResolutionUnit                  : inches
     Software                        : High Performance Image Library, (c) Michael Girke 2008
     ModifyDate                      : 2016:08:29 15:44:31
     Artist                          : Ísterreichische Nationalbilbiothek, Wien
     ProfileCMMType                  : Apple Computer Inc.
     ProfileVersion                  : 2.4.0
     ProfileClass                    : Input Device Profile
     ColorSpaceData                  : RGB
     ProfileConnectionSpace          : Lab
     ProfileDateTime                 : 2010:05:28 10:51:13
     ProfileFileSignature            : acsp
     PrimaryPlatform                 : Microsoft Corporation
     CMMFlags                        : Not Embedded, Independent
     DeviceManufacturer              :
     DeviceModel                     :
     DeviceAttributes                : Reflective, Glossy, Positive, Color
     RenderingIntent                 : Perceptual
     ConnectionSpaceIlluminant       : 0.9642 1 0.82491
     ProfileCreator                  : Unknown (LOGO)
     ProfileID                       : 0
     ProfileCopyright                : Copyright by LOGO GmbH, Steinfurt
     ChromaticAdaptation             : 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
     RedMatrixColumn                 : 0.38354 0.14978 0
     GreenMatrixColumn               : 0.57959 0.83546 0.01984
     BlueMatrixColumn                : 0.00107 0.01474 0.80507
     MediaWhitePoint                 : 0.9642 1 0.82491
     MediaBlackPoint                 : 0 0 0
     RedTRC                          : (Binary data 1034 bytes, use -b option to extract)
     GreenTRC                        : (Binary data 1034 bytes, use -b option to extract)
     BlueTRC                         : (Binary data 1034 bytes, use -b option to extract)
     AToB0                           : (Binary data 221806 bytes, use -b option to extract)
     AToB2                           : (Binary data 221806 bytes, use -b option to extract)
     AToB1                           : (Binary data 221806 bytes, use -b option to extract)
     ProfileDescription              : 1910044_28-05-2010_1
     ImageSize                       : 2263x1515
     Megapixels                      : 3.4
     

  4. To change value of 'Artist' type: (see https://exiftool.org/#writing for details)
     

     exiftool -Artist="Oesterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien" ..\..\..\Documents\tmpStuff\bieber_PC_OeNB\042_OeNB_1904-1a.tif

  5. Now check the result
     

     exiftool -s ..\..\..\Documents\tmpStuff\bieber_PC_OeNB\042_OeNB_1904-1a.tif

     
     This gives
     

     ...
     Artist                          : Oesterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien
     ...
     

  6. Done!

  • For applying this on all files in one folder:
    

    exiftool -Artist="Oesterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien" ..\..\..\Documents\tmpStuff\bieber_PC_OeNB

  • For applying this on all files in one folder with subfolders:
    

    exiftool -r -Artist="Oesterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien" ..\..\..\Documents\tmpStuff\bieber_PC_OeNB

  Note¶

  UTF-8 does not seem to work properly (although it might only be the case for EXIF tags).

  • Workflow for testing can be found here: https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=5011.0
  • In Windows cmd
    • change codepage to utf-8
      

      chcp 65001

    • then execute steps as above but with -charset utf8
      

      exiftool -charset utf8 -Artist="Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien" ..\..\..\Documents\tmpStuff\bieber_PC_OeNB\042_OeNB_1904-1a.tif