# Metadata

This section describes the options for metadata writing.

Refer also to titleGuideReferenceMetadata in the Reference section.

## Metadata writing process

When writing metadata, Geeqie will follow these steps. This process will stop when the first successful write occurs. A flowchart showing the sequence is here .

1. Save metadata in image files or sidecar files, according to the XMP standard

   If checked, Geeqie will attempt to write metadata to the file itself, or to an associated XMP sidecar file

   The destination is dependent on the settings in the "Writable" and "Sidecar Is Allowed" columns of the File Filters tab .

2. Save metadata in '.metadata' folder, local to image folder (non-standard)

   If checked, Geeqie will attempt to write to an xmp file in a local .metadata folder

3. Save metadata in Geeqie private directory

   If neither of the above are successful, Geeqie will write to an xmp file in the folder

       $HOME/.local/share/geeqie/metadata

When writing to local metadata folders, the directory structure duplicates that of the location of the source files.

## Step 1 Options:

If Step 1 above was successful, the following options take effect:

- Store metadata also in legacy IPTC tags (converted according to IPTC4XMP standard)

  If checked, Geeqie will write IPTC tags as defined in titleGuideReferenceStandards

  The conversion from XMP tag to IPTC tag is performed by exiv2. A list of the XMP-IPTC conversions is at the end of this table .

- Warn if the image files are not writeable

  If checked, open a warning dialogue if the file is not writeable

- Ask before writing to image files

  If checked, open a confirmation dialogue before writing to the file

- Create sidecar files named image.ext.xmp (as opposed to image.xmp)

  If checked, new sidecar files will use image.ext.xmp naming scheme. This scheme is used by Darktable.

## Steps 2 and 3 Option:

If Step 2 or 3 above was successful, the following option takes effect:

- Use GQview legacy metadata format (supports only keywords and comments) instead of XMP

  If checked, Geeqie will write metadata in GQview legacy files (file extension .meta) format

## Miscellaneous

- Write the same description tags to all grouped sidecars

  If checked the same descriptive tags are written to all files in a group. File grouping is as defined in the File Filters tab of main Preferences. Technical tags (exif) are handled separately for each file.

  The tags written are:

                "Xmp.dc.title"
                "Xmp.photoshop.Urgency"
                "Xmp.photoshop.Category",
                "Xmp.photoshop.SupplementalCategory",
                "Xmp.dc.subject",
                "Xmp.iptc.Location",
                "Xmp.photoshop.Instruction",
                "Xmp.photoshop.DateCreated",
                "Xmp.dc.creator",
                "Xmp.photoshop.AuthorsPosition",
                "Xmp.photoshop.City",
                "Xmp.photoshop.State",
                "Xmp.iptc.CountryCode",
                "Xmp.photoshop.Country",
                "Xmp.photoshop.TransmissionReference",
                "Xmp.photoshop.Headline",
                "Xmp.photoshop.Credit",
                "Xmp.photoshop.Source",
                "Xmp.dc.rights",
                "Xmp.dc.description",
                "Xmp.photoshop.CaptionWriter",
                "Xmp.xmp.Rating",

- Allow keywords to differ only in case

  If checked, permits keywords to be case-sensitive (e.g. Place and place are two different keywords)

- Write altered image orientation to the metadata

  If checked, the results of orientation commands (Rotate, Mirror and Flip) issued on an image will be written to metadata either automatically as specified below or when manually initiated. This option also affects the Auto rotate image using EXIF information menu item.

  If this option is not checked, the results of orientation commands will be lost when Geeqie closes.

  Do not change this option while you have temporary rotations applied to images.

## Auto-save options

- Write metadata after timeout

  If checked, metadata writes will be made automatically at the defined interval. Warning dialogues will be issued if required.

- Write metadata on image change

  If checked, metadata writes will be made when you move focus to another image.

- Write metadata on directory change

  If checked, metadata writes will be made when you move focus to another folder.

## Spelling Checks

If selected, spelling checks will be enabled on the following panes:

- Title

- Comment

- Headline

## Pre-load metadata

- Read metadata in background

  Using the folder sorting options:

  Exif date original

  Exif date digitized

  Rating

  requires metadata to be read from all files in a folder before the sort action can be made. If a folder contains a large number of file, this can take a noticeable period of time.

  If this option is checked, Geeqie will automatically read the required metatada in the background as soon as a folder is opened. This will reduce the amount of time you have to wait until the sort is completed.

  If you do not use these sort options, leave this option unchecked.

## Metadata Write Sequence Flowchart