Descriptions are not being exported even though option is ticked

Question

Descriptions are not being exported even though option is ticked

This is a new problem for me. Not sure when it cropped up, but possibly in the last iPhoto update?

When I export a photo from my library and tick the 'Titles and Keywords' box, the description field is not copied into the IPTC caption field as it used to be. The title and keywords are, but when I look at the info panel in Finder (or in Preview), the description field remains set to "SONY DSC" which is the camera's default.

I'm running iPhoto 9.4.1 on OSX10.8.2

Is this a bug? Is anyone else having this problem? Any insights appreciated.

Posted on Oct 20, 2012 3:14 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,308 points

Oct 20, 2012 3:33 PM in response to Brenda Anderson1

I can confirm that.

iPhoto menu -> Provide iPhoto Feedback and report the bug.

Regards

TD

Reply

Answer 2

Oct 20, 2012 3:40 PM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks Terence. At least I know it wasn't operator error. 🙂 I've reported the bug as you suggested. Hope it gets addressed soon. -brenda

Reply

Answer 3

retimme

Level 1

9 points

Feb 9, 2013 7:49 AM in response to Brenda Anderson1

I'm having the same problem with iphoto 11 vs 9.4.2.

I'm trying to export ~10K photos from iPhoto along with their IPTC data, but the description field is not being exported. Instead I'm getting "OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" or a blank field in the IPTC Caption/Description field.

This is my export path:

Export -> JPG (or TIFF) -> click Maximum, Title and Keywords, and Location information.

Is there any workaround for this bug? I reported it to to apple.

Thanks,

-ruth

Reply

Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

207,409 points

Feb 9, 2013 12:06 PM in response to Brenda Anderson1

I just ran a test on a a several jpegs files and all kept the descriptions as verified by viewing in Preview, Media Pro and iPhoto (afer reimporting). I'm running 9.4.2 with 10.8.2.

OT

Reply

Answer 5

retimme

Level 1

9 points

Feb 9, 2013 3:10 PM in response to Brenda Anderson1

hmmm, i tried exporting across various years (I have about 14 years in iphoto). It looks like the descriptions export as expected from 2007 -> current, but not prior (1999-2007ish do not export descriptions). Could this be a change in cameras? Or an upgrade in iphoto around that time? The description field looks the same across all 14 years, but it must be structered differently on the back end.

thanks,

-Ruth

Reply

Answer 6

retimme

Level 1

9 points

Feb 9, 2013 3:45 PM in response to Brenda Anderson1

I fixed all my exported photos with missing IPTC data using this command:

exiftool -iptc:all= -tagsfromfile @ -all:all -unsafe ./

Download the exiftool here: http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/

open a terminal window, cd into the directory with all the exported photos, then run the exiftool command.

voila! the descriptions re-appear.

if iPhoto can create new descriptions, regardless of what camera they were taken on, then iPhoto should also be able to export them. And, this is why i'll never use iPhoto again.

Reply