Bug 516523 - face-tag export to heic-files
Summary: face-tag export to heic-files
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: digikam
Classification: Applications
Component: Metadata-ExifTool (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 8.8.0
Platform: Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Digikam Developers
URL:
Keywords: junior-jobs
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2026-02-22 14:02 UTC by Laurin
Modified: 2026-02-23 20:07 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed/Implemented In: 9.0.0
Sentry Crash Report:


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Description Laurin 2026-02-22 14:02:00 UTC
since a long time i am bag here, while gemini told me, that digikam is able to export face-tags to heic files.
But nevertheless, it did not.
I know you give the control to exif, but listen:
at cmd i wrote:
P:\..\exiftool -XMP-mwg-rs:RegionInfo="{RegionList=[{Area={H=0.1,X=0.5,Y=0.5},Name=bernd}]}" 20240517_105133.heic
  
Windows answer:
  1 image files updated

looking, if it is true:
P:\Bilder\2024\05_Foehr>C:\Users\Bernd\Lokal\Programme\DigiKam\exiftool -G1 -a -s -XMP-mwg-rs:all 20240517_105133.heic
Windows answer:

[XMP-mwg-rs]    RegionAreaH                     : 0.1
[XMP-mwg-rs]    RegionAreaX                     : 0.5
[XMP-mwg-rs]    RegionAreaY                     : 0.5
[XMP-mwg-rs]    RegionName                      : bernd

perfekt, it works.

now lets try digikam.
Configuration in settings is:
Setup-Metadata-behavior:  check-yes : use exiftool to read metadata from files
                                               check-yes: all writing operations are delegated to exiftool
                                               check-yes: if possible write metadata to raw-files

Setup-Metadata-Exiftool:  exiftool.exe version  13.36 is checked

But digikam did not show the written facetag and digikam did not write facetag to heic-files
And it should this Information also write to XMP .
gemini is wrong but shoes, what to do.

can you help or is this in the pipe?

Thank you for help
Comment 1 caulier.gilles 2026-02-22 14:07:00 UTC
Can you try to reproduce the dysfunction with last 9.0.0 pre-release ?

https://files.kde.org/digikam/
Comment 2 Maik Qualmann 2026-02-22 14:13:41 UTC
digiKam can write face rectangles to HEIC files. For this to work, the writing of tags and face tags must be enabled in the digiKam settings under Metadata, AND writing with ExifTool MUST be enabled.

Otherwise, please provide a sample HEIC file with which the problem occurs.

Maik
Comment 3 Maik Qualmann 2026-02-22 18:26:37 UTC
This command is incorrect; you haven't specified a width, it's not a valid rectangle, therefore digiKam rightly ignores it.

exiftool -XMP-mwg-rs:RegionInfo="{RegionList=[{Area={H=0.1,X=0.5,Y=0.5},Name=bernd}]}" 20240517_105133.heic
[XMP-mwg-rs]    RegionAreaH                     : 0.1
[XMP-mwg-rs]    RegionAreaX                     : 0.5
[XMP-mwg-rs]    RegionAreaY                     : 0.5
[XMP-mwg-rs]    RegionName                      : bernd

Maik
Comment 4 Laurin 2026-02-23 16:27:34 UTC
Hi Maik,
what a fast resonse.
many thanks.
I just would donate you, otherwise to digikam.

And its magic!
with 9.0.0 it works an I am so happy!
many, many thanks. its a great work!

you can close this case
Comment 5 Maik Qualmann 2026-02-23 19:38:15 UTC
Thank you for the feedback.

Maik
Comment 6 Maik Qualmann 2026-02-23 20:07:35 UTC
Git commit 990f32ec8526d48db79960a355adec140e3a0447 by Maik Qualmann.
Committed on 23/02/2026 at 20:05.
Pushed by mqualmann into branch 'master'.

use ExifTool if Exiv2 doesn't support the file type
Even if ExifTool isn't enabled, an attempt will be
made with ExifTool in case of an error with Exiv2.
For example, with HEIC or JXL files.
Related: bug 516574
FIXED-IN: 9.0.0

M  +1    -1    NEWS
M  +5    -3    core/libs/metadataengine/engine/metaengine_p.cpp

https://invent.kde.org/graphics/digikam/-/commit/990f32ec8526d48db79960a355adec140e3a0447