Choose the Correct Metadata Synchronization Direction in digiKam
By ImgHeal · Updated
Metadata synchronization can replace one description with another. Before running it in digiKam, establish whether the database or the image and sidecar files hold the accepted values. Save conflicting descriptions first, then test the documented direction on a small, recoverable sample.
Explore this topic: Organize a photo archive
Find one real disagreement
Choose an item whose caption differs between the catalog and another metadata reader. Record the stable item ID, filename, database text, embedded values, and any sidecar. Include field names and language labels rather than copying only what appears as the main caption. Review who last edited each version and which wording the project accepted. A newer file timestamp is not automatically the better description: it may reflect a conversion, synchronization, or unrelated application write.
Select the accepted source of values
digiKam's metadata synchronizer documentation distinguishes moving database information to file metadata from reading file information into the database. Review the relevant settings and exact scope before starting. Protect the database and the test files, including sidecars. Choose a few items with known outcomes, not the entire archive. Where the disagreement is unresolved, retain both versions in a research note instead of using synchronization to make uncertainty disappear. Keep the operation separate from image edits so any unexpected change has a narrower explanation.
| Accepted information is in | Intended result | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Database | Carry accepted values to configured file metadata | Inspect the actual image or sidecar |
| Image or sidecar | Read accepted values into the catalog | Inspect the resulting database fields |
| Unresolved conflicting sources | Retain alternatives before writing | Record the evidence and editorial decision |
Verify both sides after the test
Reopen the sample in digiKam and inspect it with an independent reader that understands the relevant metadata. Confirm that the intended field changed in the intended direction and that unrelated captions or names remained intact. Check whether a sidecar, the image, or both were written under your settings. Record the accepted procedure before widening the scope. For an ImgHeal derivative, preserve the original source metadata separately and describe generated changes explicitly; copying a caption onto a restored image does not establish that every reconstructed feature belongs to the historical scene.
Check this workflow
- Save both conflicting descriptions first.
- Name the authoritative source and write direction.
- Verify database, image, and sidecar results.
Sources and further reading
- digiKam: Metadata synchronizerDocuments choosing the direction of synchronization between files and the database.
- digiKam: Metadata settingsExplains file-writing options, sidecar naming, pending writes, and metadata categories.
Questions about this restoration task
Should I synchronize everything just because two applications disagree?
No. Determine which fields and values are accepted, preserve the alternatives, and test a limited synchronization before applying it broadly.
Continue with a related guide
Try a restoration on a copy of your photo
Keep the original scan. Upload a separate digital copy, review ImgHeal’s generated result, and decide whether it suits your needs.
Open ImgHeal