ImgHeal

Find an Original Hidden by digiKam Version Display Settings

By ImgHeal · Updated

A source image can be absent from the normal digiKam image area while remaining available in its version history. Check version display rules and the actual file path before concluding it was deleted. Keep the distinction between visibility, ancestry, and file existence clear during restoration review.

Explore this topic: Organize a photo archive

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Start from a known derivative

Open a visible version whose origin you recognize. Record its filename, source object ID, and the edit you expect to distinguish it from the master. Consult the Versions view rather than searching only for matching thumbnails. A catalog can display a related version without making the parent obvious in the ordinary grid. Preserve the current file arrangement while investigating; renaming or moving versions at this point adds another possible reason for an unresolved link.

Read the history and display policy together

digiKam's Versions view documents parent/child relationships and different ways to display saved versions and actions. It also points to settings controlling which versions appear in the image area. Inspect both the relationship information and the active display rules. A hidden original is different from a missing original, and a visually similar file is not automatically the parent. Check the full path of the candidate source and open it outside the catalog if necessary. Record any relationship that must be inferred rather than read from the saved history.

Choose the source deliberately for delivery

Compare the candidate original with your untouched archive inventory, including border, dimensions, and identifying marks. Use a checksum if you need to establish agreement with a recorded master. Export the intended version into a separate delivery location and inspect it before sharing. Keep the original's hidden/display state separate from its preservation status. For ImgHeal work, retain the uploaded source and output as distinct files even when digiKam groups them in a convenient version view; grouping is organizational help, not evidence that generated features are historically authentic.

Check this workflow

  • Inspect version history from a known derivative.
  • Check display settings before diagnosing deletion.
  • Verify the source against the master inventory.

Sources and further reading

Questions about this restoration task

Can version history prove the original is still readable?

No. It can identify a relationship or path, but open the actual source file to establish current access.

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.

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