drewnoakes/metadata-extractor

Improved metadata parsing for HEIC files

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#594 opened on Nov 25, 2022

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 (10 comments) (0 reactions) (0 assignees)Java (2,411 stars) (470 forks)batch import
format-heifhelp wantedimage-queue

Description

Metadata-extractor can't read the EXIF and GPS tags from the referenced HEIC file. It is made with an iPhone 13 Pro with the latest iOS version and it has been edited with the iPhone Photo App.

File: https://jalbum.net/forum/servlet/JiveServlet/download/2-58642-359253-23524/IMG_8780.HEIC

(We have been testing with v2.15 of Metadata-extractor.)

Contributor guide

Tech stack
java
Domain
backend
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
stale
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Javametadata extractor basicsHEIC format
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
60
Research direction
Start by examining the existing HEIC metadata reader class (e.g., HeicReader.java) in the metadata extractor source code. Identify where EXIF and GPS tags are expected to be extracted. Compare the parsing logic with the provided sample HEIC file (IMG 8780.HEIC) to see where it fails. Look at comments in the issue for any hints or partial solutions. Test with a known working tool like exiftool to verify expected metadata. Implement necessary changes to handle the EXIF and GPS tags correctly.