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How to use the embedded metadata (EXIF, IPTC, etc) already in your images to populate asset fields
How to use the embedded metadata (EXIF, IPTC, etc) already in your images to populate asset fields

Learn how to extract and use the data already in your images by mapping embedded metadata fields to your fields in Dash

Charlie Pinker avatar
Written by Charlie Pinker
Updated over a week ago

By default, Dash comes with some embedded metadata mappings preconfigured:

  • Caption -> populates the Title field

  • Description -> populates the Description field

  • Keywords -> populates the Tags field

  • Date Time Original -> populates the Date Created field.

When a file is added to Dash, either through an upload or import, Dash will extract the metadata stored within the file and use it to pre-populate the new asset's field values according to the mappings above.

Some files (e.g. photos) include additional embedded metadata (often EXIF tags) that are not mapped by default in Dash. This could include, for example, the camera and exposure settings.

If you would like the data in these embedded fields to automatically populate your asset fields in Dash, you can create a custom field that is automatically populated with a specific embedded field of your choosing. (Note that this will not populate existing assets already imported).

Let's say we want to create an field to show the ISO (exposure) information of a photo:

  • Create a new text field called "ISO Speed"

  • Now edit the ISO field and expand the section called "Populate with data embedded in the file".

  • In the text area shown, enter the EXIF metadata tag that you want to populate this custom field with. In this case, the ISO tag is simply called "ISO", so enter that here.

  • For assets uploaded from this point on, the ISO information will be populated into the ISO Speed field.

What tags do we support?

We support all tags that are found embedded in the assets imported into Dash, even if they are not standard tags. You just need to know the name of the tag, which you can do by querying the asset using an EXIF viewer tool or by clicking the 'View embedded file data' on the Asset Details page in Dash (found under the dropdown to the right of the 'Original file' in the metadata panel).

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