No EXIF data

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  • CorbinH
    Senior Member
    • May 2009
    • 232
    • 4.0.0

    No EXIF data

    Prior to the update to 5.4.3 most images uploaded to our photography forum had EXif data attached. Since the update NONE of the images has any EXIF data available. Is this a vBulletin issue, or should we be looking somewhere else?
  • Mark.B
    vBulletin Support
    • Feb 2004
    • 24286
    • 6.0.X

    #2
    I believe vBulletin 5 strips out the exif data.
    MARK.B
    vBulletin Support
    ------------
    My Unofficial vBulletin 6.0.0 Demo: https://www.talknewsuk.com
    My Unofficial vBulletin Cloud Demo: https://www.adminammo.com

    Comment


    • CorbinH
      CorbinH commented
      Editing a comment
      Would it be a Feature Request or an Improvement Request?

    • Wayne Luke
      Wayne Luke commented
      Editing a comment
      Feature Request.

    • CorbinH
      CorbinH commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks Wayne,
  • imager
    Senior Member
    • May 2006
    • 382

    #3
    As some of us run photography forums, the preservation of exif metadata is valuable - paramount, even. Can you provide any assistance in identifying how vBulletin strips the metadata and any suggestions as to how to preserve this data? I'm guessing it has something to do with the way ImageMagick is called from vBulletin?

    Comment

    • imager
      Senior Member
      • May 2006
      • 382

      #4
      We could just about live with images uploaded and un-resized if this would retain the exif data but I've just tried this and I'm still not seeing any remaining metadata. Where would I find the original unchanged image file?

      Comment

      • Wayne Luke
        vBulletin Technical Support Lead
        • Aug 2000
        • 73976

        #5
        All EXIF data is stripped, even on images that are not resized. EXIF data is not secure and can be used to compromise a web server.
        Translations provided by Google.

        Wayne Luke
        The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
        vBulletin 5 API

        Comment

        • CorbinH
          Senior Member
          • May 2009
          • 232
          • 4.0.0

          #6
          I put in a feature request for EXIF data to be made available on Dec 18 last year and have heard nothing since. Was this considered at all? Other photography forums seem to get by just fine allowing members access to EXIF data. Sorry, but I think you guys are being just a bit too anal on this issue.

          Comment

          • Wayne Luke
            vBulletin Technical Support Lead
            • Aug 2000
            • 73976

            #7
            Its in the Dev Queue currently. This is the highest priority queue that it can be in.
            Translations provided by Google.

            Wayne Luke
            The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
            vBulletin 5 API

            Comment

            • CorbinH
              Senior Member
              • May 2009
              • 232
              • 4.0.0

              #8
              Wayne Luke I notice that the issue has been closed. Would you mind telling me the result?

              Comment

              • Wayne Luke
                vBulletin Technical Support Lead
                • Aug 2000
                • 73976

                #9
                It was added to vBulletin 5.5.5 as stated in the issue. You can review the Release Announcement for more information.
                Translations provided by Google.

                Wayne Luke
                The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
                vBulletin 5 API

                Comment


                • CorbinH
                  CorbinH commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Thanks for that Wayne. I would have thought that a message to the originator of the issue advising of what action had been taken would have been nice, but no worries the issue has been fixed.
                  Hopefully I can figure out how to implement the necessary steps.

                • Wayne Luke
                  Wayne Luke commented
                  Editing a comment
                  If you were subscribed to the issue, it would have sent an email automatically. You can change your notification settings for the future by clicking on your Avatar in the top right corner of Bug Genie and selecting "Your Account". On that page, click the Notifications tab.
              • CorbinH
                Senior Member
                • May 2009
                • 232
                • 4.0.0

                #10
                I'm not a clever chap when it comes to matters of upgrades or tech stuff and I would like to ask if someone here could point me in the right direction of how to install the necessary tools to implement the viewing of exif data for images posted by our members. We have installed vb 5.5.5.
                The following lines in the release notes is just a confusing mess to me: Image EXIF Information

                "This functionality requires the use of the imagick or imagemagick image processing libraries. It will not work with the GD library. We strongly recommend that you install and configure ClamAV as well.

                To enable this feature you must add a line to your /core/includes/config.php:

                $config['Misc']['preserve_exif'] = true;"


                I have edited the config.php file and included the line above, but it has made no change, obviously we need imageick or imagemagick and ClamAV which is all foreign to me.

                We have inherited the Admin position after the death of our regular Admin and we are mostly flying blind. We can follow easy one-by-one steps but don't have the expertise of you guys. Many thanks. Much appreciated if you could help out.

                Comment

                • Mark.B
                  vBulletin Support
                  • Feb 2004
                  • 24286
                  • 6.0.X

                  #11
                  Installing imagick or imagemagick is something the hosts would normally do. We can’t really provide support for that as every server is different. The hosts should then tell you the correct path to use.
                  MARK.B
                  vBulletin Support
                  ------------
                  My Unofficial vBulletin 6.0.0 Demo: https://www.talknewsuk.com
                  My Unofficial vBulletin Cloud Demo: https://www.adminammo.com

                  Comment

                  • Wayne Luke
                    vBulletin Technical Support Lead
                    • Aug 2000
                    • 73976

                    #12
                    Imagemagick or iMagick is required. iMagick actually requires that the ImageMagick binaries are installed on the server but calls those binaries in a more secure way than vBulletin uses to call ImageMagick directly. As stated, your hosting provider and/or server administrator can install these for you. If you're on a cPanel based server, they may already be installed. There is a test under Maintenance -> Diagnostics to see if iMagick is available on your server. It should also appear in the View PHP Info screen in the AdminCP.

                    GD does not provide the functionality needed to preserve the EXIF data.

                    If you're installing now, I recommend using the iMagick class. We will remove the ability to call ImageMagick directly in a future version.
                    Translations provided by Google.

                    Wayne Luke
                    The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
                    vBulletin 5 API

                    Comment


                    • CorbinH
                      CorbinH commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Thanks Mark and Wayne, I'll see if GoDaddy can help us out - Thanks again.

                    • Wayne Luke
                      Wayne Luke commented
                      Editing a comment
                      You may be able to enable iMagick in cPanel, if available, when you select your version of PHP you can select the libraries that are enabled with it. If iMagick is listed, then check its box. Otherwise, you might be able to install it using the PEAR editor within cPanel.

                    • CorbinH
                      CorbinH commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Very helpful, many thanks for your time.
                  • CorbinH
                    Senior Member
                    • May 2009
                    • 232
                    • 4.0.0

                    #13
                    I have had HostGator install Imagick which seems to be successful, but still not working on our site "ausph.com"

                    I had an online chat with HostGator to see if they could get it to work with vBulletin (5.5.5)
                    This is part of the conversation:

                    Me: Is the path to the imagemagick binary files available. I need to add that to the vBulletin set up page.
                    Carl A: I'm sorry but no, you need to have a root access for that.
                    Root access is not available for the current hosting account.
                    The hosting must be VPS or Dedicated server in order to have root access to modify or edit imagick binary files also php.ini
                    Me: I only want to know the path to the binary files for imagemagick so vBulletin knows where to access them.
                    Carl A: That is hidden, but let me try enabling it., one moment please.
                    Me: Can I somehow show you a screen snap of what I mean?
                    Carl A: Sure, please use this link, https://snipboard.io/accounts/signup/ then This link https://snipboard.io/
                    Me: Here's the screensnap - https://snipboard.io/V7lvio.jpg
                    Me: I need to enter the "Imagemagick Binary Path"
                    Carl A: That should be /root/etc/php.d/imagick.ini (I cannot see "php.d" anywhere on our site).

                    I checked to see if Imagick was listed in the PHP version and it was there.
                    Click image for larger version

Name:	Imagick-PHP.jpg
Views:	176
Size:	248.0 KB
ID:	4427635
                    I placed the following into the /core/includes/config.php file as you instructed.
                    // Allow EXIF DATA to be visible for posted images.
                    $config['Misc']['preserve_exif'] = true;

                    In "Image Settings",
                    I set the "Image Processing Library" to "Imagick (PHP Extension).
                    I entered "/root/etc/php.d/imagick.ini" into "Imagemagick Binary Path" as instructed by HostGator.
                    Click image for larger version

Name:	Imagick.jpg
Views:	304
Size:	149.5 KB
ID:	4427634

                    I then posted an image and IT DID NOT SHOW THE EXIF DATA. THE POSTED IMAGES HAD EXIF DATE RETAINED.

                    My questions are:
                    If anyone here has a shared site, has your host installed Imagick and if so how did you get it to work?
                    Is vBulletin disabling EXIF data when images are posted?
                    Does it matter how images are uploaded to make sure they retain the EXIF DATA?

                    Comment


                    • imager
                      imager commented
                      Editing a comment
                      If you set it up properly, the exif metadata is retained rather then discarded at upload time. There are lots of browser plug-ins for convenient inspection of a photo's camera settings.
                  • Wayne Luke
                    vBulletin Technical Support Lead
                    • Aug 2000
                    • 73976

                    #14
                    Originally posted by CorbinH
                    Is vBulletin disabling EXIF data when images are posted?
                    Without the new configuration we actively seek out and destroy the EXIF information. We consider retaining the EXIF information to be both a personal privacy and a security risk. Many other image sharing sites do the same thing. This is the main reason why the switch is in a file and not another AdminCP option.

                    Does it matter how images are uploaded to make sure they retain the EXIF DATA?
                    It should not matter as long as your using iMagick or ImageMagick 6 and have the value in your /core/includes/config.php file.

                    Translations provided by Google.

                    Wayne Luke
                    The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
                    vBulletin 5 API

                    Comment


                    • CorbinH
                      CorbinH commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Are you kidding me? My original request was for members to be able to see the exif data of posted images. I've spent days trying to get this to be made available and now you tell me that you decided to not show the exif data. Thanks a lot. Your assistance has been invaluable to our photography forum.

                    • CorbinH
                      CorbinH commented
                      Editing a comment
                      "Wayne Luke commented
                      Yesterday, 11:19am
                      You stated - The EXIF information is not displayed. The image retains the EXIF data.

                      That is working as it is supposed to work. We will not show the EXIF information. The request was to maintain the information within the image. "

                      Here is what I requested:

                      "Description

                      We run a small, but active photography forum and since 5,4,3 all EXIF data is being stripped from photos being uploaded to the forum.
                      In a photography forum it's nice to see what settings and post processing a member used without having to ask all the time for members to supply the information. Also we run run competitions such as photo of the week and image of the day and EXIF data is critical in determining when the photo was taken.

                      I understand that EXIF data is being stripped as a security measure.

                      Would it be possible for there to be an option in the AdminCP to allow EXIF data? The individual forum owners could then make the decision as to whether or not they want to "take the risk". A disclaimer could be added and a check box that has to be checked acknowledging the risks could be included."

                      I may not have asked specifically for members of our forum to be able to view the EXIF data, but I believe that any reasonable person reading the request would understand that that is what was requested.

                      To clarify the matter:
                      No matter what we do with iMagick, or the php file our members will never be able to view the EXIF data of images uploaded to our forum.
                      Is this what you're saying Wayne Luke ?

                    • Wayne Luke
                      Wayne Luke commented
                      Editing a comment
                      I may not have asked specifically for members of our forum to be able to view the EXIF data, but I believe that any reasonable person reading the request would understand that that is what was requested.
                      I don't see that to be honest. The information is retained in the image and people who want to see it can download the image and view it. Issues are usually interpreted literally as written. We can't determine what someone was thinking. You're free to open a new issue with the ability to display EXIF in the post somehow.
                  • imager
                    Senior Member
                    • May 2006
                    • 382

                    #15
                    Just stumbled across this. In defence of Wayne Luke and vBulletin, after a lot of lobbying, they listened, provided the fix to enable, if required, the preservation of camera exif metadata in uploaded photos, and it works. It's slightly tricky to set up, but it works for my vB5 forums. Thank you vBulletin!

                    Comment

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