How do I prepend text to an image description with ExifTool?

Asked 7/29/2023

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2 answers

I want to add text at the beginning of the existing description metadata for a batch of JPEG files, not replace it entirely. I'm writing to mwg:description and expected something like Text to Prepend $mwg:description, but using = overwrites the current value. What's the correct ExifTool syntax to prepend text to the existing description field across multiple images?

metadata workflow exiftool jpeg iptc

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

3y ago

2 Answers

An extension of the redirection feature allows strings involving tag names to be used on the right hand side of the < symbol with the syntax "'-DSTTAG<STR'", where tag names in STR are prefixed with a $ symbol.

https://www.exiftool.org/exiftool_pod.html

So, the only problem with your command is the = symbol which should be <.

It should also be properly screened for your terminal, for bash it's:

exiftool '-mwg:description<Text to Prepend $mwg:description' DSC00096.jpeg

Originally by user49477. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user49477

3y ago

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Use ExifTool’s redirection syntax with <, not =. The < form lets you build a new value from a string that includes existing tag values such as $mwg:description.

Example:

exiftool '-mwg:description<Text to Prepend $mwg:description' *.jpg

Why your original command failed: = assigns a literal value, so it replaced the field with only the new text. With <, ExifTool expands $mwg:description and writes the combined result.

If your shell interprets special characters, keep the argument quoted as shown. This will prepend the text to each file’s current mwg:description value.

How do I prepend text to an image description with ExifTool?

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