ibiRecovery

Metadata Recovery Strategy

🎯 Smart Approach: Verify Before Restoring

Available Metadata: The ibi database contains 5,312 AI-generated content tags, 50+ user albums with meaningful names, complete GPS/EXIF data, and comprehensive file metadata. See metadata_summary.md for full details.

📋 What to Preserve vs. Filter

✅ Keep: Portable, Valuable Data

1. AI Content Tags (5,312 instances)

• Content analysis: “person”, “child”, “beach”, “building”, “car”
• Auto-generated by computer vision
• Reason: Content description works in any photo system

2. Album Organization (50+ albums)

• Meaningful names: “Jon’s graduation”, “Sisters”, “Hawaii 2010”
• User-created organization
• Reason: Translates to any photo app folder structure

3. GPS and Location Data

• Coordinate data: Latitude/longitude from original photos
• Location names: City, province, country
• Reason: Geographic data is universally useful

4. Camera/EXIF Data

• Technical metadata: Camera make/model, settings
• Capture data: Original timestamps, dimensions
• Reason: Standard EXIF data works everywhere

❌ Filter Out: ibi Ecosystem Lock-in

When exporting metadata, exclude these ibi-specific elements:

• User authentication data: auth0 IDs, device UUIDs
• Sharing system data: Dead cloud sharing links
• Internal permissions: ibi-specific access controls
• Custom hashes: Internal file tracking
• Version data: ibi internal versioning system

The export tools automatically filter out vendor lock-in data while preserving valuable content.

Instead of blindly writing metadata back into files, we take a verification-first approach:

1. Check What’s Already There

The --verify-metadata option checks if the original EXIF/GPS data is still in the recovered files. Many times, data recovery preserves the original metadata.

What to check for:

• ✅ Camera EXIF data (make, model, settings)
• ✅ GPS coordinates (if photos originally had GPS)
• ✅ Original timestamps
• ✅ Image dimensions and technical specs

2. Only Restore Missing Original Data

If the verification shows missing metadata that originally came from the camera/device, then consider restoring it:

Safe to restore:

• Camera make/model (if missing)
• GPS coordinates (if missing and originally present)
• Original capture dates (if missing)
• Technical specs (dimensions, etc.)

DON’T restore automatically:

• AI-generated tags (these are ibi additions)
• Album associations (user-created in ibi)
• Ratings/reactions (social features)

3. Export ibi-Specific Data in Standard Formats

Instead of forcing ibi’s metadata into files, export it in formats that popular software can import:

📤 Standard Export Formats

Adobe Lightroom

• Format: Keywords CSV
• Contains: AI tags as keywords, albums, descriptions, GPS
• Import: File > Import Keywords from File

digiKam

• Format: Metadata CSV with hierarchical tags
• Contains: Organized tags (People/person, Places/beach), albums, locations
• Import: Tools > Import Metadata from CSV

Photo Mechanic

• Format: IPTC data CSV
• Contains: Keywords, captions, location data
• Import: File > Export Metadata (batch apply)

Apple Photos

• Format: Simple CSV
• Contains: Album names, basic keywords, descriptions
• Import: Third-party tools or manual organization

XMP Sidecar Files

• Format: XML sidecar files (.xmp)
• Contains: All metadata in standard XMP format
• Import: Most professional photo software reads XMP automatically

Google Photos Takeout Format

• Format: JSON metadata files
• Contains: Mimics Google Photos export format
• Import: Compatible with various import tools

🛡️ Why This Approach is Better

Preserves File Integrity

• Original files remain untouched
• No risk of corrupting existing metadata
• Reversible process

User Choice

• Users can choose which AI tags to keep
• Selective import of metadata
• No vendor lock-in to ibi’s interpretation

Software Compatibility

• Works with user’s preferred photo management software
• Uses industry-standard formats
• Future-proof approach

Professional Workflow

• Separates original camera data from user-added metadata
• Maintains archival quality
• Supports professional metadata standards

🚀 Recommended Workflow

1. Extract files with complete metadata preservation
2. Verify existing metadata in recovered files
3. Only restore missing original data (camera EXIF, GPS)
4. Export ibi-specific metadata in standard formats
5. Import into photo management software of choice
6. Let users curate AI tags and organize albums

This gives you the best of both worlds: complete data recovery with user control over how the metadata is used.

💡 Key Benefits

• 5,312 AI-generated content tags become searchable keywords
• GPS and location data preserved for mapping
• Album organization maintained through import
• Camera metadata restored only if missing
• Compatible with any photo software through standard formats
• User maintains control over their data organization

This approach transforms the recovery from just “getting files back” to creating a fully organized, searchable photo library that works with whatever software the user prefers!

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