So, generally I still use the iOS app to upload observations because it reliably picks up the location, date/time date from the photos. But, then most other observation features have to be done on the website. So, I often do not bother with DQA, tags, annotations, etc.
From time to time, I try to use the website to upload (via iPhone or iPad), but then I still have to manually enter date/time and map-navigate to the location, even though I get a fleeting message that says ‘uploading metadata’. So, it is also a pain to use the website.
I rarely use a computer, as my old desktop is fairly frail these days.
I looked that posting. Helpful as it is, the instructions seem specific for using a Mac computer.
So, I have not seen a way to do the described Export feature on an iPhone though.
After reading the post, I tried using the iPhone’s Forward (up arrow icon) to Save to Folders. But, then iNat’s website Choose Files feature was not able to find the Folders residing on the iPhone. INat went iCloud folders instead.
Now, mind you, I see a message from iNat that says it is ~loading the metadata~. Yet, the date/location information is not applied to the observation.
Wouldn’t that seem like a bug, rather than an intentional process?
I’m pretty sure the developers intended for the message “loading metadata” to be shorthand for “we are attempting to load metadata” – i.e. it does not guarantee anything about whether the image has the necessary metadata or whether iNat will be able to process it correctly. It’s definitely true that the message displays even when you upload images with no metadata.
Whether that’s a bug is maybe a question of interpretation?
Speaking entirely personally, I don’t really have a problem with the loading message, I think the issue is more that there is no error message for when the loading fails. I think it would be an improvement if iNat could produce messages like “error loading metadata: no metadata found” or “error loading metadata: metadata failed to process”.
Well, TBH, my negative perception is more about the fact that the website does not load the metadata from iOS than it is about the misleading message. That message is just the “icing on the cake”
An improved message would be nice, indeed. But, so much better if it just worked.
What version of iOS and what browser are you using? I was just able to import metadata successfully from photos on my iPhone XS with iOS 14.4.2 in Safari, by selecting from the “Photo Library” from “Choose files”.
@carrieseltzer That’s interesting. I wonder what settings I can check to resolved this, as I do not think my equipment and software is that different from yours.
Hit Upload icon
Click Choose files
Choose Photo Library
Select a Photo
Click Add
The observation data fields appear
See the “Adding Metadata’ message briefly
(But Date/location fields remain blank)
Then click Species Name
Choose CV or type a name
Manually add date/time
Manually navigate through Worldwide map to the location area
Click Update
I have sceenshots, but this is more a request about the right way to do this rather than a bug report, so I’ll spare everyone that (unless it would be helpful).
Darn, I was really hoping that would be the problem.
Can anyone else replicate this behavior that @teellbee is experiencing using the web uploader from Safari on an iOS device where the timestamp and location metadata isn’t imported from the images?
If you have that video, please do send it to help@inaturalist.org. I think that would help us understand the issue better. If you can send some of the photos to help@inaturalist.org as well that would be great.
I normally use my desktop for all my uploads, but I thought I’d see if I could reproduce this, and it seems like I have the same behavior as @teellbee . Using my phone (iPhone 8 Plus, 14.4.1), any photo I upload through the web upload form in Safari does not show the EXIF data. It sits at “Loading metadata…” for some time but never succeeds.
I did a bit of testing and found that older photos taken on my previous phone (iPhone 6s) seem to work, but nothing taken on my current phone (iPhone 8 Plus). Not sure what to make of that, but maybe this is helpful.
Mobile Safari strips metadata from photos when this phone setting is set (seems it’s the default one): Settings->Camera->Formats setting = High Efficiency
You should set the setting to Most Compatible to disable such stripping. Very absurd and unexpected behaviour. Apple’s fault, not iNaturalist’s.
If you use the app on mobile, not the website, you should not have this problem.
