Can I add metadata to images?

Itay Taragano

February 28, 2015 11:08 Updated

You can indeed set custom values to the alt and caption of your images.
These values can be either assigned interactively via our Media library or by using our API.

Media library:
Click on an image to access its details page, then click on the 'Edit meta data' link at the upper part of the page:

API:
For example, the following sets the metadata of an image while uploading it (in PHP):

$context = array("caption" => "some caption", "alt" => "alternative");
$result = Cloudinary\Uploader::upload("my_image.jpg", array("context" => $context));

The context is actually not limited to the alt and caption only. You can add any arbitrary attributes. Here's an example in PHP:

$context = array("custom_field1" => "Some data 1", "custom_field2" => "Some data 2");
$result = \Cloudinary\Uploader::upload("my_image.jpg", array("context" => $context));

Note that these values can be accessed via the API only. Currently only the alt and caption attributes are displayed in the media library UI.

The metadata values can be set to already uploaded images too. For example:

$api = new \Cloudinary\Api();
$context = array("caption" => "some caption", "alt" => "alternative");
$api->update("my_image", array("context" => $context));

Comments

17 comments

Yves Jaques

April 08, 2015 17:15
Dear Itay,

Are there any plans to allow users to view context metadata from the media library UI? This is actually a crucial use case for us and as a brand new user of the Advanced plan I'm really disappointed it doesn't support this, it's such an obvious use case to be able to easily view the custom key value pairs you need for your organizational purposes.
0
Itay Taragano

July 06, 2015 13:09
UPDATE

Now custom metadata values can be displayed, added and removed via the interactive Media library too.
0
Bharat Nanwani

July 29, 2015 17:53
Hi Can you please help how do I update caption for already uploaded images in JAVA?
0

Yves Jaques

July 31, 2015 11:09

Hi Bharat, this is how I update metadata via a java rest service:

First assuming you have already created a connection to your cloud account:

private Map config = ObjectUtils.asMap(
        "cloud_name", "xxxxxxxx",
        "api_key", "xxxxxxxxxx",
        "api_secret", "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx");
private Cloudinary cloudinary = new Cloudinary(config);
private Api api = cloudinary.api();

THEN SIMPLY DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

    ArrayList<String> params = new ArrayList<>();

    //tags should be comma-separated
    List tags = image.getTags();
    StringBuffer tagStr = new StringBuffer();
    for (int i = 0; i < tags.size(); i++) {
        tagStr.append(tags.get(i));
        if (i != tags.size() - 1) {
            tagStr.append(",");
        }
    }
    params.add("tags");
    params.add(tagStr.toString());

    //context should be pipe | separated
    Custom custom = image.getContext().getCustom();

    StringBuffer contextStr = new StringBuffer();

    contextStr.append("title=").append(custom.getTitle())
            .append("|caption=").append(custom.getCaption())
            .append("|location=").append(custom.getLocation())
            .append("|countryCode=").append(custom.getCountryCode())
            .append("|copyright=").append(custom.getCopyright())
            .append("|date=").append(custom.getDate())
            .append("|credit=").append(custom.getCredit())
            .append("|lat=").append(custom.getLat())
            .append("|lng=").append(custom.getLng())
            .append("|keywords=").append(custom.getKeywords())
            .append("|printQuality=").append(custom.getPrintQuality())
            .append("|theme=").append(custom.getTheme());

    params.add("context");
    params.add(contextStr.toString());

    try {
        return api.update(id, ObjectUtils.asMap(params.toArray()));
    } catch (Exception e) {
        logger.error(e.toString());
        return null;
    }
}

Daniel Meusburger

March 29, 2016 13:57
Dear Cloudinary team,

I did not find information in your documentation on how to actually access/retrieve meta data which I defined via the Media Library UI (e.g. a text description of a image or alt text). How can I access that information in Android / Java?
0
Raphi Stein

August 01, 2016 03:04
@Daniel

Yes, I also had to tinker to figure it out.

To get the metadata, simply add the property

context: true

to your request.

i.e. in Postman, you would do

https://api.cloudinary.com/v1_1//resources/image?context=true
0
Maor Gariv

August 01, 2016 07:42
Raphi is correct :)

Java code example for future reference -
```
api.resources(ObjectUtils.asMap("context", "true"));
```
More details on our browsing capabilities -
http://cloudinary.com/documentation/admin_api#browse_resources
0
paul headington

November 17, 2016 21:05
We are getting rate limit exceed when attempting to update ~2450 image in lots of 10 at a rate of 500 ms per update. Surely this is reasonable?

If not please advise how we can achieve please?
0
Nadav Ofir

November 18, 2016 13:15 Edited
Hi paul,
While the Admin-API is indeed rate limited, the same task can be achieved using the unlimited explicit() api.
0
MitFun

January 09, 2018 08:47 Edited
Hi,

I'm using .NET integration in Xamarin.Forms with .NET Standard 2.0.

I use cloudinary.UpdateResource to update context for meta data,

but it will replace all exist meta data.

Has any function can I use to add/update/delete a meta data by meta data key/pair?
0
Aditi Madan

January 09, 2018 19:50
Hi,

Yes, you are correct. Currently, updateResource replaces the existing context with new ones.

I have passed this request to our product team.

You can use our list api to get the current context and then update it by appending existing with the new ones.
0
MitFun

January 11, 2018 08:50
Hi,

Thank you for replay.

Other question:

I use cloudinary.Upload new image and assign exist PublicID to replace image,

but it will clear all exist meta data...

Has any function can I use to replace image without touch exist meta data?
0
Aditi Madan

January 11, 2018 21:51
Hi,

Upload image uploads a new image, it does not update an existing one.

If you want to update the image without changing the context, you can use the update api which will update your resource without changing the context unless you specifically specify the context for updating.
0
MitFun

February 21, 2018 03:39
Hi,

Sorry for ask old question.

In .NET integration what api can use to update the image without changing the context?

Have some sample code?

Thank you.
0
Aditi Madan

February 22, 2018 00:54
Hi,

Currently, we don't have a way to update the resource without changing the context.

You can use the Admin API to list your resources(save the current context) and then update the resource(with the previously saved context)

Here's our .NET code for a reference.
https://github.com/cloudinary/CloudinaryDotNet/blob/e33d2a6b8fd2980cdd65a7c8b6292f0fdb4910de/Cloudinary/Cloudinary.cs#L388
0
Outdoors Project

April 05, 2018 11:01 Edited
Hi,

I'm trying to update caption for an existing photo, but I receive the message: 'Resource not found".

cloudinary.v2.api.update(req.params.publicId, options, function (err, result) {

        if (err) console.log(err);

        else {

            res.status(200).send("photo updated");

        }

})

Is update the right function to use? How can I update the metadata of a photo with nodejs?

Thank you

//Edit: this is how i did it in node.js

var options = {

        context: "caption=" + req.body.data

}

req.params.publicId = req.params.publicId.replace(',', '/').split('.')[0];

cloudinary.v2.api.update(req.params.publicId, options, function (err, result) {

        if (err) console.log(err);

        else {

            res.status(200).send("photo updated");

        }

    })
1
Shirly Manor

April 05, 2018 21:32
Here is a code sample to add a caption to your already uploded image:

cloudinary.v2.api.update("sample",
{ type: "upload", context: {caption: "test2"} },
function(error, result) {console.log(result); } );
0

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