---
title: "Working with EXIF and IPTC Metadata in HTML5/Flash Uploader"
canonical: https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/working-with-exif-and-iptc-metadata-iuf.htm
product: "Upload Suite 8"
---

# Working with EXIF and IPTC Metadata in HTML5/Flash Uploader

Supported technologies: ![Adobe Flash](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/icons/flash.png)
 
Metadata are the additional data that image contains. Such information can be used, for example:

- to provide higher results during printing
- to get exact date and time of the image creation
- to categorize images
- to implement advanced image search

HTML5/Flash Uploader works with two metadata formats: EXIF and IPTC.

When an image is captured, the capturing device writes **EXIF** (Exchangeable Image File Format) information about the image into the captured file. EXIF fields may contain such information as camera parameters during capturing, date and time of the capturing, photographer's name, and etc. It can even contain GPS information. For more information about EXIF, please, see the [EXIF Specification↗](http://www.exif.org/specifications.html) article.

**IPTC** (International Press Telecommunications Council) Information Interchange Model is widely used in journalism to keep such information as byline, subject, location, and etc. For more information about the IPTC format, please, see the [IPTC Specification↗](http://www.iptc.org/std/IIM/4.1/specification/IIMV4.1.pdf) article.

HTML5/Flash Uploader supports the following metadata-related features:

- Preserving EXIF and IPTC metadata while creating thumbnails can be extremely useful if you do not upload original files, but need to get all metadata embedded in the received thumbnails. It can also preserve an embedded color profile as well.
- Extracting and uploading metadata [extracting and uploading metadata in ASP.NET](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/uploading-additional-data-in-aspnet-iuf.htm.md) [extracting and uploading metadata in PHP](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/uploading-additional-data-in-php-iuf.htm.md)  allows you to specify metadata fields you want to get on the server. These fields will be extracted on the client side and sent along with other files and data. On the server side, you just retrieve them from the upload request, without writing a lot of non-trivial additional server code to extract metadata.
- [Automatic rotation based on EXIF metadata](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/rotating-and-cropping-iuf.htm.md) is useful if you want to get images in the orientation they were actually done.

## Preserving EXIF and IPTC Metadata While Creating Thumbnails
 
You can make HTML5/Flash Uploader send transformed (resized, rotated, and etc.) images. However, you may wonder what happens with EXIF and IPTC metadata when you perform imaging operations with Flash Uploader. It is especially important when you process uploaded images with some specific software, e.g. for printing them at photo labs.
 
Fortunately, you can preserve EXIF and IPTC metadata using the ThumbnailCopyExif[ThumbnailCopyExif (ASP.NET)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_Aurigma_ImageUploaderFlash_Converter_ThumbnailCopyExif.htm.md)[ThumbnailCopyExif (PHP)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_P_Converter_ThumbnailCopyExif.htm.md)[thumbnailCopyExif (JavaScript)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_J_$au_converter_thumbnailCopyExif.htm.md) and ThumbnailCopyIptc[ThumbnailCopyIptc (ASP.NET)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_Aurigma_ImageUploaderFlash_Converter_ThumbnailCopyIptc.htm.md)[ThumbnailCopyIptc (PHP)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_P_Converter_ThumbnailCopyIptc.htm.md)[thumbnailCopyIptc (JavaScript)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_J_$au_converter_thumbnailCopyIptc.htm.md) properties of the Converter[Converter (ASP.NET)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_T_Aurigma_ImageUploaderFlash_Converter.htm.md)[Converter (PHP)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_T_P_Converter.htm.md)[converter (JavaScript)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_T_J_$au_converter.htm.md) class. Just set the property to `true` and metadata of chosen type will be embedded in the corresponding thumbnail.
 
Default value of the discussing property is `false`, this allows making uploaded thumbnails a bit smaller.
 
The following example configures the converter to create thumbnails with both types of metadata (EXIF and IPTC) preserved.
 ```aspx-cs
<aur:ImageUploaderFlash ID="Uploader1" runat="server">
    <Converters>
        <aur:Converter Mode="*.*=Thumbnail" 
            ThumbnailCopyExif="true" 
            ThumbnailCopyIptc="true"/>
    </Converters>
</aur:ImageUploaderFlash>
``` ```
$uploader = new ImageUploaderFlash("Uploader1");
$converters = &$uploader->getConverters();
$converter = new Converter();
$converter->setMode("*.*=Thumbnail");
$converter->setThumbnailCopyExif(true);
$converter->setThumbnailCopyIptc(true);
$converters[] = $converter;
$uploader->getUploadSettings()->setActionUrl("upload.php");
$uploader->render();
``` ```
var fu = $au.imageUploaderFlash({
    id: 'Uploader1',
    converters: [{mode: '*.*=Thumbnail', 
        thumbnailCopyExif: true,
        thumbnailCopyIptc: true}]
});
```

## Accessing EXIF and IPTC in runtime
 
If you need to get EXIF or IPTC fields after the user selects this files, you can use [file.exif(Function)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_M_J_$au_file_exif_1_23cf0bd7.htm.md) and [file.iptc(Function)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_M_J_$au_file_iptc_1_23cf0bd7.htm.md) JavaScript methods. Both of them are asynchronous - you pass a callback function which is called after data is read. This function receives metadata object as a first argument.
 
For example, this code takes EXIF and IPTC data from the first item of the upload list and displays it in the Developer Console:
 ```
$au.imageUploaderFlash('Uploader1').files().get(0).exif(function(a){console.log(a)});

$au.imageUploaderFlash('Uploader1').files().get(0).iptc(function(a){console.log(a)});   
```

## See Also
 
### Reference
 
- Converter Class[Converter (ASP.NET)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_T_Aurigma_ImageUploaderFlash_Converter.htm.md)[Converter (PHP)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_T_P_Converter.htm.md)[converter (JavaScript)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_T_J_$au_converter.htm.md)
- ThumbnailCopyColorProfile Property[ThumbnailCopyColorProfile (ASP.NET)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_Aurigma_ImageUploaderFlash_Converter_ThumbnailCopyColorProfile.htm.md)[ThumbnailCopyColorProfile (PHP)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_P_Converter_ThumbnailCopyColorProfile.htm.md)[thumbnailCopyColorProfile (JavaScript)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_J_$au_converter_thumbnailCopyColorProfile.htm.md)
- ThumbnailCopyExif Property[ThumbnailCopyExif (ASP.NET)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_Aurigma_ImageUploaderFlash_Converter_ThumbnailCopyExif.htm.md)[ThumbnailCopyExif (PHP)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_P_Converter_ThumbnailCopyExif.htm.md)[thumbnailCopyExif (JavaScript)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_J_$au_converter_thumbnailCopyExif.htm.md)
- ThumbnailCopyIptc Property[ThumbnailCopyIptc (ASP.NET)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_Aurigma_ImageUploaderFlash_Converter_ThumbnailCopyIptc.htm.md)[ThumbnailCopyIptc (PHP)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_P_Converter_ThumbnailCopyIptc.htm.md)[thumbnailCopyIptc (JavaScript)](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_P_J_$au_converter_thumbnailCopyIptc.htm.md)
- [exif(Function) Method](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_M_J_$au_file_exif_1_23cf0bd7.htm.md)
- [iptc(Function) Method](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/FH_M_J_$au_file_iptc_1_23cf0bd7.htm.md)

### Manual
 
- [Uploading Additional Data in HTML5/Flash Uploader ASP.NET](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/uploading-additional-data-in-aspnet-iuf.htm.md)
- [Uploading Additional Data in HTML5/Flash Uploader PHP](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/uploading-additional-data-in-php-iuf.htm.md)
- [Uploading Images](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/uploading-images-iuf.htm.md)
- [Resizing and Recompressing via HTML5/Flash Uploader](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/iuf-resizing-and-recompressing.htm.md)
- [Rotating and Cropping Images in HTML5/Flash Uploader](https://www.aurigma.com/docs/us8/rotating-and-cropping-iuf.htm.md)

### Other Resources
 
- [EXIF Specification↗](http://www.exif.org/specifications.html)
- [IPTC Specification↗](http://www.iptc.org/std/IIM/4.1/specification/IIMV4.1.pdf)