Note: This page describes the development version of GPSBabel. It may substantially differ from the latest released GPSBabel.

Embedded Exif-GPS data (.jpg) (exif)

This format can...

  • read and write waypoints

This format has the following options: filename, frame, name, overwrite .

This format reads and writes GPS information embedded in EXIF, the Exchangeable Image Format, data. EXIF is a standardized method of encoding data in pictures such as JPEG, TIFF, and WAV and is frequently used by mobile phones with cameras and cameras with built-in GPS.

EXIF is frequently used for Geolocating photographs so their images can be correlated with time and location.

filename option

Set waypoint name to source filename.

With this default option waypoint names are generated from source filename.

gpsbabel -i exif -f "C:\Pictures\IMG_1199.JPG",filename=Y -o gpx -F OUT.GPX The resulting waypoint in OUT.GPX has name IMG_1199.

frame option

Time-frame (in seconds).

Frame means the maximum time difference that we accept between the EXIF time information of a picture and the timestamp of a track-, route- and waypoint used for tagging. Without this option the maximum time frame is 10 seconds.

gpsbabel -i gpx -f holiday.gpx -o exif,frame=60 -F IMG0784.JPG

If the camera time wasn't adjusted, you should move the track(s) by the this difference. I.e. if the camera time is five minutes behind your time, the track(s) should be shifted five minutes back.

gpsbabel -i gpx -f holiday.gpx -x track,move=-5m -o exif,frame=60 -F IMG0784.JPG

name option

Locate waypoint for tagging by this name.

When you specify a name with this option we're looking for a waypoint with this name. And, if found, the GPS information of this point is used for tagging the image file.

gpsbabel -i gpx -f holiday.gpx -o exif,name="On the beach" -F IMG0786.JPG

overwrite option

!OVERWRITE! the original file. Default=N.

In the default case GPSBabel reads the output file (the file that should be tagged with GPS information) and then creates a new file with an additional .JPG extension. With this option in a final step the original file will be deleted and the new file renamed as the original filename.