exiftool_vendored 12.15.0 → 12.22.0

data/bin/fmt_files/gpx.fmt

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #
 # Description:  Example ExifTool print format file to generate a GPX track log
 #
-# Usage:        exiftool -p gpx.fmt -ee FILE [...] > out.gpx
+# Usage:        exiftool -p gpx.fmt -ee3 FILE [...] > out.gpx
 #
 # Requires:     ExifTool version 10.49 or later
 #

data/bin/fmt_files/gpx_wpt.fmt

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # Description:  Example ExifTool print format file to generate GPX waypoints
 #               with pictures
 #
-# Usage:        exiftool -p gpx_wpt.fmt -ee FILE [...] > out.gpx
+# Usage:        exiftool -p gpx_wpt.fmt -ee3 FILE [...] > out.gpx
 #
 # Requires:     ExifTool version 10.49 or later
 #

data/bin/fmt_files/kml.fmt

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 #               2020/01/11 - F. Kotov Limited image preview size to 500px
 #
 # Notes:     1) Input files must contain GPSLatitude and GPSLongitude.
-#            2) Add the -ee option to extract the full track from video files.
+#            2) Add the -ee3 option to extract the full track from video files.
 #            3) For Google Earth to be able to find the images, the input
 #               images must be specified using relative paths, and "out.kml"
 #               must stay in the same directory as where the command was run.

data/bin/fmt_files/kml_track.fmt

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #
 #               From video files:
 #
-#                 exiftool -p kml.fmt -ee FILEorDIR [...] > out.kml
+#                 exiftool -p kml.fmt -ee3 FILEorDIR [...] > out.kml
 #
 # Requires:     ExifTool version 10.41 or later
 #

data/bin/lib/Image/ExifTool.pm

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ use vars qw($VERSION $RELEASE @ISA @EXPORT_OK %EXPORT_TAGS $AUTOLOAD @fileTypes
             %mimeType $swapBytes $swapWords $currentByteOrder %unpackStd
             %jpegMarker %specialTags %fileTypeLookup $testLen $exePath);
 
-$VERSION = '12.15';
+$VERSION = '12.22';
 $RELEASE = '';
 @ISA = qw(Exporter);
 %EXPORT_TAGS = (
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ $RELEASE = '';
     DataAccess => [qw(
         ReadValue GetByteOrder SetByteOrder ToggleByteOrder Get8u Get8s Get16u
         Get16s Get32u Get32s Get64u GetFloat GetDouble GetFixed32s Write
-        WriteValue Tell Set8u Set8s Set16u Set32u Set64u
+        WriteValue Tell Set8u Set8s Set16u Set32u Set64u Set64s
     )],
     Utils => [qw(GetTagTable TagTableKeys GetTagInfoList AddTagToTable HexDump)],
     Vars  => [qw(%allTables @tableOrder @fileTypes)],
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ sub SetFileName($$;$$$);
 sub SetSystemTags($$);
 sub GetAllTags(;$);
 sub GetWritableTags(;$);
-sub GetAllGroups($);
+sub GetAllGroups($;$);
 sub GetNewGroups($);
 sub GetDeleteGroups();
 sub AddUserDefinedTags($%);
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ sub Get64u($$);
 sub GetFixed64s($$);
 sub GetExtended($$);
 sub Set64u(@);
+sub Set64s(@);
 sub DecodeBits($$;$);
 sub EncodeBits($$;$$);
 sub Filter($$$);
@@ -266,6 +267,7 @@ my %createTypes = map { $_ => 1 } qw(XMP ICC MIE VRD DR4 EXIF EXV);
     DIB  => ['BMP',  'Device Independent Bitmap'],
     DIC  =>  'DICM',
     DICM => ['DICOM','Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine'],
+    DIR  => ['DIR',  'Directory'],
     DIVX => ['ASF',  'DivX media format'],
     DJV  =>  'DJVU',
     DJVU => ['AIFF', 'DjVu image'],
@@ -1129,6 +1131,13 @@ my %systemTagsNotes = (
         RawConv => '$self->ConvertFileName($val)',
         ValueConvInv => '$self->InverseFileName($val)',
     },
+    BaseName => {
+        Groups => { 1 => 'System', 2 => 'Other' },
+        Notes => q{
+            file name without extension. Not generated unless specifically requested or
+            the L<RequestAll|../ExifTool.html#RequestAll> API option is set
+        },
+    },
     FilePath => {
         Groups => { 1 => 'System', 2 => 'Other' },
         Notes => q{
@@ -1270,10 +1279,19 @@ my %systemTagsNotes = (
         WritePseudo => 1,
         DelCheck => q{"Can't delete"},
         Protected => 1, # all writable pseudo-tags must be protected!
-        ValueConv => 'sprintf("%.3o", $val & 0777)',
-        ValueConvInv => 'oct($val)',
+        ValueConv => 'sprintf("%.3o", $val)',
+        ValueConvInv => 'oct($val & 07777)',
         PrintConv => sub {
-            my ($mask, $str, $val) = (0400, '', oct(shift));
+            my ($mask, $val) = (0400, oct(shift));
+            my %types = (
+                0010000 => 'p',
+                0020000 => 'c',
+                0040000 => 'd',
+                0060000 => 'b',
+                0120000 => 'l',
+                0140000 => 's',
+            );
+            my $str = $types{$val & 0170000} || '-';
             while ($mask) {
                 foreach (qw(r w x)) {
                     $str .= $val & $mask ? $_ : '-';
@@ -1284,6 +1302,7 @@ my %systemTagsNotes = (
         },
         PrintConvInv => sub {
             my ($bit, $val, $str) = (8, 0, shift);
+            $str = substr($str, 1) if length($str) == 10;
             return undef if length($str) != 9;
             while ($bit >= 0) {
                 foreach (qw(r w x)) {
@@ -2271,7 +2290,7 @@ sub ClearOptions($)
         NoPDFList   => undef,   # flag to avoid splitting PDF List-type tag values
         Password    => undef,   # password for password-protected PDF documents
         PrintConv   => 1,       # flag to enable print conversion
-        QuickTimeHandler => undef,  # flag to add mdir Handler to newly created Meta box
+        QuickTimeHandler => 1,  # flag to add mdir Handler to newly created Meta box
         QuickTimeUTC=> undef,   # assume that QuickTime date/time tags are stored as UTC
         RequestAll  => undef,   # extract all tags that must be specifically requested
         RequestTags => undef,   # extra tags to request (on top of those in the tag list)
@@ -2321,7 +2340,7 @@ sub ExtractInfo($;@)
     my $fast = $$options{FastScan} || 0;
     my $req = $$self{REQ_TAG_LOOKUP};
     my $reqAll = $$options{RequestAll} || 0;
-    my (%saveOptions, $reEntry, $rsize, $type, @startTime, $saveOrder);
+    my (%saveOptions, $reEntry, $rsize, $type, @startTime, $saveOrder, $isDir);
 
     # check for internal ReEntry option to allow recursive calls to ExtractInfo
     if (ref $_[1] eq 'HASH' and $_[1]{ReEntry} and
@@ -2394,6 +2413,11 @@ sub ExtractInfo($;@)
                 $realname =~ /\|$/ and $realname =~ s/^.*?"(.*?)".*/$1/s;
                 my ($dir, $name) = SplitFileName($realname);
                 $self->FoundTag('FileName', $name);
+                if ($$req{basename} or
+                   ($reqAll and not $$self{EXCL_TAG_LOOKUP}{basename}))
+                {
+                    $self->FoundTag('BaseName', $name =~ /(.*)\./ ? $1 : $name);
+                }
                 $self->FoundTag('Directory', $dir) if defined $dir and length $dir;
                 if ($$req{filepath} or
                    ($reqAll and not $$self{EXCL_TAG_LOOKUP}{filepath}))
@@ -2417,6 +2441,8 @@ sub ExtractInfo($;@)
                 # in Windows cmd shell pipe even though it really failed
                 $$raf{TESTED} = -1 if $filename eq '-' or $filename =~ /\|$/;
                 $$self{RAF} = $raf;
+            } elsif ($self->IsDirectory($filename)) {
+                $isDir = 1;
             } else {
                 $self->Error('Error opening file');
             }
@@ -2425,28 +2451,34 @@ sub ExtractInfo($;@)
         }
     }
 
-    while ($raf) {
-        my (@stat, $fileSize);
+    while ($raf or $isDir) {
+        my (@stat, $plainFile);
         if ($reEntry) {
             # we already set these tags
+        } elsif (not $raf) {
+            @stat = stat $filename;
         } elsif (not $$raf{FILE_PT}) {
             # get file size from image in memory
             $self->FoundTag('FileSize', length ${$$raf{BUFF_PT}});
         } elsif (-f $$raf{FILE_PT}) {
             # get file tags if this is a plain file
-            $fileSize = -s _;
             @stat = stat _;
-            my ($aTime, $mTime, $cTime) = $self->GetFileTime($$raf{FILE_PT});
-            $self->FoundTag('FileSize', $fileSize) if defined $fileSize;
-            $self->FoundTag('ResourceForkSize', $rsize) if $rsize;
-            $self->FoundTag('FileModifyDate', $mTime) if defined $mTime;
-            $self->FoundTag('FileAccessDate', $aTime) if defined $aTime;
-            my $cTag = $^O eq 'MSWin32' ? 'FileCreateDate' : 'FileInodeChangeDate';
-            $self->FoundTag($cTag, $cTime) if defined $cTime;
-            $self->FoundTag('FilePermissions', $stat[2]) if defined $stat[2];
+            $plainFile = 1;
+            # hack to patch Windows daylight savings time bug
+            @stat[8,9,10] = $self->GetFileTime($$raf{FILE_PT}) if $^O eq 'MSWin32';
         } else {
+            # (note that Windows directories will still show the
+            #  daylight savings time bug -- should fix this sometime)
             @stat = stat $$raf{FILE_PT};
         }
+        my $fileSize = $stat[7];
+        $self->FoundTag('FileSize', $stat[7]) if defined $stat[7];
+        $self->FoundTag('ResourceForkSize', $rsize) if $rsize;
+        $self->FoundTag('FileModifyDate', $stat[9]) if defined $stat[9];
+        $self->FoundTag('FileAccessDate', $stat[8]) if defined $stat[8];
+        my $cTag = $^O eq 'MSWin32' ? 'FileCreateDate' : 'FileInodeChangeDate';
+        $self->FoundTag($cTag, $stat[10]) if defined $stat[10];
+        $self->FoundTag('FilePermissions', $stat[2]) if defined $stat[2];
         # extract more system info if SystemTags option is set
         if (@stat) {
             my $sys = $$options{SystemTags} || ($reqAll and not defined $$options{SystemTags});
@@ -2486,11 +2518,18 @@ sub ExtractInfo($;@)
             if ($crDate or $mdItem or $xattr) {
                 require Image::ExifTool::MacOS;
                 Image::ExifTool::MacOS::GetFileCreateDate($self, $filename) if $crDate;
-                Image::ExifTool::MacOS::ExtractMDItemTags($self, $filename) if $mdItem;
+                Image::ExifTool::MacOS::ExtractMDItemTags($self, $filename) if $mdItem and $plainFile;
                 Image::ExifTool::MacOS::ExtractXAttrTags($self, $filename) if $xattr;
             }
         }
-
+        # do whatever else we can with directories, then return
+        if ($isDir or (defined $stat[2] and ($stat[2] & 0170000) == 0040000)) {
+            $self->FoundTag('FileType', 'DIR');
+            $self->FoundTag('FileTypeExtension', '');
+            $self->BuildCompositeTags() if $$options{Composite};
+            $raf->Close() if $raf;
+            return 1;
+        }
         # get list of file types to check
         my ($tiffType, %noMagic, $recognizedExt);
         my $ext = $$self{FILE_EXT} = GetFileExtension($realname);
@@ -4079,7 +4118,14 @@ sub GetFileTime($$)
     # open file by name if necessary
     unless (ref $file) {
         local *FH;
-        $self->Open(\*FH, $file) or $self->Warn("GetFileTime error for '${file}'"), return ();
+        unless ($self->Open(\*FH, $file)) {
+            if ($self->IsDirectory($file)) {
+                my @rtn = (stat $file)[8, 9, 10];
+                return @rtn if defined $rtn[0];
+            }
+            $self->Warn("GetFileTime error for '${file}'");
+            return ();
+        }
         $file = *FH;  # (not \*FH, so *FH will be kept open until $file goes out of scope)
     }
     # on Windows, try to work around incorrect file times when daylight saving time is in effect
@@ -5710,7 +5756,11 @@ sub GetUnixTime($;$)
     my ($timeStr, $isLocal) = @_;
     return 0 if $timeStr eq '0000:00:00 00:00:00';
     my @tm = ($timeStr =~ /^(\d+):(\d+):(\d+)\s+(\d+):(\d+):(\d+)(.*)/);
-    return undef unless @tm == 7 and eval { require Time::Local };
+    return undef unless @tm == 7;
+    unless (eval { require Time::Local }) {
+        warn "Time::Local is not installed\n";
+        return undef;
+    }
     my ($tzStr, $tzSec) = (pop(@tm), 0);
     # use specified timezone offset (if given) instead of local system time
     # if we are converting a local time value
@@ -5908,7 +5958,7 @@ sub ProcessTrailers($$)
     for (;;) { # loop through all trailers
         my ($proc, $outBuff);
         if ($dirName eq 'Insta360') {
-            require "Image/ExifTool/QuickTimeStream.pl";
+            require 'Image/ExifTool/QuickTimeStream.pl';
             $proc = 'Image::ExifTool::QuickTime::ProcessInsta360';
         } else {
             require "Image/ExifTool/$dirName.pm";

data/bin/lib/Image/ExifTool.pod

@@ -626,7 +626,10 @@ XMP to be extracted.
 Flag to extract information from embedded documents in EPS files, embedded
 EPS information and JPEG and Jpeg2000 images in PDF files, embedded MPF
 images in JPEG and MPO files, timed metadata in videos, and the resource
-fork of Mac OS files.  Default is undef.
+fork of Mac OS files.  A setting of 2 also causes the H264 video stream in
+MP4 files to be parsed until the first SEI message is decoded, or 3 to parse
+the entire H264 stream in MP4 videos and the entire M2TS file to look for
+any unlisted program containing GPS metadata.  Default is undef.
 
 =item FastScan
 
@@ -735,8 +738,8 @@ group names.
 
 =item HexTagIDs
 
-Use hexadecimal instead of decimal for the family 7 group names of tags with
-numerical ID's.
+Return hexadecimal instead of decimal for the family 7 group names of tags
+with numerical ID's.
 
 =item HtmlDump
 
@@ -841,8 +844,9 @@ print conversion for writing.  Default is 1.
 
 Flag set to add an 'mdir' Handler to a newly created Meta box when adding
 QuickTime ItemList tags.  Adobe Bridge does not add this Handler, but it is
-commonly found in samples from other software, so it is possible that this
-could affect the interoperability of ItemList tags.  Default is undef.
+commonly found in samples from other software, and it has been reported that
+Apple QuickTime Player and Photos.apps will ignore ItemList tags if this is
+missing.  Default is 1.
 
 =item QuickTimeUTC
 
@@ -2047,6 +2051,7 @@ The group family numbers are currently available:
     4) Instance Number          (eg. Copy1, Copy2, Copy3...)
     5) Metadata Path            (eg. JPEG-APP1-IFD0-ExifIFD)
     6) EXIF/TIFF Format         (eg. int8u, int32u, undef, string)
+    7) Tag ID                   (eg. ID-271, ID-rights, ID-a9aut)
 
 Families 0 and 1 are based on the file structure, and are similar except
 that family 1 is more specific and sub-divides some groups to give more
@@ -2090,13 +2095,14 @@ Family 6 is currently used only for EXIF/TIFF metadata, and gives the format
 type of the extracted value.  Generated only if the L</SaveFormat> option is
 used when extracting.
 
-Family 7 is used for tag ID's.  The group names are "ID-" followed by the
-tag ID with characters other than [-_A-Za-z0-9] converted to hex.  Numerical
-tag ID's are given in hex if the L</HexTagIDs> option is set.  When
-specifying a family 7 group name, numerical ID's may be in hex or decimal,
-and non-numercal ID's may or may not have characters other than
-[-_A-Za-z0-9] converted to hex.  Note that unlike other group names, family
-7 group names are case sensitive (except for the leading "ID-").
+Family 7 is used for tag ID's.  The group names are the actual tag ID's,
+with a leading "ID-" string.  Non-numerical ID's have characters other than
+[-_A-Za-z0-9] converted to hex.  Numerical tag ID's are returned in hex if
+the L</HexTagIDs> option is set, otherwise decimal is used.  When specifying
+a family 7 group name, numerical ID's may be in hex or decimal, and
+non-numerical ID's may or may not have characters other than [-_A-Za-z0-9]
+converted to hex.  Note that unlike other group names, the tag ID's of
+family 7 group names are case sensitive (but the leading "ID-" is not).
 
 See L</GetAllGroups [static]> for complete lists of group names.
 
@@ -2253,7 +2259,7 @@ Get list of all group names in specified family.
 
 =item Inputs:
 
-0) Group family number (0-4)
+0) Group family number (0-7)
 
 =item Return Values:
 
@@ -2342,12 +2348,16 @@ rational64s, float, double, ifd, unicode, complex, int64u, int64s, ifd64
 
 =item Family 7 (Tag ID):
 
-ID-xxx (where xxx is the tag ID.  Numerical ID's are given in hex with a
-leading "0x" if the HexTagIDs option is set, as are characters in
-non-numerical ID's which are not valid in a group name)
+ID-xxx (Where xxx is the tag ID.  Numerical ID's are returned in hex with a
+leading "0x" if the HexTagIDs option is set, or decimal otherwise. 
+Characters in non-numerical ID's which are not valid in a group name are
+returned as 2 hex digits.)
 
 =back
 
+Note:  This function may also be called as an ExifTool member function to
+allow the HexTagIDs option to be set when retrieving family 7 group names.
+
 =head2 GetDeleteGroups [static]
 
 Get list of all deletable group names.
@@ -2365,14 +2375,14 @@ None.
 A list of deletable group names in alphabetical order.  The current list of
 deletable group names is:
 
-AFCP, APP0, APP1, APP10, APP11, APP12, APP13, APP14, APP15, APP2, APP3,
-APP4, APP5, APP6, APP7, APP8, APP9, Adobe, Audio, Author, CIFF, Camera,
-CanonVRD, Document, Ducky, EXIF, ExifIFD, ExifTool, File, FlashPix,
-FotoStation, GPS, GlobParamIFD, ICC_Profile, IFD0, IFD1, IPTC, Image,
-InteropIFD, JFIF, Jpeg2000, Location, MIE, MPF, MakerNotes, Meta, MetaIFD,
-NikonCapture, Other, PDF, PDF-update, PNG, PNG-pHYs, PhotoMechanic,
-Photoshop, Preview, PrintIM, Printing, RMETA, RSRC, SubIFD, Time, Trailer,
-Video, XML, XML-*, XMP, XMP-*
+Adobe, AFCP, APP0, APP1, APP10, APP11, APP12, APP13, APP14, APP15, APP2,
+APP3, APP4, APP5, APP6, APP7, APP8, APP9, Audio, Author, Camera, CanonVRD,
+CIFF, Document, Ducky, EXIF, ExifIFD, ExifTool, File, FlashPix, FotoStation,
+GlobParamIFD, GPS, ICC_Profile, IFD0, IFD1, Image, Insta360, InteropIFD,
+IPTC, ItemList, JFIF, Jpeg2000, Keys, Location, MakerNotes, Meta, MetaIFD,
+Microsoft, MIE, MPF, NikonCapture, Other, PDF, PDF-update, PhotoMechanic,
+Photoshop, PNG, PNG-pHYs, Preview, PrintIM, Printing, QuickTime, RMETA,
+RSRC, SubIFD, Time, Trailer, UserData, Video, XML, XML-*, XMP, XMP-*
 
 To schedule a group for deletion, call L</SetNewValue> with a tag name like
 'EXIF:*' and an undefined tag value.

data/bin/lib/Image/ExifTool/Apple.pm

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use vars qw($VERSION);
 use Image::ExifTool::Exif;
 use Image::ExifTool::PLIST;
 
-$VERSION = '1.04';
+$VERSION = '1.05';
 
 # Apple iPhone metadata (ref PH)
 %Image::ExifTool::Apple::Main = (
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ $VERSION = '1.04';
     # 0x000f - int32s: 2,3
     # 0x0010 - int32s: 1
     0x0011 => {
-        Name => 'ContentIdentifier', #forum8750
+        Name => 'MediaGroupUUID', #NealKrawetz private communication
+        # (changed in 12.19 from Name => 'ContentIdentifier', #forum8750)
         Writable => 'string',
     },
     # 0x0014 - int32s: 1,2,3,4,5 (iPhone 6s, iOS 6.1)

data/bin/lib/Image/ExifTool/BuildTagLookup.pm

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ use Image::ExifTool::Sony;
 use Image::ExifTool::Validate;
 use Image::ExifTool::MacOS;
 
-$VERSION = '3.41';
+$VERSION = '3.44';
 @ISA = qw(Exporter);
 
 sub NumbersFirst($$);
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ my %formatOK = (
     signed      => 1,
     unsigned    => 1,
     utf8        => 1,
+    Unicode     => 1, # (Microsoft Xtra)
+    GUID        => 1, # (Microsoft Xtra)
+    vt_filetime => 1, # (Microsoft Xtra)
 );
 
 # Descriptions for the TagNames documentation
@@ -310,9 +313,10 @@ C<integer> is a string of digits (possibly beginning with a '+' or '-'),
 C<real> is a floating point number, C<rational> is entered as a floating
 point number but stored as two C<integer> strings separated by a '/'
 character, C<date> is a date/time string entered in the format "YYYY:mm:dd
-HH:MM:SS[.ss][+/-HH:MM]", C<boolean> is either "True" or "False", C<struct>
-indicates a structured tag, and C<lang-alt> is a tag that supports alternate
-languages.
+HH:MM:SS[.ss][+/-HH:MM]", C<boolean> is either "True" or "False" (but "true"
+and "false" may be written as a ValueConv value for compatibility with
+non-conforming applications), C<struct> indicates a structured tag, and
+C<lang-alt> is a tag that supports alternate languages.
 
 When reading, C<struct> tags are extracted only if the L<Struct|../ExifTool.html#Struct> (-struct)
 option is used.  Otherwise the corresponding I<Flattened> tags, indicated by
@@ -430,11 +434,13 @@ L<UserData|Image::ExifTool::TagNames/QuickTime UserData Tags>, and
 finally in L<Keys|Image::ExifTool::TagNames/QuickTime Keys Tags>,
 but this order may be changed by setting the PREFERRED level of the
 appropriate table in the config file (see
-L<example.config|../config.html#PREF> in the full distribution for
-an example).  ExifTool currently writes only top-level metadata in
-QuickTime-based files; it extracts other track-specific and timed
-metadata, but can not yet edit tags in these locations (with the
-exception of track-level date/time tags).
+L<example.config|../config.html#PREF> in the full distribution for an
+example).  Note that some tags with the same name but different ID's may
+exist in the same location, but the family 7 group names may be used to
+differentiate these.  ExifTool currently writes only top-level metadata in
+QuickTime-based files; it extracts other track-specific and timed metadata,
+but can not yet edit tags in these locations (with the exception of
+track-level date/time tags).
 
 Alternate language tags may be accessed for
 L<ItemList|Image::ExifTool::TagNames/QuickTime ItemList Tags> and
@@ -459,8 +465,8 @@ local time when extracting.
 
 When writing string-based date/time tags, the system time zone is added if
 the PrintConv option is enabled and no time zone is specified.  This is
-because Apple software may display a crazy values if the time zone is
-missing for some tags.
+because Apple software may display crazy values if the time zone is missing
+for some tags.
 
 See
 L<https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/QuickTime/QTFF/>
@@ -698,10 +704,14 @@ my %shortcutNotes = (
         large binary data tags which may be excluded to reduce memory usage if
         memory limitations are a problem
     },
+   'ls-l' => q{
+        mimics columns shown by Unix "ls -l" command.  Includes some tags which are
+        extracted only if the API L<SystemTags|../ExifTool.html#SystemTags> option
+        is enabled
+    },
 );
 
-
-# same thing for RIFF INFO tags found in the EXIF spec
+# lookup for RIFF INFO tags which are found in the EXIF spec
 my %riffSpec = (
     IARL => 1,  ICRD => 1,  IGNR => 1,  IPLT => 1,  ISRC => 1,
     IART => 1,  ICRP => 1,  IKEY => 1,  IPRD => 1,  ISRF => 1,
@@ -1319,6 +1329,7 @@ TagID:  foreach $tagID (@keys) {
                         my $count = $$tagInfo{Count} || 1;
                         # adjust count to Writable size if different than Format
                         if ($writable and $format and $writable ne $format and
+                            $writable ne 'string' and $format ne 'string' and
                             $Image::ExifTool::Exif::formatNumber{$writable} and
                             $Image::ExifTool::Exif::formatNumber{$format})
                         {