Allow uploaders to add a name/descriptor to files

[alangrainger]

Someone asked on Reddit:

Is there a good way to separate these photos from my regular photos? They are uploaded under my name
and appear as any other photo except for the ipp_ prefix. Could I tag them with a workflow? But there
is no way to specify which guest.

For a bit of explanation, here is what happens today and why IPP does not tag uploads itself, and then a possible solution:

Today

Uploads go to Immich using the album's public share key. A share key can only store a file - it cannot add tags to the upload. Tagging needs an API key with tag permissions, and giving one to a public-facing service adds the possibility for it to change your library.

Sidecar

Immich can read tags from an XMP sidecar sent with the upload, with no key. I've tested it but the issue is that Immich takes tags from one source only and the sidecar wins, so a photo exported from Lightroom with its own keywords keeps only the IPP tag. Most phone photos won't have any tags.

The other downside with that is that you then end up with a .xmp sidecar file alongside each upload forever in your filesystem.

Proposal

An optional Your name field on the upload page (saved in the browser for next time). The server turns it into a slug and puts it in the filename:

ipp_upload_jane-smith_IMG_0042.jpg

Then, with no setup, a filename search for ipp_upload_jane-smith shows everything Jane sent, and a workflow on filename starts with ipp_upload_jane-smith_ gives her uploads a real tag. Existing workflows on ipp_upload_ keep working. Original bytes, checksum, EXIF, GPS and embedded keywords are untouched.

Possible addition: a bulk-tag script

As a convenience, I could add a script inside the upload container that would bulk create tags from the filenames. You would supply an API key when you run the script, so that there's no key stored with IPP. E.g.:

docker exec -e IMMICH_API_KEY=... immich-public-proxy-upload node tag-uploads.js

Feedback requested

Thoughts? Does adding the slug in the filename provide enough usability? Or is a sidecar better even though it adds an extra file in your disk and will override existing file tags? I could include both options and let people decide for themselves.

[ElioDiNino]

For me, the filename provides enough usability, but having the choice of an extra file that overrides existing tags would also be good.

[klaus1k]

I was just contaminating today, that the only thing missing now is an I put field to get the name of the uploading person 😆 Perfect timing, I would love that feature.

For me "name in filename" sounds fine - that solves the most pressing issue that photos can't be separated.

I think the bulk-tag script would be the best solution for convenient filtering in immich for me. I'm not sure about the uncertainty that metadata is possibly getting dismissed because the sidecar information is preferred.

Maybe it could be a future workflow feature in immich to create tags from filenames, then no bulk-tag script would be needed.

[alangrainger]

Visitor name field has been added in 4.1.0 :)