Jim M Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 We would require an example of an un-altered photo from that topic in a zip so we can analyze what is happening here. When a file is uploaded to our software the metadata could be stripped or otherwise so we need to see the original file.
autumnwalker Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 @Jim M I provided what the user claims to have uploaded to the site in a message to @Marc Stridgen in a zip file. Marc noted the image from the iPhone (unsurprisingly) is a HEIC file. I'm not sure what would convert the file to something the board can read / upload, but the user is on an iPhone 12 using a web browser.
autumnwalker Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 @Jim M I added you to the message with @Marc Stridgen with the original photo. I'm not posting the photo here as I don't want any of the metadata (user's location) to be published accidentally.
Jim M Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 While I appreciate what you're saying here, there is nothing natively in our software that would convert HEIC to JPEG. Therefore, what we are trying to get across is this may be the root of your issue. Whomever is uploading this image is either converting this before upload or you have something third party which is performing this. Each of these may be creating your issue. If you have a non-HEIC image which is having this issue, please provide us that image and we can investigate.
autumnwalker Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 Thanks @Jim M. I've asked the user what they are using to upload the image. There is nothing 3rd party on the board that I am aware of - pretty much vanilla aside from a tweak to the theme header and apparently the editor according to the support page in the Admin CP (although I'm not sure what that customization is ...). The server itself is vanilla Ubuntu with the recommended software and php-extensions installed as per the documentation when I set this server up a couple of years ago. There shouldn't be anything on the server side that is converting the HEIC to JPEG; at least nothing I've configured.
Jim M Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 Most likely the user converted the HEIC to a JPEG then if there is nothing third party you are aware of. Tried to test this on your community but the credentials are not valid but of course, you can test this by uploading the HEIC file.
autumnwalker Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 3 minutes ago, Jim M said: Most likely the user converted the HEIC to a JPEG then if there is nothing third party you are aware of. Tried to test this on your community but the credentials are not valid but of course, you can test this by uploading the HEIC file. Want me to create credentials for you?
autumnwalker Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 I just tested using the HEIC image that I included in the zip. It's upside down on IPB. I downloaded the HEIC from Mail to Photos on my iPhone. It appears "right side up" on the iOS device. I used Microsoft Edge on the iPhone to access the board and upload the image - it's upside down. I didn't convert. I didn't rotate. I just clicked "add files", "photo library", selected the image (which appeared right side up), clicked "add" and then posted. It appeared upside down when uploaded. Interesting. I just did the same process here using the same device and browser (iOS 15 / Edge) and it uploaded in the correct orientation.
Jim M Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 5 minutes ago, autumnwalker said: I just tested using the HEIC image that I included in the zip. It's upside down on IPB. I downloaded the HEIC from Mail to Photos on my iPhone. It appears "right side up" on the iOS device. I used Microsoft Edge on the iPhone to access the board and upload the image - it's upside down. I didn't convert. I didn't rotate. I just clicked "add files", "photo library", selected the image (which appeared right side up), clicked "add" and then posted. It appeared upside down when uploaded. Is it being uploaded as a JPEG? Something in your process is converting it as when I upload the file you provided it us. It is remaining as a HEIC as seen here:
autumnwalker Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 (edited) Nothing I'm willfully doing is converting it. I'm just using the UI on the iPhone (via web browser) to select a photo from "photo library" and upload it. It is converting to JPEG somewhere ... but I don't know where / why. What's odd is your board did it too (in the test forum), but it oriented it correctly. Edited February 23, 2022 by autumnwalker
Jim M Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 31 minutes ago, autumnwalker said: Nothing I'm willfully doing is converting it. I'm just using the UI on the iPhone (via web browser) to select a photo from "photo library" and upload it. It is converting to JPEG somewhere ... but I don't know where / why. What's odd is your board did it too (in the test forum), but it oriented it correctly. Please ensure you are uploading a HEIC if you have more than one file in your file storage.
autumnwalker Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 The only file I have is the HEIC. I just installed / switched to ImageMagick and it has the same behaviour. If I upload the HEIC to my board from my MacBook it uploads as an HEIC file. If I upload to my board via my iPhone / iOS something converts it to a JPEG and keeps it upside down. If I upload to this board via my iPhone / iOS something converts it to a JPEG and orients it correctly.
Jim M Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 The HEIC, unfortunately, is an anomaly that I cannot reproduce even on my iPhone. However, let's try to take that out of our investigation for the time being, do you have any other image which is natively a JPG, PNG, etc... which is also having this issue?
sudo Posted February 24, 2022 Posted February 24, 2022 (edited) I have a funny feeling safari uploads HEIC photos (the default format) in compatibility mode which results in it being a jpeg that gets submitted from the phone. There is a setting FYI in settings->photos which can force it to transfer the heic or automatically convert to a compatible format when transferring using cable etc which used to be default on. Also the camera app settings in Settings can also be set to use either High Efficiency format (heic) or Most Compatible when taking photos, I think HEIC is the default now. iCloud photos also converts HEIC stuff uploaded to jpeg unless you use download options for force the real files to be downloaded. Also it appears safari strips metadata when uploading but when I have been testing it myself it *appears* to leave the orientation field. I used https://www.ezyzip.com/ to upload the image directly from photos using safari to get a copy of the convertered heic -> jpeg that safari sends to the webserver and downloaded the zip to icloud drive before opening and viewing the exif info. Sorry for getting involved with this thread, I am just looking for quirks my end before users ask. I have a rotated HEIC file which works fine when uploaded using safari on my ios 15.3.1 phone and does rotate properly based on the exif data safari retains. Edited February 24, 2022 by sudo
Marc Posted February 24, 2022 Posted February 24, 2022 13 hours ago, autumnwalker said: What's odd is your board did it too (in the test forum), but it oriented it correctly. I need to pic up on this part as this is important. We do not convert the file to another format. It can only be being done by the device. There is simply no function in the platform at all that does this. I would say however, if our site is orienting it correctly, the only place than can be an issue there is unfortunately the server its run on
autumnwalker Posted February 24, 2022 Posted February 24, 2022 10 hours ago, sudo said: Sorry for getting involved with this thread, I am just looking for quirks my end before users ask. I have a rotated HEIC file which works fine when uploaded using safari on my ios 15.3.1 phone and does rotate properly based on the exif data safari retains. Do you mind sharing details about your server? Versions, etc.? I'm wondering if it's an issue in a version of the software on my server causing this?
autumnwalker Posted February 24, 2022 Posted February 24, 2022 For what it's worth my server (Ubuntu 18.04) is passing the checks in the Admin CP. The only thing it doesn't like is the version of PHP (7.2) which is the Ubuntu version with back ported security updates.
Marc Posted February 24, 2022 Posted February 24, 2022 You would need to ensure your system passes all required items. Things will not work properly without this
crmarks Posted February 28, 2022 Posted February 28, 2022 It may have to do with exif data being stripped on upload, for the sake of privacy. That is my best guess, as it’s an AdminCP setting I recently changed. I have started to see this upside down photo orientation happening to users on my community too. @Marc Stridgen
Marc Posted March 1, 2022 Posted March 1, 2022 If exif data is stripped, that would indeed happen, yes. This is because that is where the orientation data is kept. This said however, it would not explain the heic/jpg part of this. Also they are being uploaded here on our own community with the same issue
autumnwalker Posted March 8, 2022 Posted March 8, 2022 Tried turning off the strip EXIF data on my board - issue persists. @crmarks if you disable on your board does it resolve the issue? @Marc Stridgen iOS is doing the HEIC conversion. When I attempt to upload the same photo from macOS it does not convert the file. When I attempt on my iOS device it converts to .jpeg.
Emediate Posted March 8, 2022 Posted March 8, 2022 3 hours ago, autumnwalker said: Tried turning off the strip EXIF data on my board We've been chasing this problem down for some time too. I agree it's definitely HEIC and iPhone related. Can you tell me where you found that setting to strip EXIF data please?
Marc Posted March 9, 2022 Posted March 9, 2022 The issue here it seems is that your phone is stripping the EXIF data. This being the case, there isnt anything at all that the software can do to correct this issue. 9 hours ago, Emediate said: We've been chasing this problem down for some time too. I agree it's definitely HEIC and iPhone related. Can you tell me where you found that setting to strip EXIF data please? The setting for this is in System>Overview>Files>Image settings when using ImageMagick
Emediate Posted March 9, 2022 Posted March 9, 2022 Ahh I don't use Imagemagick hence why I can't see it.
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