PSP2020 Geotagging stopped working

[Andy2011]

For some months now I have been usuing PSP2020 to manage a large batch of photos and adding geotags. Today it has stopped working and gives an error in the map window to the effect of a javascipt error - see attachment.
Any ideas?
I am loath to contact Coral support as all I will be asked to do is re-install PSP! By the way, my system updated Java a few days ago and I cannot recall if I have used the tagging since. Current version is 8 update 231 (build 1.8.0_231-b11)

[Kimpatrick]

Same problem for me. Geotagging stops working last week. Before it worked perfect. Now it doesn't work in PSP2020 and PSP2019. I've read that the Java script version PSP uses is outdated and doesn't work anymore ?????

[Andy2011]

I have contacted Corel Support and had to jump through the usual hoops - uninstall, clean, reinstall and send screenshots - to prove error....
They have now confirmed that they are getting the problem their end:

I have tested the issue you reported and can reproduce this at my end. I have now escalated this to our development team for further investigation. Please be assured, that as soon as I receive an update from my colleagues, I will pass this information on to you. Unfortunately, I cannot give you an exact time-frame as to when this issue will be addressed/fixed as reported issues are normally dealt with on a priority/severity basis.

However, a bit of reading makes me wonder if this is an API licensing issue between Corel and Google. Apparently Google hiked the price of access to the mapping data a year ago.
I will be very pleasantly surprised if this gets fixed - I fully expect it to get kicked into the long grass. There is a free solution - digiKam - but I find it a bit cluncky.
One thing is certain, though. If Corel don't reinstate geotagging they will be losing a previously loyal customer.

[juergen]

[juergen]

...
However, a bit of reading makes me wonder if this is an API licensing issue between Corel and Google. Apparently Google hiked the price of access to the mapping data a year ago.
I will be very pleasantly surprised if this gets fixed - I fully expect it to get kicked into the long grass. There is a free solution - digiKam - but I find it a bit cluncky.
...

It looks like it is outdated (old google API) AND a licensing problem (google API key).

An easy solution with little effort for Corel can be an update to the latest API.
And the possibility that you yourself take care of the costs (get your own API key from google and store it in the Paintshop Pro settings. But will overwhelm most users, not user-friendly).
https://developers.google.com/maps/docu ... et-api-key
https://developers.google.com/maps/docu ... nd-billing

Otherwhise complete Re-Design...

[Gunslinger]

Geotagging still not back, even after installing Update 2.
This is getting to be a regular occurrence, something similar happened earlier in 2019 which it took Corel some while to put right. It is some sort of rights issue with Google, I would have thought it was time for Corel to find a different maps provider - I believe Adobe and Nero now both use OpenStreetMap.

[Gunslinger]

There is a free solution - digiKam - but I find it a bit clunky.

I've tried this. It is as you say a bit clunky. Not to mention the ominous warning messages from Windows when installing...
I've used Picmeta 'Picture Information Extractor' which is free to try, allows access to most editable metadata entries and does geotagging and mapping also using Google Maps but (so far) without the periodic glitches that afflict Corel. It doesn't offer editing but you can set it to open your chosen editing product (Paintshop Pro, Photoshop Elements or whatever) directly from within the package.
It's just annoying to have to switch between products when you have paid for one that is supposed to do it all.

[Andy2011]

2020-01-05 174236.png

I am impressed that Juergen was able to find the error messages in the Javascript consol for PSP. I looked but didn't find one whereas it is easy for most browsers.
As a guess, PSP runs its own browser within the application (Python etc. makes this sort of thing easy.)

The open source digiKam has allowed me to get on with the task of geotagging lots of local photos but the workflow is more awkward. In PSP I could geotag and write descriptions in one window. digiKam has separate modal windows for editing geotags and other Exif/IPTC data.

[LeviFiction]

If you look at the screenshot from the OP you see the error occurs from a javascript file on your computer. It gives you the directory to the javascript file that is also accompanied by an HTML file, open that in any browser and you'll be able to use the various web developer consoles to see the errors.

I discovered months ago that I could "easily" replace the API keys in these files with my own personal ones to get geomapping to work. Since I don't use it that often I was able to use the free account and I never get charged for it. If I'm mapping multiple files in a single session it technically counts as a one time use on my quota. But I haven't done an extensive look at how much of my quota the whole geomapping feature uses over time.

[Andy2011]

If you look at the screenshot from the OP you see the error occurs from a javascript file on your computer. It gives you the directory to the javascript file that is also accompanied by an HTML file, open that in any browser and you'll be able to use the various web developer consoles to see the errors.

I discovered months ago that I could "easily" replace the API keys in these files with my own personal ones to get geomapping to work. Since I don't use it that often I was able to use the free account and I never get charged for it. If I'm mapping multiple files in a single session it technically counts as a one time use on my quota. But I haven't done an extensive look at how much of my quota the whole geomapping feature uses over time.

Thanks for that - I now understand the way PSP works and the error a bit better.

Update - applied my own 'patch' and got geotagging working! Thanks for the pointers, guys

[Marco73]

So will there be a fix from Corel anytime soon or do will all have do fix it in our own by doing try and error?!

[Marco73]

And by the way my Workaround for this: Searching the spot on Google Maps and taking the coordinates to the Manager formular by Copy&Paste.
But this is annoying.

[Andy2011]

As I indicated, I obtained my own Google Maps JavaScript API key. From looking at the stats, a potentially 'chargeable' map load occurs when you start to use the geotagging window but is not dependent on the number of images tagged in a session. I have had 5 loads so far which included testing in a normal browser (Firefox) and reviewing (on a map within PSP) several hundred previously geotagged images and adding another 50. I can't be absolutely sure, but it looks like there is not a load event when leaving the Manage screen to edit an image then returning to Manage.
Map loads appear to be charged at USD7 per 1,000. However, since a user gets USD200 free credit per month, the prospect of hitting the limit is tiny!
I found getting the API key from Google more complex than making the necessary changes to the relevant HTML and JavaScript files.

[Marco73]

Thanks for that information.

Neither do I own a credit card nor do I see why the users should fix this problem on their own.
It's Corel's turn to do something about this - and to do it quick.

[Andy2011]

It's Corel's turn to do something about this - and to do it quick.

I quite agree - as you will see from my post of Corel Support's response.

I have tested the issue you reported and can reproduce this at my end. I have now escalated this to our development team for further investigation. Please be assured, that as soon as I receive an update from my colleagues, I will pass this information on to you. Unfortunately, I cannot give you an exact time-frame as to when this issue will be addressed/fixed as reported issues are normally dealt with on a priority/severity basis.

The priority/severity needs to to be upped - so more users need to contact Corel Support and make the point there, not just in a forum that may or may not be viewed by Corel.