I can't do the HTML codes again within the image descriptions. They fail to "translate", for example italics

yes, that I noticed as well, text in bold, which was used also for image-title and image-alt as well was not translated in image-alt and image-title

I just tried it with the latest svn. HTML is still possible within the album/image descriptions and the custom fields. It is not within any other field (and never was..:-)).

No, I'm using code within image description only. And I see the HTML tags, not the output.

Looks like an over zelous HTML validation issue purge assuming it is the Effervescence+ theme. That will be fixed. If it is a different theme, please let us know which.

I'm using the Default theme. Had the problem once before and something was fixed to make it all better (nightly build). Not sure if current problem is related.

Well, see if the nightly fixes it. If not we will have to do some more research.

svn 1.1.7 #1967: no change, still see the however I can never tell if you mean "nightly" for my time zone

Well, it is working for me on [1967]. Just to be sure we are talking the same thing:

default theme, index.php where it does a printImageDesc() below the image.

But I did use [i][/i] which is the [i]correct[/i] html.

Nightlies are defined in terms of when they are created--2300 Pacific time. That will normally be [b]after[/b] the time of my post.

It's working for me, too. `is also correct html, but it's recommend to use[i][/i]` indeed (the first is only visual, the other considered to be sematic...:-))