ExifTool For Dummies

NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS

First you must install ExifTool. If you have not done so already, follow the installation instructions for your platform before proceeding, then refer to the appropriate section below to get started using ExifTool.

Windows

After the basic ExifTool installation, you should now have a copy of the ExifTool application on your desktop. (The name of the application is exiftool(-k).exe, but whether or not you see the .exe extension depends on your system settings.)

Note that if you are running an antivirus scanner, you may need to add an exception for the ExifTool app to be able to run it.

Extracting Metadata

Windows Drag and Drop

1. Drag and drop a file or folder onto the exiftool(-k) icon on your desktop.

After doing this, a black window will open with a list of all metadata in the image. Make the window larger or use the scroll bar on the right side to see any information which may have scrolled out of the window.

The "(-k)" in the exiftool file name causes exiftool to pause with the message "-- press any key --" after extracting metadata from the file. When you are done viewing the metadata, press any key to close the window.

EXPLAIN ABOUT EXIFTOOL OPTIONS AND WINDOWS SHORTCUTS, AND SHOW SOME PICTURES

Windows Command Line

Before following the steps below, you must first install exiftool for use from the command line by following steps 1 through 4 in the installation instructions for the Windows Stand-Alone version.

Steps to run exiftool from the command line:

1. Click the Windows "Start" menu and run the "cmd" application:
   • In Windows XP, select "Run..." from the start menu, then type "cmd" and press ENTER.
   • In Windows 7, search for "cmd" from the "Start" menu, then press ENTER.
   • In Windows 8, move the pointer to one of the right side corners to bring up the side bar, select "Search", and type "cmd" into the search box. Then click on the command-line icon that should appear.
2. Type "exiftool" followed by a SPACE on the cmd window.
3. Drag and drop files and folders on the cmd window.
   (This saves you typing the full path names of the files/folders.)
4. Press ENTER to view the metadata from the files you dropped.

GIVE SOME EXAMPLES AND PICTURES HERE

Writing Metadata

MORE STUFF HERE (also explain shell quoting rules, path names, etc)

Mac OS X

After following the OS X installation instructions, ExifTool is ready for command-line use.

Extracting Metadata

Follow these instructions to run ExifTool:

1. Launch the Terminal application from your /Applications/Utilities folder.
2. Type "exiftool" followed by a SPACE in the Terminal window.
3. Drag and drop files and folders on the Terminal window.
   (This saves you typing the full path names of the files/folders.)
4. Press RETURN to view the metadata from the files you dropped.

GIVE SOME EXAMPLES AND PICTURES HERE

Writing Metadata

MORE STUFF HERE (also explain shell quoting rules, path names, etc)

Linux

What? A dummy running Linux? I don't believe it.

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