Hello,
recently I started working with ExifTool in order to clean up my photo collection.
I try to use ExifTool in combination with some Windows CMD batch processing; but of course I am also open for any other, maybe ExifTool-only (without batch script) solution.
I would greatly appreciate if you would like to help me.
This is what my problem is all about:
I keep photos in parallel directories, named after the date these photos were taken, let's say "YYYY-MM-DD".
I am working with Lightroom, to identify the best of the images I took. For these best images, I use Lightroom's "export feature", to create the best images in a sub folder named "top". Therefore, over the years working with Lightroom, I got the following directory structure:
- <Pictures Root Directory>
- 2018-01-01
- 2018-03-05
- 2019-06-02
- 2019-08-04
And so on...
Now I want to start ExifTool in <Pictures Root Directory> and enter each of the photo directories and, if present, enter the sub folders "top" and copy these images (along with some processing) onto my network storage.
For individual folders and manual invocation, I built the following ExifTool command, which works fine:
exiftool -d %Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S%%-c.%%e "-filename<${Make}_${Model}_${DateTimeOriginal}" -execute -o . "-Directory<DateTimeOriginal" -d "<Network Drive>\images\%Y\%Y-%m-%d" -common_args "."This command renames all image filenames to pattern: <Camera>_<Model>_YYYY-MM-DD-HH-MM.jpg and then copies them to my network drive.
Apparently ExifTool does not support wildcard patterns in directory names, so I cannot use "-r" option to process all sub folders named "top".
Thus I built the following windows batch script:
@echo off
call :processImageDirs
goto :eof
:exiftool
exiftool -d %Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S%%-c.%%e "-filename<${Make}_${Model}_${DateTimeOriginal}" -execute -o . "-Directory<DateTimeOriginal" -d "M:\Pictures\top\%Y\%Y-%m-%d" -common_args "."
:processImageDirs
for /D %%d in (*) do (
rem enter image directory
cd %%d
rem is there subdir called "top"? => if yes, enter "top" directory
for /D %%d in (*top*) do (
cd %%d
rem call exiftool
call :exiftool
cd ..
)
cd ..
)
exit /b
The script traverses all photo directories (named by date) and looks whether there is a subdir called "top".
If yes, then it enters this "top"-directory.
I used some echo statements to print each folder name traversed. This also works fine.
ExifTool invocation within each "top" directory also works fine. But what does not work, is extraction of "DateTimeOriginal" for new filename to be set for the image files.
Camera and model extraction stills works, but for each image I get the same filename:
SONY_DSC-HX400V_
(The pictures I test with, were taken with a Sony DSC HX400V)
Underscore at the end, not date/time extracted and also no file extension.
This is the console output:
Quote
"C:\Users\<my local images dir>\20200504\top"
======== ./DSC05790.jpg
Setting new values from ./DSC05790.jpg
Writing File:FileName
'./DSC05790.jpg' --> './SONY_DSC-HX400V_'
+ FileName = './SONY_DSC-HX400V_'
======== ./DSC05791.jpg
Setting new values from ./DSC05791.jpg
Writing File:FileName
Error: './SONY_DSC-HX400V_' already exists - ./DSC05791.jpg
======== ./DSC05792.jpg
Setting new values from ./DSC05792.jpg
Writing File:FileName
Error: './SONY_DSC-HX400V_' already exists - ./DSC05792.jpg
1 directories scanned
1 image files updated
2 files weren't updated due to errors
Since ExifTool manual invocation within a folder works and Batch traversing also works, currently I don't have any clue how to solve this.
Can someone maybe help me?
Happy Easter and stay safe,
Sascha.
Hi Sascha,
To process only folders named "top", add this to your command: -if4 "$directory =~ m(/top$)"
Then run with -r on your root pictures directory.
- Phil
Thanks Phil, for your rapid reply.
Great advice by you, so I managed to get rid of this wrapping batch script.
Unfortunately there seems to be some misconception by myself on how to set the filename when renaming.
I simplified my command to
exiftool -d %Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S%%-c.%%e "-filename<${Make}_${Model}_${DateTimeOriginal}" -common_args "%CD%" -if4 "$directory =~ m(/top$)"
(this contains just the renaming part)
Again, I am experiencing that the file name, ExifTool computes, only contains Camera manufacturer name and model. Thus, for each of the files processed, only "SONY_DSC-HX400V_" is set as filename (DateTimeOriginal and file extension missing).
If I invoke ExifTool directly from the "top" directory, where the actual images to be processed, are located in, the above command works fine.
But if invoked from the image root directory, DateTimeOriginal are not set.
(maybe take a look at my directory structure, depicted at the initial post on top)
Kind regards,
Sascha.
Are you using a batch file? If so, double all percent signs (FAQ #27 (https://exiftool.org/faq.html#Q27)). Also, since you are using embedded data in your command, you do not want to use -if4, just -if. -if4 will only help when you are using the system "pseudo tags", like Directory or Filename.
-if4 is fine when the -if condition only uses pseudo system tags. It will speed things up quite a bit if most files fail the condition, but slow things down a bit if most files pass the condition.
I have to find more time to think about your problem to help out with that. Relaxing and enjoying the Easter holiday right now...
- Phil
I think StarGeek nailed the problem. It seems from the "%CD%" that you are using a .bat file, so you need to prevent the .bat processor from mangling the -d argument by doubling all of the "%" characters.
- Phil
Phil, following your first reply, I made use of "if4" and was able to get rid of this wrapping batch construction.
The if4-parameter enabled me to only process those subfolders, which are named "top" and contain my selection of best images.
So I simplified the whole invocation. No batch, just the ExifTool command as stated in my second post at https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=11041.msg59013#msg59013.
But, as described, the problem with missing date still persits.
Kind regards,
Sascha.
If there is no batch file, then what is "%CD%" ? If there is something that expands this to a directory name, then that same thing is killing the % characters in your -d argument.
- Phil
You are right, obviously I was a bit confused with all the various attempts I made.
Forget "%CD%".
I did the following:
exiftool -v5 -d %Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S%%-c.%%e "-filename<${Make}_${Model}_${DateTimeOriginal}" -r "." -if4 "$directory =~ m(/top$)"
where "." stands for the current invocation directory (my images root dir). I tried with and without option "-r", seems to make no difference.
This is the verbose console output:
Quote
"<images root dir>\05.04.2020\top"
======== ./DSC05790.jpg
Setting new values from ./DSC05790.jpg
Writing File:FileName
'./DSC05790.jpg' --> './SONY_DSC-HX400V_'
+ FileName = './SONY_DSC-HX400V_'
======== ./DSC05791.jpg
Setting new values from ./DSC05791.jpg
Writing File:FileName
Error: './SONY_DSC-HX400V_' already exists - ./DSC05791.jpg
======== ./DSC05792.jpg
Setting new values from ./DSC05792.jpg
Writing File:FileName
Error: './SONY_DSC-HX400V_' already exists - ./DSC05792.jpg
1 directories scanned
1 image files updated
2 files weren't updated due to errors
1 directories scanned
2 files failed condition
0 image files read
1 directories scanned
2 files failed condition
0 image files read
Error: '<images root dir>/05.04.2020/top/SONY_DSC-HX400V_' already exists - <images root dir>/05.04.2020/top/DSC05791.jpg
Error: '<images root dir>/05.04.2020/top/SONY_DSC-HX400V_' already exists - <images root dir>/05.04.2020/top/DSC05792.jpg
1 directories scanned
0 image files updated
2 files weren't updated due to errors
Well, I'm just about out of ideas because that command works fine for me on Mac. Just 2 things to try:
1. Be sure you are using a recent version of ExifTool (current is 11.93).
2. Be sure you are using cmd.exe and not PowerShell.
Also, note that you can set "TestName" instead of "FileName" to make things easier for testing.
- Phil
Phil, if it works for you under MacOS... Could I maybe attach one of my folders (I use for testing just one folder with images) with 3 images and you could try it on your machine?
Sure. I'm leaving the computer for a while, but I should be able to try it before tonight.
If you can't attach it, upload somewhere then post a link here.
- Phil
Hi Phil,
I just sent you the download link via PM.
Thanks for your effort!
Sascha.
Hi Sascha,
It seems to work for me. I had to change the double quotes to single quotes because I'm on a Mac:
> exiftool -v5 -d %Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S%%-c.%%e '-testname<${Make}_${Model}_${DateTimeOriginal}' -r . -if4 '$directory =~ m(/top$)'
======== ./14.03.2020/top/DSC05714.jpg
Setting new values from ./14.03.2020/top/DSC05714.jpg
Writing File:TestName
'./14.03.2020/top/DSC05714.jpg' --> './14.03.2020/top/SONY_DSC-HX400V_2020-03-14-15-31-50.jpg'
======== ./14.03.2020/top/DSC05710.jpg
Setting new values from ./14.03.2020/top/DSC05710.jpg
Writing File:TestName
'./14.03.2020/top/DSC05710.jpg' --> './14.03.2020/top/SONY_DSC-HX400V_2020-03-14-15-16-57.jpg'
======== ./14.03.2020/top/DSC05704.JPG
Setting new values from ./14.03.2020/top/DSC05704.JPG
Writing File:TestName
'./14.03.2020/top/DSC05704.JPG' --> './14.03.2020/top/SONY_DSC-HX400V_2020-03-14-15-05-19.JPG'
-------- ./14.03.2020/DSC05727.JPG (failed condition)
-------- ./14.03.2020/DSC05726.JPG (failed condition)
-------- ./14.03.2020/DSC05714.JPG (failed condition)
-------- ./14.03.2020/DSC05710.JPG (failed condition)
-------- ./14.03.2020/DSC05704.JPG (failed condition)
======== ./05.04.2020/top/DSC05792.jpg
Setting new values from ./05.04.2020/top/DSC05792.jpg
Writing File:TestName
'./05.04.2020/top/DSC05792.jpg' --> './05.04.2020/top/SONY_DSC-HX400V_2020-04-05-16-43-12.jpg'
======== ./05.04.2020/top/DSC05790.JPG
Setting new values from ./05.04.2020/top/DSC05790.JPG
Writing File:TestName
'./05.04.2020/top/DSC05790.JPG' --> './05.04.2020/top/SONY_DSC-HX400V_2020-04-05-16-42-48.JPG'
======== ./05.04.2020/top/DSC05791.jpg
Setting new values from ./05.04.2020/top/DSC05791.jpg
Writing File:TestName
'./05.04.2020/top/DSC05791.jpg' --> './05.04.2020/top/SONY_DSC-HX400V_2020-04-05-16-43-06.jpg'
-------- ./05.04.2020/DSC05803.JPG (failed condition)
-------- ./05.04.2020/DSC05802.JPG (failed condition)
-------- ./05.04.2020/DSC05792.JPG (failed condition)
-------- ./05.04.2020/DSC05790.JPG (failed condition)
-------- ./05.04.2020/DSC05791.JPG (failed condition)
-------- ./05.04.2020/DSC05799.JPG (failed condition)
5 directories scanned
11 files failed condition
0 image files updated
6 image files unchanged
It should work exactly the same in Windows with double quotes, provided you are using the same ExifTool version and nothing is messing with the % characters in the command.
What do you get for the output of this command, running exactly the same way as the above command?:
exiftool -ver -echo %Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S%%-c.%%e
You should get this:
%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S%%-c.%%e
11.93
- Phil
Phil, many thanks.
Indeed, this is exactly, what I get, when executing your command:
%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S%%-c.%%e
11.93
I don't have a Mac at hand, but I can try installing ExifTool on Linux.
I will give it a try.
Meanwhile, any hint on how to tackle the problem on windows, of course is welcome.
Sascha.
Hi Sascha,
I'll try this myself on Windows when I get in chance, but I really don't see how it could fail.
- Phil
Phil,
many thanks for all your efforts.
After all I think I was able to solve my problem.
I have another Windows computer in my house, the one my employing company (I am a software developer myself) equips me with.
I took my time and installed ExifTool on the work laptop pc and copied some of my images to this computer.
Indeed, finally ExifTool works, as expected.
In the next days, I will have a close look on what the problem with the other PC might be. But at least I know, it's a problem I have to deal with for myself and at least I already have a workaround at hand, by using the other computer.
Many thanks for your support over Easter and the last days. This is really extraordinary!
I am so glad, that I finally have some hint to where the problem might be.
Keep up the good work!