ExifTool 12.88 Windows package

[soundbyte]

obetz Thanks for the update.

After doing a bit of checking this morning I can see there are now differences with the Windows 64bit zip distributions of the exiftool application.
The Windows 64bit version on the https://exiftool.org/ site (10,596,352 bytes) is different to the one on https://oliverbetz.de/pages/Artikel/ExifTool-for-Windows#toc-3 (12,718,080 bytes).

64bit zip install from exiftool.org site is now 119 directories and 498 files (32,590,019bytes) larger than previously.
64bit zip install from the OB site is now 125 directories and 1449 files (43,517,914bytes) larger than previously.
Some more work to synchronize these files with the same names?

I am pretty sure there may well be people now having issues installing the Windows version as a lot will not necessarily know what the "PATH" is and how to find which locations are part of that Environment variable.
Glad that C:\Windows (https://exiftool.org/install.html "Windows" Point 5.) was removed but difficult to make a default install location suggestion as there can no reliable knowledge of the "PATH" Environment variable on the Windows installation on the local computer that is suitable.
I know that using something like this shortcut way "Windows key+R" - "CMD" - "PATH" could/would confuse as well.

Did not do a check of the installation version.

Thanks for your efforts.

[Phil Harvey]

The version of the package available from the ExifTool home page does not contain the documentation and some other unnecessary files, but both versions should behave exactly the same.  If not, please say so.

- Phil

[soundbyte]

Thanks, I suspected that to be the case.
Both versions seem to work, I prefer to use the one that has the least files.

As there are 2 main web site options to download the exiftool application I suggest that the alternate site files be renamed to ensure no confusion between 2 files with the same name from differing sites that do the same thing but have differing file lists.
Perhaps the ones from the alternate site have should a prefix/suffix added to the filename - possibly OB?

As for a default location to place the Windows zip install files, I think that C:\Program Files\Exiftool for 64bit or C:\Program Files (x86) for 32bit could be suggested as these are the default locations for the 64bit and 32bit install version/s.

[StarGeek]

As for a default location to place the Windows zip install files, I think that C:\Program Files\Exiftool for 64bit or C:\Program Files (x86) for 32bit could be suggested as these are the default locations for the 64bit and 32bit install version/s.

Oliver Betz's installer will install to the "Program Files" directory if you select the install for all users option.  See Installer options.

[StarGeek]

Link for building the PAR packer version
pp_build_exe.args, Arguments for building stand-alone Windows executable

[Phil Harvey]

I just updated the .args file you linked to the latest version.  (That was a 12-year-old thread. )

- Phil

[StarGeek]

Yep, but I that was the one I had in my notes and I couldn't find anything newer searching on pp_build_exe.args.