"exiftool not found"

[ruben]

I am trying to learn how to use your tool (additionally with the GUI). My goal is to change the date (the year even) of a large group of CR2 (RAW format from Canon 5d mark ii) photos. I have followed all the steps you have given (and also the GUI steps written here:   https://exiftool.org/gui/ 

However when I try to just edit the EXIF info, it gives me the following error (see link bellow)  "exiftool not found"  I know this might sound ridiculous but do you know what I may be doing wrong?? 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruben_salgado_escudero/5815975896/in/photostream

thanks for your help!

[ruben]

Ok I figured that out... SORRY

to the next question, when I change the Date on these files, I have now changed the MetaData, in the Windows explorer the 'Date Modified' is not changed, anybody know how I can change this as well?

thanks.

[BogdanH]

See menu Various>File:Date modified=Exif:DateTime -btw. this (Windows) Date modified value has nothing to do with image mateadata.

Bogdan

[dglp]

Ok I figured that out... SORRY

I am having the same thing.
I have installed ExifTool GUI in its own directory.
I have ExifTool installed through GeoSetter.
Something's missing somewhere.

So how did you solve it?

[dglp]

Fixed...

One or all of the following:
Unzip ExifTool archive.
Unzip ExifTool GUI archive into the same directory.
(Doesn't matter if it's in Windows directory)
Move jhead.exe and jpegtran.exe out of their folder and into the same directory as the other two.
Rename ExifTool(-k).exe to ExifTool.exe

Double-click ExifTool GUI.
Check the Program | About menu.
If everything's working properly there will be a list of the ExifTool version; jhead.exe and jpegtran.exe will show = ready. 

[psycoxl]

i have the same problem. If i select 1 to about 500 cr2 files no problem. But when i select more i get "exiftool not found" Am i doing something wrong or is it a bug.

[Phil Harvey]

I don't know how ExifToolGUI passes the file names, but there may be a limit on the number of files if passed via the command line.

- Phil

[psycoxl]

but with jpeg files there is no problem

[BogdanH]

I don't know how ExifToolGUI passes the file names...

Normally, GUI works on single directory basis (subdirs aren't affected). When user select all visible files in dir, then asterisk is used instead of list of files. For example:
exiftool -Exif:Artist="My Name" *.*
In case file extension filter is used (i.e. "JPG files only") then:
exiftool -Exif:Artist="My Name" *.jpg
is used.
If not all files in dir are selected, then each selected filename (+extension) is sent toward Exiftool, and additionally each filename is double-quoted (no matter if filename contains spaces or not):
exiftool -Exif:Artist="MyName" "File1.jpg" "My Photo.cr2" "Readme.txt"...

...but there may be a limit on the number of files if passed via the command line.

Indeed. In Windows, space limit is 32768 characters (incl. environment variables etc). Let's say, we have 30000 characters usable space... if filenames are in average 50 characters, we can only pass about 600 files! -of course, there's no limit (in GUI) if all files are selected (as described above).
This limitation can be overridden by using some special programming techniques, but these aren't used in GUI -because, AFAIK, such approach is not officially supported by MS.

Now.. if we have (say) 600 CR2 files in one dir, and 600 JPG files in another dir, which only differs in extension (=filenames are equal), then these files are treaten equal by GUI: parameters length (filenames list) passed to exiftool is the same. And right now, I really see no reason why exiftool "couldn't be found" only in case CR2 files are selected.

Bogdan

[psycoxl]

okay thnx,
btw the jpg have other filenames (shorter)

[Phil Harvey]

Bogdan: You could get around this limitation by passing the file names via an argfile with the exiftool -@ option.  The only disadvantage of this is that you would have to create a temporary file for the filenames.

- Phil

[BogdanH]

Hi Phil,

Thank you for reminding me on that! I was just thinking about solution where (too) many files are selected -at least, GUI should warn user (was my though). But now, I will keep in mind to include this ExifTool feature.

Bogdan