Feedback wanted for implementation of -diff in GUI

[FrankB]

Hello,

I'm looking for people that would like to test a pre-rel (V6.3.7) of ExifToolGui that implements the -diff feature of ExifTool.

Accessing the 'Show diff metadata' form:

- Select 1 file or directory, and click on 'Show diff metadata', from the various menu, or the context menu of the file list. The selected file/directory is used on the 'left side'. You will be prompted for a 'right side'. The 'Show diff metadata' form opens.
- Select 2 files or directories. Clicking on 'Show diff metadata' opens the 'Show diff metadata' form directly.
- Select 3 or more files. Clicking on 'show diff metadata' prompts for the 'right directory'
- You can control the 'left side' by clicking that first.

Screenshots:



The 'Show diff metadata' form has these options:
- Include/Exclude the tags to compare, and save them as default.
- Formatting options. (-v, -n, -g, specify the family group name)
- When comparing 2 directories specify how to match the filenames,

Screenshot:


It also offers to 'merge' the changes between 2 files.
- Delete selected groups/tags from the Left, or Right side. (For every selected tag a '-tagname=' is executed either on the left, or right file.) Click on the 'buckets'
- Copy the selected groups/tags from the Left to the Right, or Right to Left. (A -tagsfromfile is executed using the selected tags.) Click on the Arrows.
Especially on this 'merge' I would like your feedback, because ExifTool may not allow the operation on the selected tags. An example is 'MakerNotes' which should be copied as a group, selecting a single tag will likely fail.

Should this merge:
- Not be allowed at all.
- Show a warning that the operation may fail.
- Just try it, and display the error/output of ExifTool in the log window. That is what this pre-rel does.

But any other feedback is also appreciated!

You can download this per-rel here.

Thanks in advance,
Frank

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Frank,

This looks like a really cool and useful feature.  I'm surprised nobody has commented so far.  If I were on Windows I would be happy to play with this.  I think the idea of just trying the merge and reporting the ExifTool output is the way to go.

This feature should be useful for more advanced users, but it may be a bit much for newbies to fully understand what is going on.

- Phil

[FrankB]

Thanks Phil,

No doubt the comments will come after I released it. My aim is next Friday.

Frank