ExifTool for Dummies

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Bernd,

This is a great idea if I could get Drupal running here and integrate it with the forum.  After searching, I see there is a Drupal SMF forum integration module which seems to allow this.

The Drupal idea is much better than what I had in mind because users can add examples and comments themselves.  This is wonderful!

It would be nice if it could be organized into common tasks, with an index so people can look up commands which relate to the task at hand.  For example:

• adding keywords to an image
• deleting all metadata
• extract a thumbnail or preview image from another image
• add GPS information to an image
• organize images into directories based on date
• exporting information to a database
• etc.

Also, there may be a set of common problems that people have, similar to the FAQ but more comprehensive, that could be organized as topics too:

• common tag names
• basic metadata types
• how to avoid the "_original" backup files
• "File not found" error
• Makernotes errors/warnings
• etc.

But I'm not sure if/how this could fit into what you have set up so far.

- Phil

[geobernadotte]

Hi Phil,

i'm more than happy that you not hate my idea so far

What i have set up so far is just a simple example collection with 3 vocabularies for the level, the basic action and the command parts.
There could be many ways to classify an example, e.g. add an additional tag with predefined classes like

adding keywords to an image
deleting all metadata
extract a thumbnail or preview image from another image
add GPS information to an image
...

From that, we can generate index pages with other fancy stuff like order according to the number of individual page views  etc etc etc ( .... endless possibilities)

There could also be e.g. a "Problem/Solution" node.
Users post their problem, other users can answer it. When as solution is found, the node can be marked as solved and provided with other keywords, so it gets related to existing examples or already solved problems.
Furthermore, advanced users willing to help (don't know how likely is that), can subscribe to that node type, so when a new problem gets posted, they get notified with a link and post an answer.

I think one of the goals of such a system should be, to lift that heavy burden of user support partly from your shoulders!

About html pages, forums, drupal:
Me personally am a bit of an bleeding-edge guy concerning websites.
html pages where nice when nothing else existed, forums pushed user interaction on a new level, but since the concept of forums is mostly focused on discussions and not on knowledge management (like it is intended here), i would propose to entirely drop those two methods and completely migrate to a more flexible (but also more complex) system like drupal, instead of trying to integrate those 3 together.
This of course is not a thing done in a few days, but a matter of weeks and longer.

Anyway ... i think i have to get back to the work i get paid for here
Will try to develope a few more ideas and will post back here when i fumbled out something presentable to you, which might take a few days.

Just to repeat: I'm just trying to help a bit, do not feel forced into a direction you don't like.

Greetz
Bernd

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Bernd,

There could also be e.g. a "Problem/Solution" node.

This is an idea we tried in the forum, but it was too formal and didn't see any activity.  A less formal and user-driven Dupal problem/solution section perhaps has a better chance of success.

I think one of the goals of such a system should be, to lift that heavy burden of user support partly from your shoulders!

That was sort of the idea.

Will try to develope a few more ideas and will post back here when i fumbled out something presentable to you, which might take a few days.

Just to repeat: I'm just trying to help a bit, do not feel forced into a direction you don't like.

So far i really like the idea.  It would be nice to hear comments from others about this.

I'm in no hurry either, and this will be a long-term goal for me because I don't have a lot of spare time.  I don't like the idea of dropping the web pages and forum entirely in favour of this, mainly because I don't yet see how drupal could replace both of these.  We still need complete documentation for the expert user, and I still like the forum for unstructured discussion on various topics.  For now, I think we should just start with the concept that drupal is aimed to help the newbie to get started with exiftool.

Oh yeah.  That reminds me that in this system the commands must be classified based on operating system (Windows, Mac OS X, and/or Linux), because the syntax is sometimes different on the different systems.

I don't know if you have seen this: ExifTool Command-Line Examples, but it was my first aborted attempt at how this could look.  The Drupal idea is much better.

- Phil

[sattva]

hello phil,

i have just signed up and this is my first post!

firstly...i would like to thank you and compliment you on the magic that is exiftool ...invaluable is what comes to mind!

personally i have been using exiftool for quite some time now...mostly to query for information. recently i have started to work on the intricacies of writing and changing exif data...and in the process i had to rely on the man pages and online info. quite a bit!

only today i got to know that this forum also exists as i was quite involved in figuring out a solution to an exif tag write problem...and online search for info and assistance brought me here...and then to this particular post.

i appreciate the effort that you are directing towards assisting users in getting their way around exiftool. its actually commendable...i have not seen anything like this in a very long time ...so it feels very good to know that such excellent assistance is available for exiftool!!

from my experience in design engineering (ergonomics) across products and disciplines...i would like to offer some suggestions to add to the already excellent info. offered here by some users and yourself. they are...

you may please consider going the 'wiki way'...its how the human brain works...and i can safely assume that 'all users' irrespective of experience and competence with exiftool are humans ...
also, its a well known fact...researched and documented, that content is created by less than 5% of people...and more or less the other 95% benefit from this effort. and some small percentage of this 95% DO make the shift to the 5% creator group...provided the means are available and 'easy' ...best example without hesitation i can suggest is wikipedia.

you may also consider grouping users based on exiftool usage scenarios...eg: photographers...rather than on expertise and competence...people will generally know quite clearly what activity they are involved in...but to define their expertise or competence in that particular activity is a gray area...
and each and every activity will have some basic ground rules or tasks that need to be accomplished...which will cater to about 90% of users engaged in that activity...so then an elegant solution to address to these known ground rules-tasks is to provide recipes.

and with a wiki...if no particular, unique recipe is available or already provided...the user requests for the recipe by adding to the wiki page direct...which can then be contributed by more than one individual...adding to the knowledge base...in improving-correcting the recipe as well as providing more than one way to go about the process.

just my thoughts after reading this really wonderful post! and i will now get back to figuring out the solution to my problem ...if the solution does not materialize, you can expect a new post from me soon!

thanks and best wishes!
sattva

[Phil Harvey]

Just for fun, I've set up an ExifTool wiki.  I haven't added anything to it yet... I'll have to think about what I want to go into it.

- Phil

[pb]

I think a wiki is a great idea.  However, it also sounds like a lot more work, if for no other reason than the fact that information will have to be updated in two different places: wiki and exiftool web pages, though maybe it will be possible to get away with just doing links back to the website most of the time.

--peter

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Peter,

The idea is that anyone can contribute to the wiki.  Keeping it up to date won't be that hard, but it will only work with the help of ExifTool users.  But I think it needs some structure to be useful, and this is what I need to think about.

- Phil

[lenzie]

Phil,
I don't know if, in my opinion, you should be doing the 'dummies guide' at all.  If people can't get by on the substantial amount of documentation and the faq then there is something wrong.
Simon

This post just makes my blood boil. I know it is fantastic to have any tool whatsoever ... but it really should be very simple to add a description to a photo. I have already spent well over 8hours trying to find a way to do this for around 1000 photographs. It should be possible using very simple software ... it isn't, failing that it should take just a few minutes with a complex bit of kit like Exiftools ...

And let's be clear ... I've got today to work out how to do it otherwise I'm going to end up making a spreadsheet with photo ID in one column and the title in the next because that is the only way I can be sure anyone can read it in the future.

[Phil Harvey]

ExifTool is not well suited to adding different descriptions to 1000 images unless you already have the descriptions in electronic format.  A command to write a single description could look like this:

exiftool -mwg:description="some description" image.jpg

But automating this for 1000's of images with different descriptions is a different story.  The best way would be to take advantage of the exiftool -csv option.

- Phil

[terrypin]

Elle,

Seriously doubt you'll see this 2 years later, but that link now gives me a 404 error.

If it's been moved, anyone have it please?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[Phil Harvey]

What link are you talking about?  These 2 still work for me:

https://exiftool.org/dummies.html

https://exiftool.org/examples.html

- Phil

[Tarn]

Hi Phil.

Are these the kind of images that you can use for examples?

www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Cmd004_-artist=me.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Command_window001.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Run_window-cmd.jpg

P.S. They are off color for a REASON!

[Phil Harvey]

Thanks!  I will make use of these!

- Phil

[Tarn]

Just for fun, I've set up an ExifTool wiki.  I haven't added anything to it yet... I'll have to think about what I want to go into it.

- Phil

Hey Phil

Sorry but your links takes me to: http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Community_Central:Not_a_valid_Wikia
I've tried searching for "exiftool" but get "no results".

Thought I'd let you know.

[Tarn]

Hi Phil.

Are these the kind of images that you can use for examples?

www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Cmd004_-artist=me.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Command_window001.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Run_window-cmd.jpg

P.S. They are off color for a REASON!

Here are a few more images that you may find useful. I was too lazy to post them last night.

www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/ChangeDriveDirectory.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Cmd001_file_name_only.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Cmd002_-filename.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Cmd003_-filename_-artist.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Cmd005_Write_multi_files.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Cmd006_Write_all_files_in_DIR.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Cmd007_Disp-Write_multi_tags.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Help001.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Help002_CD.jpg
www.dustylenzkapp.com/Dump/Shortcut001.jpg

Also, I have started a rough outline of descriptions to go with them. Intended as a suggestion for adding to "ExifTool For Dummies" If you'd like to take a look at it I can upload it. It's in Word format now, do I need to change that?

Thanks.