Notice

[BogdanH]

Just a notice, that new link is added into ExifToolGUI download page (on top above), which points to "Metadata related articles".
Not much there right now, but more will come...

Bogdan

[MOL]

Would be interesting to see how you've handled the stay_open option in your Delphi code. Any chance to take a peek?

[BogdanH]

Hi,

ExifToolGUI doesn't make use of -stay_open feature -so I can't  give an "working" example.

Bogdan

[MOL]

I thought you would use that option after reading this topic:

https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php/topic,3482.0.html

Are you really starting and stopping ExifTool for every single file? I'm astonished.

[Phil Harvey]

I thought you would use that option after reading this topic:

https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php/topic,3482.0.html

Are you really starting and stopping ExifTool for every single file? I'm astonished.

The thread you mention deals with processing multiple files at once.  ExifTool is very efficient for this task when the same processing is performed on each file:  Lauch ExifTool once and put all the file names in one command.

With Exiftool GUI, the -stay_open feature would have the largest advantage in improving response time when processing single images (ie. scrolling through a directory to see meta information for each file).  Presumably this is why Bogdan implemented his own EXIF parsing routines (in "Quick view"), which may have been unnecessary if I had implemented the -stay_open feature sooner.

- Phil

[MOL]

The thread you mention deals with processing multiple files at once.  ExifTool is very efficient for this task when the same processing is performed on each file:  Lauch ExifTool once and put all the file names in one command.

But that's what I meant, Phil. If you want to batch process a multitude of files under Windows, you will at some point of time reach the character limit of the command line (32767 characters if I recall correctly). Unless I'm completely off here, there are four options to solve this problem: either use an arg file, or limit the number of characters per command, or process the files one by one with or without closing ExifTool. Correct?

BTW: I forgot to thank Bogdan for his "Metadata related articles". Good job, keep up the good work!

[Phil Harvey]

Right.  As you mention the character limit may be avoided using the -@ option without the need to keep it open with -stay_open.  But I don't know if this is what Bogdan did.

- Phil

[BogdanH]

Exactly! -true in all points, Phil.
I've learned a lot about metadata internals when working on Quick view. Just enough, to appreciate what Phil has accomplished with Exiftool -and I'm not even talking about writting metadata!
Right now (as long we talk about GUI v4.xx), I see no reason to implement -stay_open feature -user (=me) probably wouldn't notice much difference... thus, waste of energy.
But I do see potential of -stay_open usage.. inside something "bigger" than GUI is. I'm wondering, how come, nobody did what I have in mind. Must be, nobody has time.. do to it for free. However, it would be a hell of a challenge -just thinking loud 

Just seen post inbetween (I'm slow typer)...
@MOL:
GUI has no limit in arguments length (this was discussed not long ago): if arguments (filenames actually) exceeds certain total length, GUI stores them in temp file and use them from there -this was Phil's idea 

Bogdan

[MOL]

I'm wondering, how come, nobody did what I have in mind.

Who told you about my plans? 

[Phil Harvey]

-this was Phil's idea

Ah.  I remember now.

- Phil