option -o! what do you think about

[herb]

Hello Phil,

Exiftool has e.g. 2 options in order to create new metadata files:
With option -w it is possible to create new text-files (or also html or xml files). Embedded thumbnails can also be exported into an image file using -w.
This option also allows to overwrite an existing text-file, using -w!

In order to e.g. create a xmp sidecar file you can use option -o.
But this option does not allow to overwrite an existing file.
(I do not talk about the mechanism that for an existing file a backup <file>_original is created).

What do you think about an option -o! (just as -w!)

Best regards
Herb

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Herb,

I hear you, but -o is used for all supported file formats, not only supported sidecar files.  I don't think it is a good idea to allow overwrite of output image files without warning.  I understand that you could overwrite images with -w! if you really tried, but I would think that the odds of doing this by accident with -o! would be much higher.  So although I see how this could be useful, I resist adding this feature because of the hazards involved.

- Phil

[herb]

Hello Phil,

thanks for your statement. I understand and agree.

Best regards
Herb