There was a post in a Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/acdsee) asking how to add EXIF data to an image. The query was how to do this within ACDSee – this may be possible but I did not find the ability on a quick search.
Seemed easy enough to do via command line. I started a ChatGPT session to work on the problem; from prior tasks it seemed like imagemagick might be useful.
Installing imagemagick ( https://imagemagick.org/script/download.php#windows ) and running magick to see the output was helpful in confirming:
magick identify -verbose IMGRP_2024_03_27_9999_20_to_share_BW_blur_better.jpg
Image:
Filename: IMGRP_2024_03_27_9999_20_to_share_BW_blur_better.jpg
Permissions: rw-rw-rw-
Format: JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group JFIF format)
Mime type: image/jpeg
Class: DirectClass
Geometry: 4733x3787+0+0
(...snipping for brevity...)
Properties:
aux:Lens: RF100mm F2.8 L MACRO IS USM
aux:SerialNumber: 432029000416
date:create: 2024-04-26T01:23:20+00:00
date:modify: 2024-04-26T01:23:20+00:00
date:timestamp: 2024-04-26T01:42:15+00:00
exif:ApertureValue: 327680/65536
exif:Artist: Adrian Hensler
exif:BodySerialNumber: 123456789
exif:CameraOwnerName:
exif:ColorSpace: 1
exif:ComponentsConfiguration: .
exif:Copyright:
exif:CustomRendered: 0
exif:DateTime: 2024:04:25 22:23:20
exif:DateTimeDigitized: 2024:03:27 12:43:43
exif:DateTimeOriginal: 2024:03:27 12:43:43
exif:ExifOffset: 261
exif:ExifVersion: 0231
exif:ExposureBiasValue: 0/1
exif:ExposureMode: 0
exif:ExposureProgram: 3
exif:ExposureTime: 1/200
exif:Flash: 0
exif:FlashPixVersion: 0100
exif:FNumber: 56/10
exif:FocalLength: 100/1
exif:FocalPlaneResolutionUnit: 2
exif:FocalPlaneXResolution: 6240000/1415
exif:FocalPlaneYResolution: 4160000/943
exif:GPSInfo: 6867
exif:GPSVersionID: ....
exif:LensModel: RF100mm F2.8 L MACRO IS USM
exif:LensSerialNumber: 0710002371
exif:LensSpecification: 100/1, 100/1, 100/1, 100/1
exif:Make: Canon
exif:MakerNote: 1
exif:MeteringMode: 3
exif:Model: Canon EOS RP
exif:PhotographicSensitivity: 100
exif:PixelXDimension: 4733
exif:PixelYDimension: 3787
exif:RecommendedExposureIndex: 100
exif:SceneCaptureType: 0
exif:SensitivityType: 2
exif:ShutterSpeedValue: 499712/65536
exif:Software: ACDSee Ultimate 2024
exif:SubSecTime: 593
exif:SubSecTimeDigitized: 80
exif:SubSecTimeOriginal: 80
exif:UserComment:
exif:WhiteBalance: 0
exif:YCbCrPositioning: 1One issue I did not expect was finding that EXIF does not seem be be standardized between cameras; for my camera ISO is named “exif:PhotographicSensitivity”, but for other cameras it may be “exif:ISOSpeed” or “exif:ISOSpeedRatings”. This seems insane to me; I have not reviewed fully.
In any case, the correct value can be determined by reviewing output from your camata, so I continued.
Rather than sharing the full ChatGPT session as it is a bit jumbled, here is a summary of the ChatGPT session as compiled by ChatGPT. Ive edited for clarity (and to remove excess uses of the word ‘delve’).
Automating EXIF Data Annotation on Images with a Batch Script
Introduction
Photographers and digital artists often need to handle various metadata associated with their images, such as EXIF data, which contains valuable information about the shot, including camera settings. This blog post explores a practical scenario where we automate the annotation of such data directly onto images using a batch script. We’ll dig into the problem, describe the iterative approach taken during a ChatGPT session to refine a solution, and suggest future enhancements.
The Challenge
The task was to automate the embedding of EXIF data (such as camera model, exposure settings, ISO, etc.) onto images, positioning this data visually on the image itself.
Approach and Iteration with ChatGPT
The solution involved using command-line tools to automate the task, enhancing efficiency and scalability. The discussion began with an exploration of using ImageMagick, a powerful image manipulation tool. iteratively refined a Windows batch script to not only fetch EXIF data from images but also dynamically adjust text size based on image dimensions and directly annotate this data onto the images.
During the session, there were a few hurdles, such as handling different EXIF tags that varied by camera manufacturer and ensuring the text was legible on various image sizes. Each problem was tackled one at a time, often testing and revising the script to accommodate new findings or to optimize previous parts of the script.
Final Script Explanation
Just to be clear, this comes with no guarantee; run at your own risk. I tested it briefly on one image only.
The finalized batch script works as follows:
@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
:: Check if a filename has been provided as an argument to the script
if "%~1"=="" (
echo Usage: %0 filename.jpg :: Display usage if no argument is provided
exit /b :: Exit the script if no filename is provided
)
:: Set variables for source and output filenames
set "source=%~1" :: Source image path (input)
set "output=%~dpn1_EXIF_ADDED%~x1" :: Output image path with '_EXIF_ADDED' appended to the filename
:: Extract EXIF data and calculate font size based on image width
for /f "tokens=*" %%i in ('magick identify -format "width=%%[fx:w]\nheight=%%[fx:h]\nmodel=%%[exif:Model]\ndatetime=%%[exif:DateTimeOriginal]\nexposure=%%[exif:ExposureTime]\niso=%%[exif:PhotographicSensitivity]\nlens=%%[exif:LensModel]\npointsize=%%[fx:w/30]" "%source%"') do (
set "line=%%i" :: Read output line by line into variable 'line'
set "!line!" :: Set environment variables dynamically based on the output of the 'magick identify' command
)
:: Set default values for any missing EXIF data to prevent errors
if not defined model set "model=Unknown"
if not defined datetime set "datetime=Unknown"
if not defined exposure set "exposure=Unknown"
if not defined iso set "iso=Unknown"
if not defined lens set "lens=Unknown"
if not defined pointsize set "pointsize=40" :: Set a default point size if not calculated
:: Annotate the image with the extracted and calculated EXIF data
magick "%source%" -gravity southeast -pointsize !pointsize! -fill white -annotate +10+10 "Model: !model!\nDate: !datetime!\nExposure: !exposure!\nISO: !iso!\nLens: !lens!" "%output%"
:: Display the path of the processed file
echo Processed: "%output%"
endlocal :: End local scope for variables
Here is a sample showing the source image on the left, the command run on the bottom; and the output on the left:
( https://adrianhensler.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/batch_file_example-1.png )
Future Enhancements
The session highlighted potential improvements and enhancements, such as:
Using ExifTool: For a more robust and uniform extraction of EXIF data, integrating ExifTool could handle metadata more effectively. My understanding (I have not yet tested) is that ExifTool will better handle the differences. I do want to dig more into EXIF and why it is not standardized (but not a priority now).
User Control Flags: Adding flags to control aspects like text display, color, and whether to output text on a transparent background (for use as an overlay layer) could provide greater flexibility and customization for users.
- Dynamic Text Resizing and Placement: Further refining the script to dynamically adjust text size and placement based on image resolution and content could enhance legibility and aesthetics.
- Interactive Mode: Incorporating an interactive mode where users can select which EXIF data to display and preview the output before final processing might enhance usability.
- Support for Multiple Images: Extending the script to handle multiple images in a batch process could save even more time, making it suitable for professional photographers or anyone dealing with large sets of images.
Conclusion
The interactive and iterative session with ChatGPT helped to develop a practical solution that automates the embedding of EXIF data onto images—a task that can be tedious if done manually. The final batch script provides a foundational tool that can be built upon with additional features and refinements.
This process underscored the importance of adapting tools to fit specific needs and highlighted how automation can significantly streamline workflows in photography and digital image processing. Moreover, it demonstrated the potential for AI-assisted coding sessions to facilitate rapid development and problem-solving.
The potential for future enhancements also points to an ongoing journey of improvement and adaptation, making the tool ever more robust and user-friendly. This blog post not only shares a useful script but also reflects the collaborative problem-solving process that can be applied to similar challenges in other fields.
Sharing and Feedback
Feel free to adapt the script to your needs and share your modifications. I am interested in hearing how others might improve or alter it for different applications. Feedback and shared experiences can lead to even better solutions, benefiting a wider community of users.