API To Get To EXIF Data?

In article <dvfip2pmjnktn5psovhc0o6qb1bpn90ogj.RemoveThis@4ax.com>, PeteCresswell
<x.RemoveThis@y.Invalid> wrote:

> I have about 10,000 pix that I'd like to rename so that each file name begins
> with the date. e.g. "2003 09-27 Joe Birthday".
>
> Problem is that some of them are already named using that convention.
>
> So I'd like to write a little VB program to iterate through all the pix, look
> at
> the file name, and - if it doesn't begin with a date - go into the EXIF data,
> retrieve the date, and rename the file accordingly.
>
> I'm assuming that the various utilities that are undoubtedly available will
> not
> let me check the file name before doing anything.
>
> Anybody know of an API that will let me get to a pic's EXIF info?

ExifTool. <http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/>

But your concern about extra work to go to if files are already named
in that convention is probably needless - if you tell it to rename a
file that's already named what you are attempting to change it to, it
will either a) rename it anyway, effectively leaving it the same, or b)
dump an error code at you which you can then ignore (depends on what
programming language or utility you are using). Either way, you don't
have to worry about it.

--
You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a
reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating
the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for
independence.
-- Charles A. Beard
 >> Stay informed about: API To Get To EXIF Data? 

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> I have about 10,000 pix that I'd like to rename so that each file name begins
> with the date. e.g. "2003 09-27 Joe Birthday".
>
> Problem is that some of them are already named using that convention.
>
> So I'd like to write a little VB program to iterate through all the pix, look at
> the file name, and - if it doesn't begin with a date - go into the EXIF data,
> retrieve the date, and rename the file accordingly.
>
> I'm assuming that the various utilities that are undoubtedly available will not
> let me check the file name before doing anything.
>
> Anybody know of an API that will let me get to a pic's EXIF info?

You can use VB.NET to do it. Basically, you can say:

objImage = System.Drawing.Image.FromFile(FileName)

then

Dim i As PropertyItem
For Each i In objImage.PropertyItems

or something similar. An i.Id value of &H9003 is the original date/time.
Then you can convert that to the string you want, and rename the file
with the My.Computer.FileSystem APIs or your favorite file renaming code.

I'm working on a project now (for an upcoming magazine article) and can
send you some source code if you're interested. Drop me a line at my
email address (with the dots taken out).
 >> Stay informed about: API To Get To EXIF Data? 

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> I have about 10,000 pix that I'd like to rename so that each file name begins
> with the date. e.g. "2003 09-27 Joe Birthday".
>
> Problem is that some of them are already named using that convention.
>
> So I'd like to write a little VB program to iterate through all the pix, look at
> the file name, and - if it doesn't begin with a date - go into the EXIF data,
> retrieve the date, and rename the file accordingly.
>
> I'm assuming that the various utilities that are undoubtedly available will not
> let me check the file name before doing anything.
>
> Anybody know of an API that will let me get to a pic's EXIF info?

IrfanView will do the renaming in batch mode. Just set a rename pattern of
"$E36868(%Y %m-%d) $N" (the $N retains the original filename, with extension).
Mind you, that won't skip files that are already named properly, so you'll end
up with a double-datestamp in them.
 >> Stay informed about: API To Get To EXIF Data? 

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> I have about 10,000 pix that I'd like to rename so that each file name begins
> with the date. e.g. "2003 09-27 Joe Birthday".
>
> Problem is that some of them are already named using that convention.
>
> So I'd like to write a little VB program to iterate through all the pix, look at
> the file name, and - if it doesn't begin with a date - go into the EXIF data,
> retrieve the date, and rename the file accordingly.
>
> I'm assuming that the various utilities that are undoubtedly available will not
> let me check the file name before doing anything.
>
> Anybody know of an API that will let me get to a pic's EXIF info?
>
>

Use a free download renamemaster. You can simply replace the existing
name with what you want. You may need to look at the help file for an
example of exif data extraction. That's not so good, while the text
(it's a web page) is readable, the example screen shots require
microscopic eyesight and a good imagination. Still, I figured it out so
I'm sure you'll have no problem.
Dave Cohen
 >> Stay informed about: API To Get To EXIF Data? 

Hi Pete,

> Anybody know of an API that will let me get to a pic's EXIF info?

Check out the FreeImage library. Freeimage.org I think it is. You can
retrieve exif with it.

Best regards,

--
Arnor Baldvinsson
San Antonio, Texas
 >> Stay informed about: API To Get To EXIF Data? 

"(PeteCresswell)" <x DeleteThis @y.Invalid> writes:

> I have about 10,000 pix that I'd like to rename so that each file name begins
> with the date. e.g. "2003 09-27 Joe Birthday".
>
> Problem is that some of them are already named using that convention.

The ones that aren't named using that convention -- do they all start
with a letter? If so, you can likely come up with a Unix command to do
it, something along these lines:

jhead -fsomething `find . -name '[a-zA-Z]*.jpg' -print`

--

http://ourdoings.com/ Easily organize and disseminate news and
photos for your family or group.
 >> Stay informed about: API To Get To EXIF Data?