iMatch EXIF script by Stubbsy

[stubbsy]

This one is only for those of you who use the (excellent) iMatch image management program for cataloging your pics. One of the big pluses is that iMatch is scriptable using Visual Basic for Applications.

I've written an iMatch script that will automatically categorise your images based on their EXIF data. You can categorise your images by any of the following:

• Lens Type
• File Date (nested so you'll have 2005, then inside that a folder for each month with an image)
• ISO
• F Stop
• Focal Length
• Shutter Speed
• Camera Model
• Camera Make

You can download the script by clicking here - unzip, copy contents to the iMatch scripts directory and access it by right clicking a folder and choosing 'Create Categories from EXIF'.

A sample screenshot appears below:

[sheepie]

you wonderful person

how long you been using imatch? we must swap notes, although I have no doubt you are using it much better than I - in fact, I'm about to completely restart my catalog!

[stubbsy]

Leon

I've had it for three days! But remember I'm a programmer.

[embi]

I might download the eval vers and have a look at what all the fuss is about

[Onyx]

Wow, that's neat.

To clarify, this program catalogs images - ie. to make searches less painful, not re-organises the images into new folders?!

I might have to review my whole strategy of image sorting if this program lives up to the hype.

[leek]

Hey Peter,

Before I download iMatch to have a look... What does it do in terms of cataloguing that Adobe's Bridge doesn't??? I know you've probably had a look at that in CS2, so I'd be interested to hear the comparison...

[Onyx]

What does it do in terms of cataloguing that Adobe's Bridge doesn't???

Ah ha! So that's what it is! All the while, I was thinking it was unnecessary bloatware - and since ACR2.4 didn't live up to my expectations I uninstalled CS2 and went back to the older one.

I hate change.

[leek]

What does it do in terms of cataloguing that Adobe's Bridge doesn't???

Ah ha! So that's what it is! All the while, I was thinking it was unnecessary bloatware - and since ACR2.4 didn't live up to my expectations I uninstalled CS2 and went back to the older one.

I hate change.

Bridge does a lot more than that... It has most of the workflow features of RSE as well... I wrote a review of it some time ago in the equipment review section...
Also, you should have had ACR 3.1 with CS2... It has a lot of improvements over 2.4... Worth another look maybe...

[stubbsy]

Hey Peter,

Before I download iMatch to have a look... What does it do in terms of cataloguing that Adobe's Bridge doesn't??? I know you've probably had a look at that in CS2, so I'd be interested to hear the comparison...

Firstly Bridge is big & slow and iMatch is small and fast. But more importantly, these are two very different beasts. Bridge catalogs physical image locations. If you move an image (say into another "category) then the physical file is also moved (or copied). iMatch is a logical catalog. The files reside physically in whatever structure that you want, but when you catalog them an image can be assigned into multiple categories in iMatch's virtual directory.

So I structure my files on my hard disk in some logical way (eg by date). I might have a Nikon folder and inside that a 2005 folder and inside that one for each month and so on. Then I catalog these with iMatch. Once that's done I have thumbnails and can create a virtual listing of the images that lets me find an image in different ways. Eg look at the listing below (click for a bigger version of the pic). There is a category of My Pictures. This (when expanded) shows the physical layout of my pics. The rest is just categorisation. The pic showing as E_DSC_0597.nef is physically in one spot, but I'll get it when I click on any of the following categories:

• D70 Users/Outings
• EXIF/Camera Make/Nikon Corporation
• EXIF/Camera Model/D70
• EXIF/Date and Time/2005/04
• EXIF/F Stop/F 4
• EXIF/Focal Length/12 mm
• EXIF/ISO Speed/200
• EXIF/Lens/12-24 mm
• EXIF/Shutter Speed/1~2500 sec
• Places/Blackheath & Katoomba
• Smugmug/Places/Blackheath & Katoomba

Plus, much of the categorisation can be automated (eg the EXIF stuff is all done using the script at the top of this thread)



One final thing. I looked at & tried lots of progs before settling on iMatch (Adobe Album, Adobe Bridge, Thumbsplus, Canto Cumulus, Fotostation, ACDSee are a few that come to mind) and, for my needs, iMatch couldn't be beat for price, features and flexibility.

I could go on more, but this post is long enough already.

[leek]

Firstly Bridge is big & slow

Agreed, but I can put up with that...

But more importantly, these are two very different beasts. Bridge catalogs physical image locations. If you move an image (say into another "category) then the physical file is also moved (or copied).

Not necessarily... see next para...

iMatch is a logical catalog. The files reside physically in whatever structure that you want, but when you catalog them an image can be assigned into multiple categories in iMatch's virtual directory.

So I structure my files on my hard disk in some logical way (eg by date). I might have a Nikon folder and inside that a 2005 folder and inside that one for each month and so on. Then I catalog these with iMatch.

I do exactly the same, but then use IPTC tags and keywords within Bridge to categorise my photos... Same as you, I can assign multiple keywords to a photo, so can associate them with particular people / events / places (e.g. I can say - show me all the photos that have Mrs. Leek and mini-Leek in them that were taken at the Easter Show - or something similar).
Once you have established the categories / keywords, you can drag & drop thumbnails to associate them...

The big plus that I see in IMatch (based on what you have said) is that it represents its categories as folder structures and that might be easier to navigate... To see photos of a particular category in Bridge you need to do a Search and specify criteria... Bridge does allow you to search on most metatags, but your script / iBridge looks easier to use...

I will have a look at iMatch and might be persuaded to change, but I'm sure that Bridge will continue to improve in future versions...

[Matt. K]

For those who don't realise the power of being able to search and select records based on the EXIF...consider this....show me all the images I took with the 50mm F1.4 and shot at f/5.6. Hmmm that's it. That's the sweet spot for this lens. OR, show me all images taken with the 70-210 VR and 1/30th of a second. Hmmm, they are all a tad soft. Must use 1/60th with this lens.
This kind of information gives you the power to discover optimum setting for different optics. Previously it would have taken many years of trial and error to pin those settings down. This is the ultimate fine-tuning machine.
Well done Peter.

[stubbsy]

When I have a little free time I intend to write a mini review on iMatch along with how I came to choose it from amongst the other proggies I looked at.

[sheepie]

When I have a little free time I intend to write a mini review on iMatch along with how I came to choose it from amongst the other proggies I looked at.

hehe - that's what I said several months back (may even have been last year!)
...still looking for that free time - if anyone has found it, please return it to me!

[stubbsy]

<snip>
The big plus that I see in IMatch (based on what you have said) is that it represents its categories as folder structures and that might be easier to navigate... To see photos of a particular category in Bridge you need to do a Search and specify criteria... Bridge does allow you to search on most metatags, but your script / iBridge looks easier to use...

I will have a look at iMatch and might be persuaded to change, but I'm sure that Bridge will continue to improve in future versions...

John
I guess I glossed over it a bit, but in Bridge there's no way to automate categorisation. That's really the strength of iMatch - the power of being able to script it. At any time I can tell it to go categorise all my images (creating categories as needed) just from the EXIF (or IPTC, or folder names if that's what I want). If I get a new lens I don't need to add a category, the script will do it. And iMatch can read (and write) all the weird and wonderful maker notes put in by various camera makers (it supports Nikon, Canon and a number of others). Just to categorise by, say, lens type in Bridge would be a very time consuming task and, unless you've done that, searching based on lens type (or whatever EXIF data you're after) is awkward at best.

[stubbsy]

Just uploaded a new version of the script. Link in my first post points at new version

[johndec]

Peter, sorry to dig up an old thread but are you still happy with the software? I downloaded the evaluation version today and it looks pretty cool. However when the Quick Start Guide runs to 56 pages and the manual to 542 pages, I figured I wasn't going to get it all sorted during the lunch break in the cricket

It looks like it will take a bit to set up, seeing as how even after a heavy cull I'm starting with 1300+ uncatagorised images but once you get past that it shouldn't take long to update as you add images.

Initial impressions are that it is software worth paying for (a novel concept for me )

[stubbsy]

Peter, sorry to dig up an old thread but are you still happy with the software? I downloaded the evaluation version today and it looks pretty cool. However when the Quick Start Guide runs to 56 pages and the manual to 542 pages, I figured I wasn't going to get it all sorted during the lunch break in the cricket

It looks like it will take a bit to set up, seeing as how even after a heavy cull I'm starting with 1300+ uncatagorised images but once you get past that it shouldn't take long to update as you add images.

Initial impressions are that it is software worth paying for (a novel concept for me )

John

Firstly - never apologise about digging up an old thread. That's always better than creating a new one since it keeps everything together.

I'm more than happy with this. Kipper is using it a fair bit too. When I get off my lazy ass I'm going to post a mini review and RSN I'll have a new version of my add in scripts finished. The beauty of this is it not only thumbnails and manages your images fast it's also a quick, searchable database. My boss (curly on the forum) has recently used it to make sense of all of his images (a large number) and he found it pretty useful too and he's not the most computer literate person I've ever dealt with

Another plus for me is it can automatically do stuff. I've not only got it automatically categorising my images into EXIF categories, but now I tag my inages with the PP I want (darken, lighten, dust bunny removal etc) then click a button and it launches the program I use for that action (eg Nikon Capture for global edits and PSCS for killing dust bunnies). There are lots of programmers like me who've added extra stuff. The reason for the very large manual isn't just because it can do lots it's also because it has stuff for us propeller heads too

[johndec]

Peter. Just ran your script and it runs brilliantly One question/bug though. All images taken at f10 show up as f1 in the "F Stop" child catagory. I suppose it's easy enough for me to rename the catagory, but I'd assume that you would be interested to know this.

[stubbsy]

Peter. Just ran your script and it runs brilliantly One question/bug though. All images taken at f10 show up as f1 in the "F Stop" child catagory. I suppose it's easy enough for me to rename the catagory, but I'd assume that you would be interested to know this.

That's not supposed to happen John. I've fixed the script and replaced the linked version. To get the latest version click here

[johndec]

Perhaps this should be occurring via PM, but it may be of interest to others..

OK Peter, installed the new script (firstly deleting the previously created catagory and the old files), went to Catagories --> Context Scripts but it doesn't appear as an option as the old script did??

Tried reboot, still no show I installed in the right place as you can see:



Help!!

[stubbsy]

John

Fixed - redownload, or open the .bai file and change the last line to Category=Context Menu instead of Category=Stubbsy

[johndec]

Thanks Peter, works like a charm now