Is there a way to open import utility only

[smithcferg]

I would like to know if I can open just the import/sort utility from the command line? like "xnviewmp -import -ini"?

Or is there another way to do this that I don't know about yet (is there a way to open only the import utility using a specially modified ini file?)

Thanks, love the program!

Craig Smith

[xnview]

sorry but currently no way

[smithcferg]

Would it be difficult to do as cl switches? Or could it be incorporated into an ini file (browser stays hidden, import utility automatically opens, import utility starts quietly, import utility closes automatically, xnviewmp closes after operation is over)

[smithcferg]

I would contribute by buying a couple of company licenses.

[xnview]

Would it be difficult to do as cl switches? Or could it be incorporated into an ini file (browser stays hidden, import utility automatically opens, import utility starts quietly, import utility closes automatically, xnviewmp closes after operation is over)

why do you want to be able to start 'import dialog' from command line?

[smithcferg]

Great question. I have a batch script that checks the sd chip to see what kind of pics are on it. For example, if it detects a panorama folder, it opens up xnviewmp with a certain ini file that pulls down the panos into a panorama subfolder of date subfolder that xnview automatically creates, using a naming convention on those files that is convenient for pano stitching. Then the batch file goes back and downloads regular pictures and movies using another instance of XNVIEWMP with a different ini file, so that it can use a different file naming convention. (I do a lot of drone picture flying, a lot of panos and movies) I have a third ini file that the batch file can use to pull in for pictures being downloaded from regular cameras.

Currently there is a lot of manual stuff that has to happen: open/close import utility, then close XNVIEWMP. This has to be done twice for one import. While this process works, it is tedious, and the process cannot finish without manual intervention. If I could open just the import utility with a certain ini file, automatically import according to the specs laid out in the ini file, then automatically close at end, wow! (though it should probably stop if it detects an error, such as no pictures available for import, or pictures were already imported, etc.) This would be great.

I have searched through pretty much all of the import utilities looking for an import utility that suits my use case. XNVIEWMP's is close - it is very reliable and I use it all the time. There is a nice import project in Linux but unfortunately it does properly name the movie files with the correct time : ( A long time ago there was one called Cam2pc.exe that was very good, but the author stopped maintaining it and the newer windows operating system broke it.

I do not want to go the route of relying solely on a picture management software's database to organize pictures. I have been around the block and so far the organizing structure that I see survive over the long term is folder file structure.

Thanks so much for even considering adding these switches.

Sincerely Craig Smith
PS:
It would be wonderful if the the import utility could allow a {location/event/or jobcode_description_variable} that could be applied to the creation of a subfolder that is automatically created by the import utility. For example, my generic organizational use case for picture paths is Media\2020\"[{Date}} {Location}". Currently the import utility can do Media\2020\[{Date}] I have to add on the {description} manually.

Even better, It would be nice to have a window open showing the image thumbnails for the cluster of pictures in each date that are being imported, to inform the user visually about what {description} would best describe the day's shooting, and with a dialog for the entry of the location or event or job code variable for that date. Hope that makes sense. However, this would be, perhaps, a more complicated ball of wax.