Req: use system exiftool first or specify custom path (Win)

[Marsu42]

As XnView isn't updated that frequently, a lot of newer exiftool versions get released in between. Sure, you can replace or ntfs-hard-link the exiftool-exe in the "AddOn" directory, but it's the same with XnView as with the other gazillions of apps using it. The dev of exiftool will thank you, too, as this will reduce the number of outdated versions being used esp. on Windows.

Implementations that come to mind are:
* search the path first for a newer system exiftool (compare file date stamps for a quick check)
* supply an option to locate another exiftool.exe than the one in the AddOn dir

[CameronD]

...
* supply an option to locate another exiftool.exe than the one in the AddOn dir

If this was implemented, I'd vote for the explicit option.
* it's a one-off setting, so no need to test every time you run xnview
* I wouldn't trust the gazillion other apps to never do something silly with their version and paths.

Having said that, I cannot personally think of an instance where I would have needed it for XnView (MP), but there could be instances where the latest camera models need newer support.

[Marsu42]

Having said that, I cannot personally think of an instance where I would have needed it for XnView (MP), but there could be instances where the latest camera models need newer support.

I've dabbled a lot with metadata and tagging recently, and with this experience I can say that the exiftool updates aren't just about adding the odd camera or lens model, but often fix non-trivial bugs and update tagging to recent standards ... Agreed, most likely a lot of "what was the exposure time?" users won't notice, but for the rest of us a lot can happen in the months between xnview updates: http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exi ... story.html

[oops66]

Hello,
Already asked a long time ago
http://newsgroup.xnview.com/viewtopic.p ... ol+version

"...FI: I have noticed than the new XnViewMP Linux v0.64 has the exiftool embedded version 9.45 (the MP0.61 had exiftool version 8.63) ... But related to the history ...
http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exi ... story.html
... It's better and more stable to have the latest production release, ...

[Marsu42]

Hello, Already asked a long time ago

Wupps, I actually did use "search before post" but I missed that - well, another reason to get that added :-p. It adds "yet another option" in the preferences, but adding a file path dialog should be very quick to implement.

[Erixx haxx]

Implementations that come to mind are:
* search the path first for a newer system exiftool (compare file date stamps for a quick check)
* supply an option to locate another exiftool.exe than the one in the AddOn dir

+1 for this..

I'd also really like to use exiftool through XnviewMP's GUI to write the Meta Data. Standards are kept up to date a lot better. Stuff like the "-use mwg" switch. So data gets written to the correct slots. Also the option to use RegEx.. ie: "-keywords+<${directory;s(.*/(.*)/(.*)/(.*).-.(.*))($2;$4)}"

I really,really dislike using the Command prompt.