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PrintEXIF fun & games

ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
edited January 29, 2006 in Finishing School
Harry (and probably others) uses this Photoshop script called PrintEXIF to sign their shots and add some info to them before posting online. I asked Harry if it could add some extra info and he got all grumpy and said NO!. But it turns out that Harry doesn't think it's perfect the way it is, he just didn't want to hack on it.

But I've always been curious about how to make scripts work in Photoshop and this seemed like an opportunity to learn which might not be too challenging. So I downloaded the original and made one change which I think Harry was saying woudl be a definite improvement: I made it add the time of day as well as the date taken. Fun and easy, it turned out. If you want to try it out pick it up here: http://www.chezrutt.com/rutt/PrintEXIFv1_7_rutt.zip Follow the same installation instructions as from the original download site: http://www.joe-sherry.com/PrintEXIF/index.htm

OK, so now I know a little about this script, what would we actually like it to do differently than it does? I'm willing to try a few other hacks before I get bored. What about that "Uncalibrated: flash" thing. That's awfully misleading. Must be something about Nikon exif data, I don't get it with Canon. But I could try to fix it so it wouldn't print anything about flash unless you used one.
If not now, when?

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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 27, 2006
    Actually, I tried with a .nef file from a d70 I happened to have and didn't get that flash message. Is is possible, Harry, that I have a newer version than you do and that has already been fixed?

    One difference between the version I started with and what I see from Harry and friends is that mine uses a gray background for the box at the bottom. Has everyone else already customized to use black. If not, perhaps I really did start with a later version.

    The color of the yellow copyright is very easy to change, btw, if you wanted to.
    If not now, when?
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    wholenewlightwholenewlight Registered Users Posts: 1,529 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    Really great, Rutt. Thanks.

    How do you change the yellow copyright color. I'd like it toned down to something a little less bold.

    One more question. I checked the option box to move the copyright to "left under" but then it overwrites the picture title. Is there a easy way to add a line so this doesn't happen?
    john w

    I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
    Edward Steichen


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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    Really great, Rutt. Thanks.

    How do you change the yellow copyright color. I'd like it toned down to something a little less bold.

    One more question. I checked the option box to move the copyright to "left under" but then it overwrites the picture title. Is there a easy way to add a line so this doesn't happen?

    Can you edit the script with confidence? If not, let me know. If so, search for the string "Color Settings" and you can see the script creating the yellow color for the copyright:
    var yellow = new SolidColor()
    	yellow.rgb.red = 255, yellow.rgb.green = 255, yellow.rgb.blue = 0
    

    I.e., yellow = R=255, G=255, B=0

    Make your own color by copying this line and applying your own RGB values to the new color. Perhaps:
    var copyrightcolor = new SolidColor()
    	yellow.rgb.red = 0, yellow.rgb.green = 0, yellow.rgb.blue = 0
    

    for an all white signature. Then just below you'll find:
    TEXT_COPYRIGHT_COLOR = yellow
    

    Change that "yellow" to "copyrightcolor"

    I'll look into your second question.
    If not now, when?
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    wholenewlightwholenewlight Registered Users Posts: 1,529 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    How do you change the yellow copyright color. I'd like it toned down to something a little less bold.

    I figured out the copyright color change question. As a test I changed mine to :
    var yellow = new SolidColor()
    yellow.rgb.red = 168, yellow.rgb.green = 162, yellow.rgb.blue = 3

    Here's what that color looks like:
    54158144-O.jpg
    john w

    I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
    Edward Steichen


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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    I'd really like to fix that horrible confusing "Flash:" thing. And I'd like to understand the "Uncalibrated" thing. I can't recreate either with the nef file I have or with your jpeg. Please can I get access to a the originals for a shot that ends up with this stuff? It would be really great to also have the original of a flash shot. Looking at the code, the script seems to override the actual exif data with something it's finding in the IPTC data. I'm thinking that if exif says the flash did fire, that should be treated as reliable.
    If not now, when?
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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    Undetermined lens? Better not to say anything, right?

    Shouldn't it just print a lens make/model if it actually knows and otherwise just say nothing about it?
    If not now, when?
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    wholenewlightwholenewlight Registered Users Posts: 1,529 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    rutt wrote:
    Undetermined lens? Better not to say anything, right?

    Shouldn't it just print a lens make/model if it actually knows and otherwise just say nothing about it?

    Yes, I agree.

    I wonder why it doesn't pick up the standard Nikon 18-70 Kit lens from the exif or is that info not included. Just zoom position.

    Also playing around (but not trying to mess too much with a good thing!), I changed the copyright font size:

    TI.font = TEXT_COPYRIGHT_FONT
    TI.size = fontSizeSmall

    54158816-O.jpg

    I like the slightly smaller font.
    john w

    I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
    Edward Steichen


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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    You are getting that horrible "Uncalibrated" thing but no flash. That's actually a clue. Can I get a raw version or original jpeg if that's all there is?

    Email me.
    If not now, when?
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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    BTW, I think your signature looks lots better than the default! Maybe I should just make it the default next time I release a version with bug fixes. I've already fixed the lens thing, it seems to have been just a bug that it says something about the lens if you don't enter it.

    Lens info isn't in the exif info proper. For my canon cameras, though, photoshop seems to know it. I think that means that the script could discover it, but I might have to RTFM for photoshop scripting. Perhaps it can be done in some way that works for all the cameras were PS can decipher the lens info?
    If not now, when?
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    wholenewlightwholenewlight Registered Users Posts: 1,529 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    rutt wrote:
    I'd really like to fix that horrible confusing "Flash:" thing. And I'd like to understand the "Uncalibrated" thing. I can't recreate either with the nef file I have or with your jpeg. Please can I get access to a the originals for a shot that ends up with this stuff? It would be really great to also have the original of a flash shot. Looking at the code, the script seems to override the actual exif data with something it's finding in the IPTC data. I'm thinking that if exif says the flash did fire, that should be treated as reliable.

    If you need some originals Nikon D70s with flash:

    http://cs-pics.smugmug.com/photos/48209857-O.jpg

    http://cs-pics.smugmug.com/photos/53724055-O.jpg

    http://cs-pics.smugmug.com/photos/29244869-O.jpg

    No Flash:

    http://cs-pics.smugmug.com/photos/40499162-O.jpg

    http://cs-pics.smugmug.com/photos/50903062-O.jpg


    In re-reading your email, you want NEF file also. I could email . . . Let me know.
    john w

    I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
    Edward Steichen


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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    If you need some originals Nikon D70s with flash:

    Thanks. I might use those, but your camera doesn't seem to have the problem that Harry's does. He gets the word: "Flash:" iin his caption when the flash doesn't fire. That seems like a bug but reading the code, it's a bit hard to know exactly what's going on. Doesn't seem to happen with the D70. Your camera does get the "Uncalibrated" word. I'll figure that out and do something about it. It would at least be nice to know what is uncalibrated. Is it the matrix metering? If so it would be nice to get it on the same line. Otherwise, it would be nice to know what is uncalibrated.
    If not now, when?
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    wholenewlightwholenewlight Registered Users Posts: 1,529 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    Back on the lens question:

    I just noticed in Adobe ACR that while editing a Nef file it does say at the top of the screen:

    54160866-L.jpg

    At least it picks up the zoom range of the lens and not just "undetermined lens" . . .
    john w

    I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
    Edward Steichen


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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    I'm pretty sure photoshop knows the zoom range of the lens, but I'm also pretty sure it isn't part of the exif data per se. I'm going to try to figure it out.
    If not now, when?
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    DaniDani Registered Users Posts: 807 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    hey pretty cool!

    too bad it doesn't recognize any canon lenses umph.gif

    Its a bit more work than having the script do everything for you (I don't remember any of my scripting training... rolleyes1.gif) but I just enter the lens info and modify the font sizes in the script box and set it to not flatten the layers.... then I can move/delete/modify whatever I want

    CRW_4927-vi.jpg
    Dani

    20D | 300D-IR | EF-S 10-22 | EF-S 18-55 | 50 f/1.8 II | 70-200 f/4L | 17-40L | Lensbaby 2.0 | 250D | 550ex | Gitzo 1257 | RRS BH-40 | RRS L-plates

    The Blog | The Photos
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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    Dani wrote:

    Its a bit more work than having the script do everything for you (I don't remember any of my scripting training... rolleyes1.gif) but I just enter the lens info and modify the font sizes in the script box and set it to not flatten the layers.... then I can move/delete/modify whatever I want

    That looks good and nice food shot.

    It doesn't recognize any lenses, Canon or Nikon, that I can tell. Photoshop has a bit more info than the script manages to print. I'm going to fool around a little and see if I can figure that out.
    If not now, when?
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    DaniDani Registered Users Posts: 807 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    Thanks! I'm trying to learn to cook.. lol
    I should post them in the 'other cool shots' for Andy to dool over mwink.gif
    rutt wrote:
    That looks good and nice food shot.
    Dani

    20D | 300D-IR | EF-S 10-22 | EF-S 18-55 | 50 f/1.8 II | 70-200 f/4L | 17-40L | Lensbaby 2.0 | 250D | 550ex | Gitzo 1257 | RRS BH-40 | RRS L-plates

    The Blog | The Photos
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    HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    you should check out the script's originator CS2 version of his script at
    http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=48164

    I use any earlier version of the script as I'm running CS.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 28, 2006
    Harryb wrote:
    you should check out the script's originator CS2 version of his script at
    http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=48164

    I use any earlier version of the script as I'm running CS.

    Oh, that makes sense. I grabbed the CS2 version as a starting point. It does have a few bugs as well but perhaps you are getting the flash message and the word "uncalibrated" because you are using the earlier version. I'll take a look at it and see if that makes sense. After a modest amount of playing, I'll offer back my changes to the originator.
    If not now, when?
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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 29, 2006
    I played with it some more.
    • Better, more portable handling of flash info. If there is exif flash info, use to determine if flash fired.
    • If no other flash info, use exif flash info if present
    • If no lens specified just say nothing.
    • If exif info has max aperture, print it

    I didn't figure out how to move the rest of the info down if "below right" is specified. Wordaround: option "don't flatten" and then you can move it all manually.

    I'd like to merge these changes into the 1.6 version so CS (not CS2) users including Harry can use as well, but it's more work than I guessed and needs testing. So I didn't get to it yet.

    Pick up the newest version here: http://www.chezrutt.com/rutt/PrintEXIFv1_7_rutt.zip
    If not now, when?
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