Running EXIFTool from Bridge with app.system()

And one more quick update, please download the "Run EXIFTool" script from Dropbox to replace the "Strip EXIF" script. Thanks 🙂

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mg817g9a9ymbasi/AADTmXUVxmFfM58bcyYE7yiwa?dl=0

@Lumigraphics – OK, here are my initial findings from playing with the EXIFInfo.jsx script:

Version Support Comments:

* 2019 Mac – Loads without error, but no results from GUI, so no good! I understand that this is an old version and that you may only be programming for 2023 as the main version as Adobe has made so many changes to how Bridge 2023 supports scripts compared to old versions.

* 2021 Mac – Loads without error, the panel has to be manually made visible (Window > EXIF Info Panel), it works from the GUI, so all good!

* 2022 Mac – Loads without error, the panel has to be manually made visible (Window > EXIF Info Panel), it works from the GUI, so all good!

* 2023 Mac – Loads without error, and the panel is automatically made visible (but it is not visible under Window > EXIF Info Panel as with older versions) – it works from the GUI, so all good!

Windows – Untested.

Flag Options:

The default arguments in your script are:

I found that it is also possible to hack this into a GUI front end by showing the flags and putting in totally different arguments... but it is a little fussy as it isn't intended for that purpose and one then has to put back in the original flags afterwards, or at least just -All for a quick reset.

I think that it is useful to have a version that can just be used as a GUI to select files/folders and offer a blank "command line" to manually enter user commands as required (obviously only for more advanced users).

@Lumigraphics – Some feedback, first on the Strip EXIF.jsx script as it has less to comment on or discuss...

Version Support:

* 2019 Mac – Loads without error, right-click works and the command is successfully executed, all good!

* 2021 Mac – Loads without error, right-click works and the command is successfully executed, all good!

* 2022 Mac – Loads without error, right-click works and the command is successfully executed, all good!

* 2023 Mac – Loads without error, right-click works and the command is successfully executed, all good!

* Windows – Currently untested.

Right-Click Menu Name:

Although it is easy enough to edit the script myself, I personally prefer the right-click menu item name to identify that this is using ExifTool, just in case there is confusion with other scripts previously installed that may have been using standard Adobe scripting metadata edits rather than ExifTool. Not a big deal if you don't agree, I just think that it is more transparent putting ExifTool in the script menu name.

P.S. Thanks for mentioning in your PM the "advanced" CMD/CTRL Easter Egg feature, I haven't explored the code in detail yet and didn't notice it in there!

@Lumigraphics 

David, I know that you know this, however, you have created a thing of beauty here! Kudos to you.

I personally consider a GUI for ExifTool to be a crutch, however, I do completely understand how daunting and offputting a CLI is for the "average user".

Providing a link between Bridge and ExifTool is a huge thing, you have provided a great service to the image editing community with this project.

Thank you!

@gregreser – I'd also like to thank you too for your contributions here!

Test versions:

/*
Utility Pack Scripts created by David M. Converse ©2018-23

This script displays an EXIFTool info panel in the Bridge browser.

Last modified 3/27/23

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You may obtain a copy of the License at

    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.
*/
#target bridge
if(BridgeTalk.appName == 'bridge'){
    try{
        var EXIFInfo = new Object; //id object for this script
        EXIFInfo.built = false;
        var menuexifInfo = MenuElement.create('command', 'EXIFtool Info', 'at the end of Tools'); //create new menu command
        }
    catch(e){
        alert(e + ' ' + e.line);
        }
    }

    app.eventHandlers.push({handler: exifOpenDocument}); //runs on change in selections

    menuexifInfo.onSelect = function(){
        exifInfo();
        }

    function exifInfo(){
        try{
            this.paletteRefs = new Array();
            var exifWrapper = this;
            addexifInfoPalette(app.documents[0]);

            function addexifInfoPalette(doc){ //create tabbed palette
                if(Folder.fs == "Windows"){
                    var loc = "exiftool"; //exiftool.exe MUST be in Windows $PATH
                    }
                else{
                    var loc = "/usr/local/bin/exiftool"; //Mac location
                    if(!File(loc).exists){ //exiftool MUST be installed in default location
                        Window.alert("EXIFTool must be installed to use this script. Please visit exiftool.org/install.html for more info.");
                        return;
                        }
                    }
                if(EXIFInfo.built == false){ //first run
                    if(vers[0] < 13){
                        var exifScriptPalette = new TabbedPalette(doc, 'EXIF Info', 'exifPre', 'script', 'center', 'top'); //place in center temporarily
                        exifScriptPalette.setLocation('right', 'top'); //move to final position, works around Bridge bug
                        }
                    else{
                        var exifScriptPalette = new TabbedPalette(doc, 'EXIF Info', 'exifPre', 'script');
                        }
                    var flags = " -a -ALL -G -s2 "; //flags
                    exifWrapper.paletteRefs.push(exifScriptPalette);
                    exifScriptPalette.content.orientation = 'column';
                    exifGroup = exifScriptPalette.content.add('group', undefined, '');
                    exifGroup.alignment = ['fill', 'top'];
                    exifGroup.alignChildren = ['fill', 'fill'];
                    exifGroup.orientation = 'row';
                    exifGroup.margins = [15, 15, 0, 0];
                    exifGroup.button = exifGroup.add('button', undefined, 'EXIFTool');
                    exifGroup.button.maximumSize = [50, 15];
                    exifGroup.checkbox = exifGroup.add('checkbox', undefined, 'Edit flags');
                    exifGroup.checkbox.value = false;
                    exifGroup.flagstxt = exifGroup.add('edittext {justify:"left"}');
                    exifGroup.flagstxt.text = flags;
                    exifGroup.flagstxt.visible = false;
                    exifGroup.flagstxt.minimumSize = [120, 15];
                    exifGroup2 = exifScriptPalette.content.add('group', undefined, '');
                    exifGroup2.alignment = ['fill', 'fill'];
                    exifGroup2.alignChildren = ['fill', 'fill'];
                    exifGroup2.orientation = 'column';
                    exifGroup2.txtField = exifGroup2.add('edittext', undefined, '', {multiline:true, readonly:true});
                    exifScriptPalette.content.layout.layout(true);
                    var exifc = exifScriptPalette.content.bounds
                    exifGroup2.bounds = [exifc[0] - 2, exifc[1] - 2, exifc[2] - 2, exifc[3] - 4];
                    var exifb = exifGroup2.bounds;
                    exifGroup2.txtField.bounds = [exifb[0] - 10, exifb[1] - 10, exifb[2] - 45, exifb[3] - 40];
                    exifScriptPalette.content.layout.layout(true);
                    EXIFInfo.built = true;

                    exifScriptPalette.content.onResize = function(){ //dynamic resizing
                        exifGroup2.bounds = exifb;
                        exifGroup2.txtField.bounds = [exifb[0] - 10, exifb[1] - 10, exifb[2] - 45, exifb[3] - 35];
                        this.layout.resize(true);
                        exifScriptPalette.content.layout.layout(true);
                        }

                    exifGroup.checkbox.onClick = function(){
                        if(exifGroup.checkbox.value == true){
                            exifGroup.flagstxt.visible = true;
                            }
                        else{
                            exifGroup.flagstxt.visible = false;
                            }
                        }

                    exifGroup.button.onClick = function(){
                        try{
                            var sel = app.document.selections; //Bridge selections
                            if(sel.length == 0){
                                return;
                                }
                            var cmd = loc; //base command
                            flags = exifGroup.flagstxt.text;
                            var tempFile = new File(Folder.temp + '/exiftemp.txt');
                            var imgPath = ""; //initialize image path
                            var img = ""; //initialize quote path
                            imgPath = sel[0].spec.fsName; //image path
                            img = " \"" + imgPath + "\""; //quote path
                            //composite command
                            cmd = cmd + flags + img + ' > ' + tempFile.fsName;
                            app.system(cmd);
                            tempFile.open ('r')
                            var exifresult = tempFile.read();
                            exifGroup2.txtField.text = exifresult;
                            tempFile.close();
                            tempFile.remove();
                            }
                        catch(e){
                            Window.alert(e + e.line);
                            }
                        }

                    exifScriptPalette.onClose = function(){
                        EXIFInfo.built = false;
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        catch(e){
            alert(e + ' ' + e.line);
        }
    }

     function exifOpenDocument(event){ //new selection
        if(event.object instanceof Document && event.type == 'selectionsChanged' && EXIFInfo.built == true){
            try{
                exifGroup2.txtField.text = '';
                }
            catch(e){
                alert(e + ' ' + e.line);
                }
            return{handled:false};
            }
        }

/*
Utility Pack Scripts created by David M. Converse ©2018-23

This script strips EXIF/XMP camera data using EXIFTool

Last modifed 2/27/2023

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You may obtain a copy of the License at

    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.
*/
#target bridge
    if(BridgeTalk.appName == 'bridge'){
        //create menu
        var exifStrip = MenuElement.create('command', 'Strip EXIF', 'after Thumbnail/Open', this.menuID); //add to Contextual menu

        exifStrip.onSelect = function(){
            if(Folder.fs == "Windows"){
                var loc = "exiftool"; //exiftool.exe MUST be in Windows $PATH
                }
            else{
                var loc = "/usr/local/bin/exiftool"; //Mac location
                if(!File(loc).exists){ //exiftool MUST be installed in default location
                    Window.alert("EXIFTool must be installed to use this script. Please visit exiftool.org/install.html for more info.");
                    return;
                    }
                }
            exifMain(loc);
            }

        exifMain = function(loc){
            var Thumbs = app.document.selections; //apply to all selected thumbs
            if(ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript == undefined)  ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript = new ExternalObject('lib:AdobeXMPScript'); //load library for metadata
            for(var a = 0; a < Thumbs.length; a++){
                try{
                    if(Thumbs[a].hasMetadata){
                        var cmd = loc + " -XMP-exifEX:All= -XMP-aux:All= -EXIFIFD:LensInfo= -EXIFIFD:SerialNumber= -EXIFIFD:LensModel= -XMP-xmpMM:All= -ext jpg -overwrite_original ";
                        cmd = cmd + '\"' + Thumbs[a].spec.fsName + '\"';
                        app.system(cmd);
                        }
                    }
                catch(e){
                    alert(e + ' ' + e.line);
                    }
                }
            }
        }

I've been trying to get this to work too.  I tried simple commands using ffmpeg and got the same result - nothing. I wonder if app.system() has been locked down because of security concerns, or perhaps it's just broken.