Executing a command line within Switch
The problem
There are powerful tools that have only a command-line interface. One of these tools is EXIF for extracting metadata from images. Switch natively reads metadata from JPEG files. If a workflow deals in RAW images, the EXIF tool is invaluable.
Switch can call command-line tools from within a flow. This functionality can be achieved using scripting, in most cases. However, the means to get the task done without scripting exists.
The Switch solution
With this solution, Switch executes the command-line application, EXIF.exe to extract metadata from images:
- Image files enter the flow via a Submit Point or network share
- The EXIF application is accessed by Switch using the command-line element, producing an XML file with the image metadata
- The new XML file is associated with the matching image file
- Metadata is used to establish a directory structure, ie. Date>Resolution>ISO>image file, then the file is sent to a network share
Benefits
- Run a command-line application from a single flow element
- Enhance Switch native abilities with a simple application
- Make use of RAW image metadata
Flow elements and modules used for this case
