Geotagging Files from within IMatch using ECP

[Aubrey]

October 2017: This solution is now deprecated. It is recommended that the GPS data be inserted using the options in the Map Panel (IMatch 2017).

Using ECP Exif Command Processor for geotagging files.

There is a simple command line to set up in ECP

-geotag={File.Path}0b0074c7_20160806.gpx
-v2
-geosync=0
-overwrite_original_in_place
{File.FullName}

I have included jpgs showing my ECP (you will note that I have saved this as a preset called "Add GPS info to file"), and the results run on a test file.

Notes:
-geotag={File.Path}0b0074c7_20160806.gpx, it asumes that the gpx file is in the same folder as the images. You must have {File.Path}

The "-v2" can be removed. This gives verbose output, it is useful for checking the Geotime values, when setting up the ECP.
"v3" could be substituted for "v2" this gives more verbose output. With this one can see the two fixes and the interpolation between them.
"v4" gives further verbose output - too much in fact as output screen of ECP becomes full!

So use v2 or v3 to check that the correct fix is being placed in the file.

-geosync=0 (note no spaces) this tells ECP to shift the time by 0 seconds. If you have time zone set in the camera and the camera time synchronized with the local time then use this.
-geosync=3 or -geosync=3.0 or -geosync=3:0 shifts the time by 3 seconds, useful if camera time is not perfectly synchronized with local time zone. This command will it add 3 seconds to the GPS time, i.e. shifts the GPS time towards the camera time (in other words the camera time is running fast).

ECP will accept hh:mm:ss format. e.g., -geosync=3:00:00 this adds 3 hours and 0 minutes and 0 seconds to the GPS time. (you must use 03:00:00, e.g., it will not correctly accept 03:00 for 3 hours)

-overwrite_original_in_place means that it puts the GPS time into the image.

To use the ECP
1.Select the files that you want to geotag, use shift click, crtl click etc., usual commands for selecting images
2.Select the ECP (shortcut F9,E)
3. Select button run for each file in selection (suggest you initially run command (with -v2 or -v3 on) for one file to check result is correct.
4. Close ECP, select all files you want and run (without the -v2 option)

A few more points for expert users of cmd window (not important for average user and only added for completeness) You can test using v4, v5 in a cmd window. The format of the command should be:
exiftool -v2 -geotag 0b0074c7_20160806.gpx -geosync=03:00:00 DS3_7545.NEF

However this will only work if exiftool can be found. I added the IMatch path to my environment variables path:
C:\Program Files(x86)\photools.com\IMatch5 (the latest version of ExifTool.exe is located there)

This article was gleaned from reading through Phil Harvey's excellent document on his exif processor. Specifically his section on Geotagging with ExifTool:

http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/geotag.html

Aubrey.

[Mario]

Neat!
Thanks for sharing!

[jch2103]

Nice write-up! I've been using the same process to geotag images; the ECP makes it very easy to use, including, as you note, being able to select specific images for processing.

Interestingly, yesterday my GPS ECP workflow tipped me off that I had my camera clock incorrectly set. When I went to geotag some recently taken images, the ECP gave me an error message that the camera clock was too far off to be able to geotag. It turned out that on returning from a recent trip to Australia, I had re-set the time zone and time on the camera, but hadn't noticed that I now had the wrong day after crossing the international date line...

I wonder if the article should be expanded to reference some of the ways to generate gpx files? Ideally this would short, maybe just be a link. I personally use an Android app called GPSLogger; like some similar apps for iPhones, it's designed to conserve battery life, which can be an issue with smartphone GPS use. Of course there are many other methods, including dedicated GPS units and physical GPS loggers. I once even used the tracklog generated by a Garmin automobile GPS.

[Erik]

Thanks for sharing. 

This indicates that I could basically replace GeoSetter from my workflow.  I think the only thing I may need is to get the location info (e.g. Country, State/Province, City, Location), which I guess I could do using the map module in IMatch. 

I just need to figure out how I could possibly make it more automated like GeoSetter does.  I like the module in IMatch, but I tend to use it for one or two images at a time, not a whole series. 

Regardless, I'm happy to see the trick with ExifTool.  I wasn't aware it was there, at least not with the ability to read the GPX file and do all the processing.

[jch2103]

This indicates that I could basically replace GeoSetter from my workflow.  I think the only thing I may need is to get the location info (e.g. Country, State/Province, City, Location), which I guess I could do using the map module in IMatch. 

Use the Reverse Geocode module (see screen shot).

[Lincoln]

Very very useful thank - you so much for sharing and prompting this workflow idea.