Author Topic: Flash Status and Flash Mode  (Read 5624 times)

Offline IanGoldstein

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Flash Status and Flash Mode
« on: July 25, 2007, 07:45:14 AM »
While most code replacement usage appears to be for sports photography, I have found some other uses that work well for me.

In this example, I am using it to allow me to create better flash status and mode data for captions and/or info text. While the {flash} variable does return this information, at times it can be a very long text string which is less-than clear. (Note: This isn't a critisism of Photo Mechanic, as it is just reporting data from a specific EXIF flash status field.)  Based on some experiments with Photo Mechanic and the specifications for the EXIF Flash Status field, the following is a list of all the various results I am aware can be returned by the {flash} variable...

   no flash
   fired
   fired, return not detected
   fired, return detected
   on
   on, return no detected
   on, return detected
   off
   auto, did not fire
   auto, fired
   auto, fired, return not detected
   auto, fired, return detected
   no flash function
   fired, red-eye reduction
   fired, red-eye reduction, return not detected
   fired, red-eye reduction, return detected
   on, red-eye reduction
   on, red-eye reduction, return not detected
   on, red-eye reduction, return detected
   auto, fired, red-eye reduction
   auto, fired, red-eye reduction, return not detected
   auto, fired, red-eye reduction, return detected

As you can see, simplier text could prove useful. Therefore, I create the attached code replacement file which allows me to extract the following from the {flash} variable...

   Flash Status:
      Fired
      Fired, Detected
      Fired, Not Detected
      Did Not Fire
      None

   Flash Mode:
      On
      Off
      Auto
      Red-Eye
      On, Red-Eye
      Auto, Red-Eye


If you look at the file, you'll see that it's fairly simple and easy to customize.  For example, you could easily adjust the text or change the language if that suited your needs.

It is also worth noting the format of a few of the entries in the file. First, some of the entries appear to have no replacement text following the initial code. In reality, these entries are followed by a tab and then a space character. This is a trick that is necessary to have an "optional" display when these codes are encountered. Second, you'll see some "comments" on some of the lines with alternative text that I have considered.

To actually use these replacements in captions for slideshows, image galleries, contact sheets, etc. you need to include the following "pseudo variables"...

  \flashstat{flash}\
  \flashmode{flash}\

-Ian


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