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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