TPCMD.EXE, Version 2.0b, 10-May-2001
©1993-2001 Cerious Software Inc.
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TPCMD is an command line utility which invokes
ThumbsPlus to perform many common ThumbsPlus functions (any function
which can be performed via DDE).
Cerious Software does not provide official support
for TPCMD, but of course we'll investigate if you have problems!
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Command Line Syntax for TPCMD.EXE:
tpcmd [<command>|-f <scriptfile>] -m -l
<logfile> -v -s
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Options
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| <command> |
DDE command to pass to ThumbsPlus for execution. |
| -f <scriptfile> |
Execute the DDE commands in the script file named
<scriptfile>. |
| -m |
Minimize ThumbsPlus during execution. |
| -l <logfile> |
Record any errors and output to the log file named
<logfile>. |
| -v |
Verbose output mode. |
| -s |
Silent operation - no output. |
| -h|-? |
This help screen. |
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Notes
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| 1. You can download the new TPCMD.EXE, a command
line utility for executing ThumbsPlus DDE commands from a command
line (DOS box) from: ftp://ftp.cerious.com/pub/cerious/tpcmd.zip |
| 2. If ThumbsPlus is already running, TPCMD does
not start a new instance. |
| 3. You can use multiple commands in a BAT or CMD
(on NT) file, or start them from other programs. |
| 4. Many commands accept a file or directory name
as a parameter. You may enclose the name in quotes if you wish,
but this is not required. When the parameter is optional for a command,
it is identified with the 'optional-' prefix. |
| 5. You should always use the complete path when
specifying files and directories. |
| 6. If you use a UNC name (i.e., \\PHILLIP\C\TEMP)
for OpenDir or LocateFile, ThumbsPlus will automatically map a drive
letter for you. |
| 7. Each of the DDE commands covered in this document
(with the exception of ExportThumb() and Convert()) are in the ThumbsPlus
Help file. |
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Examples
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| tpcmd -m Open(c:\testing\myimage.jpg) |
Opens and views myimage.jpg.
The ThumbsPlus main window will be minimized. |
| tpcmd OpenDir(c:\testing) |
Positions to the "c:\testing"
directory in ThumbsPlus. |
| tpcmd ScanTree(d:\) |
Scans the entire D: drive
and makes or updates thumbnails. |
tpcmd -m LocateFile(c:\testing\*.*)
tpcmd Remove();
tpcmd MakeThumb();
tpcmd Exit(); |
Opens the Testing directory,
removes all thumbnails, then makes them again, then exits ThumbsPlus. |
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DDE Commands Reference
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Command
|
Abbreviation
|
Description
|
| Close(filename) |
C(filename) |
Closes any view window
for the file specified.
Parameters:
filename Filename to close view window. |
| CopyClipboard(optional-filename) |
B(optional-filename) |
Copies the currently selected
file (if no parameter) or a specific file to the clipboard. If a
file is specified, the directory tree and file list are positioned,
and the file becomes selected.
Parameters:
optional-filename Filename to copy to clipboard. |
| Exit() |
X() |
Exits the program (closes
ThumbsPlus). |
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Find(keyword-list)
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F(keyword-list) |
Finds files associated with particular keywords.
Parameters:
keyword-list Formatted list of keywords with inclusion
specifier.
Format for keyword-list: [how]keyword1;keyword2;
how A single character to indicate whether all ('&'),
any ('|'), or most ('*') keywords must match.
keyword1;keyword2; Semicolon delimited list of keywords.
|
Example:
Find all images with keywords: 'raster','.jpg', and 'truecolor'.
Find("&raster;.jpg;truecolor") |
| Keyword(keyword-list|filename) |
K(keyword-list|filename) |
Assigns keywords
to or removes keywords from a file.
Parameters:
keyword-list Formatted list of keywords with inclusion specifier.
filename Filename to use.
Format for keyword-list: [+-]keyword1;[+-]keyword2;
Semicolon delimited list of keywords. Each keyword may be preceded
by a '-' or '+' to indicate that the keyword should be removed or
added. The default is to add. |
Example:
Adds keywords 'large', 'dog', 'animal' and removes keyword 'cat'
to and from file c:\images\animals\dog.jpg.
Keyword("+large;+dog;+animal;-cat|c:\images\animals\dog.jpg") |
| LocateFile(filename) |
L(filename) |
Locates a file. The directory
list is positioned at the file's directory, and the file itself
is selected. You can use a file mask to specify a set of files to
select.
Parameters:
filename Filename or mask to find. |
Example:
Find and select any files in the C:\Temp directory.
LocateFile(C:\Temp\*.*) |
| MakeThumb(optional-filename) |
M(optional-filename) |
Creates thumbnails for a specific file or a set
of files. If the optional-filename parameter is not specified,
thumbnails are made for any currently selected files. Like LocateFile,
this command will accept a mask for the file name. The directory
list will be repositioned if the file is in a different directory
from the current one.
Parameters:
optional-filename Filename or mask to thumbnail.
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| ExportThumb (type;extension;path) |
E(type;extension;path) |
Extract all selected files' thumbnails as images
and save them to files.
Parameters:
type Represents the file type to write
extension Represents the file extension to use
path Provides the path for output files.
|
Example:
Export selected thumbnails and saves them as jpeg files with the
(silly) file extension .any.
ExportThumb(jpg;any;C:\Exported\Jpegs) |
Open(filename)
Alternate: FileOpen(filename) |
O(filename) |
Opens a specific file in a view window. The current
directory position and file selections are not modified by this
command, and this command does NOT accept a file mask.
Parameters:
filename Filename to view (open).
|
| OpenDB(filename) |
DB(filename) |
Closes the currently opened ThumbsPlus database
and opens another.
Parameters:
filename Filename of a ThumbsPlus database file.
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|
OpenDir(path)
|
D(path) |
Positions the ThumbsPlus directory list in a specific
directory.
Parameters:
path Directory path for positioning.
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|
Print(filename)
|
P(filename) |
Prints a specific file. The current directory
position and file selections are not modified by this command,
and it does NOT accept a file mask.
Parameters:
filename Filename to print.
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| RefreshTree() |
T() |
Causes ThumbsPlus to re-read
the current directory tree, allowing updates from other programs
to be visible. It's also useful to initialize the tree when ThumbsPlus
is started minimized (ThumbsPlus does not read the tree by default
until the main window is visible -- this improves performance when
the "simple" DDE commands are used, such as Open and Print). |
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RemoveThumb (optional-filename)
Remove(optional-filename)
|
R(optional-filename) |
Removes the thumbnail for the currently selected
file(s) (if no parameter) or for a specific file. This also removes
any associated keywords. Like LocateFile, this command will accept
a mask for the file name. The directory list will be repositioned
if the file is in a different directory from the current one.
Also, if a mask is specified, only the first matching file will
have it's thumbnail removed from the database.
Parameters:
optional-filename Filename to remove thumbnail.
|
| RemoveTree (optional-path) |
V(optional-path) |
Removes thumbnails from the current directory
(if no parameter) or from a specific directory, and it's subdirectories.
Parameters:
optional-path Directory to remove thumbnails.
** ThumbsPlus v4.15 and higher compatible syntax:
RemoveTree(optional-path,wait)
Parameters:
optional-path Directory to remove thumbnails.
wait Instruct ThumbsPlus to wait for the removal to complete
before returning control to TPCMD.
|
| ScanTree (optional-path) |
S(optional-path) |
Scans the current directory (if no parameter)
or a specific directory path and creates thumbnails for any found
files.
Parameters:
optional-path Directory to scan and create thumbnails.
** ThumbsPlus Version 4.15 and higher compatible
syntax:
ScanTree(optional-path,wait)
Parameters:
optional-path Directory to scan and create thumbnails.
wait Instruct ThumbsPlus to wait for the scan to complete
before returning control to TPCMD.
|
| SlideShow (optional-path) |
W(optional-path) |
This function runs a slide show from the current
directory (if no parmeter) or in a specified directory. If a directory
is specified, the directory list is repositioned in that directory.
Parameters:
optional-path Directory for slide show.
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| UpdateAll (optional-path) |
U(optional-path) |
Updates all thumbnails in the current directory
(if no parameter), or in a specified directory. If a directory
is specified, the directory list is repositioned in that directory.
Parameters:
optional-path Directory for thumbnail update.
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Convert (format;extension;retain-
comments;reset-date;format-
options;output-path) |
N(format;extension;
retain-comments;reset-
date;format-
options;output-path)
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Converts any selected files to the specified format.
For GIF, TIFF and JPEG formats, you may specify various options.
Files with the same name are overwritten.
You can also specify whether comments should
be retained or dropped, and set the converted files' creation
time to that of the original.
Parameters:
format The 3 character file extension for the output format
for the converted files. NOTE: This format must be one of the
output formats supported by ThumbsPlus.
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Example:
bmp pcx tga wmf jpg gif tif
extension The file extension to use (usually
the same as the format).
retain-comments Specify 0 (numeric zero)
to remove image comments, or one 1 (numeric one) to retain them.
reset-date When 1 (numeric one), the converted
file will receive the same date and time as the original file.
format-options Options required for some
file types: (JPG, GIF,
TIF).
output-path The complete directory path
where ThumbsPlus will create the converted files.
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'format-options'
for JPEG files:
|
Parameter
|
Valid
Values
|
Description
|
| Quality |
1-100
|
The quality level for JPEG compression.
75 is a good default; values below 50 usually generate unacceptable
artifacts, and values above 90 usually cause larger files without
appreciable visible improvement, so we recommend a number between
50 and 90. |
| Smoothing |
0-50
|
The amount of smoothing to apply before
compression. This is useful for converting dithered (i.e., GIF)
images to JPEG. For photographic originals, you should specify zero
(0). |
| Progressive |
0, 1
|
Set this option to one (1) to enable
progressive JPEG generations. Note that many programs do not yet
support progressive JPEG files. |
'format-options' for
GIF files:
|
Parameter
|
Valid
Values
|
Description
|
| Interlaced |
0, 1
|
Set to one (1) to generate an interlaced
GIF file. |
| Minimize Size |
0, 1
|
Set to one (1) to optimize the color
table and remove duplicate colors, thus minimizing the file size. |
| Transparent |
0, 1
|
Set to one (1) to generate a transparent
GIF. Use the Transparent Color parameter to specify the transparent
color. |
| Transparent Color |
0,0,0 - 255,255,255
|
Specify the transparent color when
generating transparent GIF files. This is an RGB value (red, green,
blue), and should match one of the pixel values of the GIF file. |
'format-options' for
TIFF files:
|
Parameter
|
Valid
Values
|
Description
|
| Compression |
lzw jpeg fax3 fax4 pack zip none
|
Specifies the compression method for
the resulting TIFF file. |
| Quality |
1-100
|
When using JPEG compression in TIFF
files, specifies the quality level. See the notes
above about JPEG files for further info. |
| Separate |
0, 1
|
When set to one (1), specifies that
image color planes should be stored separately. This often increases
compressibility of 24-bit image files. |
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Examples
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| Convert the currently
selected files to JPG with a quality level of 75, no smoothing,
non-progressive, while removing comments and setting the file date
to that of the original file. |
Convert(jpg;jpg;0;1;75;0;0;c:\temp) |
| Convert the currently
selected files to interlaced, non-transparent GIF files. Retain
image comments and set the date to when the file was converted. |
Convert(gif;gif;1;0;1;1;0;0,0,0;c:\temp) |
| Convert the currently
selected files to Windows Bitmaps. Remove comments and leave the
date as the converted date. |
Convert(bmp;bmp;0;0;c:\temp) |
| Convert the currently
selected files to TIFF with LZW compression and separated image
channels. Retain comments and set the TIFF files to the original
files' dates. |
Convert(tif;abc;1;1;lzw;0;1;c:\temp) |
| Select all files in the
directory c:\camera\pictures\kdc, convert them to JPEG with a quality
level of 75, eliminating comments and setting the file dates to
the original KDC file dates, and write the output JPEG files in
the c:\camera\pictures\jpg directory. Then, use the UpdateDir command
to create thumbnails for the converted files. |
LocateFile(c:\camera\pictures\kdc\*)
Convert(jpg;jpg;0;1;75;0;0;c:\camera\pictures\jpg)
UpdateDir(c:\camera\pictures\jpg) |
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ThumbsPlus Version 4.15 and Higher
==================================
|
Command
|
Abbreviation
|
Description
|
BatchProcess(set-
name;output-path;{input-
path;selection-option;file-
mask;output-type;overwrite-
flag;subdir-flag}) |
Z(set-name;output-
path;{input-
path;selection-option;file-
mask;output-
type;overwrite-
flag;subdir-flag}) |
Executes a defined batch process.
Parameters:
set-name This value can be any batch set name defined in
ThumbsPlus. This name is case-sensitive.
output-path The complete directory path
where ThumbsPlus will create the converted files.
Optional Parameters (If omitted, ThumbsPlus will
use the settings from the specified batch set):
input-path The complete directory path where ThumbsPlus
will look for the input files.
selection-option
0 - Selected files
1 - current folder
2 - Current folder and sub-folders
file-mask Any valid file mask string.
Eg. *.tif;*.gif
output-type Any valid file extension for file types that
ThumbsPlus can write. Eg. bmp, jpg, png, etc.
overwrite-flag
0 - Don't overwrite files existing
in the output-path
1 - Do overwrite existing
files
subdirs-flag
0 - Don't recreate the
input-path subfolder structure. Puts all output files directly
under output-path, regardless of their input-path subfolder.
1 - Do create the same input-path
subfolder structure under the output-path.
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