Calling ExifTool from python script hangs in Mac but works in Windows

Question

I am using the script from this answer. I have made one minor modification, which is listed below.

Modification 1

sentinel = "{ready}\n"

    def __init__(self, executable="/usr/local/bin/"):
        self.executable = executable

    def __enter__(self):
        app = "exiftool"
        command_line = [app, "stay_open", "True", "-@", "-"]
        self.process = subprocess.Popen(command_line, executable=app, universal_newlines=True,
                                        stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
        return self

The rest of the answer posted in the original link is completely unchanged.

I call the above as follows,

def main():
    filename = r"/Volumes/backup/2017/MOV_0004.mp4"
    with ExifTool.ExifTool() as e:
        metadata = e.get_metadata(*filename)
    json_str = json.dumps(metadata, indent=2)
    print (json_str)

For some odd reason this works absolutely fine on Windows, but I just can't get it to work on a Mac.

In order to get this to work on Windows, I change the one line sentinel = "{ready}\n". I am using python 3.7.1 on the Mac and python 3.6.1 on Windows.

Would appreciate any advice.

What's the point of using `app = "exiftool"`? Use `self.executable`. — l'L'l, Apr 24 '20 at 10:11
Try running the following in a Terminal Window to see where your `exiftool` is `type exiftool` — Mark Setchell, Apr 24 '20 at 10:34
I use `app="exiftool"` in Windows because without this I get a WinError 5: Access is Denied error. Admittedly, not tried undoing this for the Mac code. — insomniac, Apr 24 '20 at 10:45
@insomniac: It should work if you undo that change I would imagine. — l'L'l, Apr 24 '20 at 12:15
@MarkSetchell, `type exifool` produces this output `exiftool is /usr/local/bin/exiftool` — insomniac, Apr 24 '20 at 21:23
@I'L'I, no luck. I changed the code to `self.process = subprocess.Popen(command_line, universal_newlines=True, stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)` and it still hangs. — insomniac, Apr 24 '20 at 21:30
Have you thought about using [PyExiftool](http://smarnach.github.io/pyexiftool/) instead? — StarGeek, Apr 24 '20 at 22:19
@StarGeek - thanks for the suggestion. Just did, and it's working. — insomniac, Apr 24 '20 at 23:03

Calling ExifTool from python script hangs in Mac but works in Windows

0 Answers0