Installing EXIFTool on Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide

When it comes to managing your digital images, EXIFTool is an essential utility that can help you extract metadata from image files. However, before you can start using EXIFTool, you need to install OpenJPEG and ImageMagick on your Mac computer. In this article, we will walk you through the process of installing these tools from source code.

Why Install from Source Code?

While it is possible to install pre-compiled versions of OpenJPEG and ImageMagick using apt, I have found that compiling the source code resolves issues that may arise during installation. For this reason, I recommend compiling the source code for these utilities.

Compiling OpenJPEG and ImageMagick on Mac

To compile OpenJPEG and ImageMagick from source code, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Download the source code for OpenJPEG and ImageMagick from their official websites.

2. Extract the files to a directory of your choice.

3. Open a terminal window and navigate to the extracted directory.

4. Run the following command to configure OpenJPEG: `./configure --prefix=/usr/local`

5. Run the following command to build and install OpenJPEG: `make && make install`

6. Repeat steps 3-5 for ImageMagick, using the same configuration and installation options as before.

Why Choose Linux over MacOS or Windows 10?

While it is possible to install EXIFTool on MacOS or Windows 10, I highly recommend installing a command-line friendly operating system like Linux instead. This is because Linux provides a much more intuitive environment for working with command-line tools like OpenJPEG and ImageMagick.

To take advantage of W10's Windows Subsystem for Linux feature, you can install a Linux distribution on your Windows 10 machine. This will allow you to run EXIFTool and other command-line utilities directly from the Linux terminal.

Installing EXIFTool on Mac requires compiling OpenJPEG and ImageMagick from source code. While this may seem daunting at first, the process is relatively straightforward once you get started. By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth installation process and start using EXIFTool to manage your digital images with ease.

Exiftool install mac