GPSExtractionTool

Descrizione / Description

🇮🇹 Un semplice script portatile che utilizza ExifTool per estrarre in blocco i dati GPS e i metadati da una cartella di foto e video. Genera automaticamente:

• CSV con informazioni complete sui file e coordinate
• GPX con la traccia georeferenziata
• KML (track e points) per visualizzare percorsi e punti in Google Earth, QGIS e altri software GIS

🇬🇧 A simple portable script that leverages ExifTool to bulk-extract GPS data and metadata from a folder of photos and videos. It automatically generates:

• CSV with full file information and coordinates
• GPX with the georeferenced track
• KML (track and points) to visualize routes and locations in Google Earth, QGIS, and other GIS software

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CHANGELOG

v2 - v2 Changerlog

New features:

• Recap at the end: shows file processed, records created, etc.
• implemented DIAGNOSTIC MODE: if the parameter set "DIAG=1"is 1 instead of 0, it creates also a warnings.log file (useful because DJI drones create a lot, see below)

Known bugs:

• track.gpx file is correct but refused by Google MyMaps. Use track.kml instead
• track.kml connects the end of a video with the start of the next with a simple line. Sometimens can be useful, but if unwanted simply delete the extra line

Bugfix:

• implemented pause and controls that work correctly
• implemented powershell to create actual templates for output
• implemented -charset FileName=cp1252 for italian file path vith àèìòù characthers
• forced wotrking directory with pushd "%SRC%" to make it work properly with long filepaths
• set video to generate a single point in pints instead of the whole track to avoid millions of points
• implemented "-ee -api QuickTimeUTC -n -fileOrder gpsdatetime" to make the script compatible with DJI Drones video. DJI drones photos also creates a lot of warnings but it is an exiftool issue. keep DIAG mode active and check if there are real issues or just minor warnings

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INSTRUCTIONS

ITALIAN – ENGLISH BELOW

Operazione preliminare

0. Scarica ExifTool
   • Scarica il software da https://exiftool.org
   • Copia il file dentro la cartella GPSExtractionTool, poi rinominalo in exiftool.exe, insieme alla cartella exiftool_files, se presente

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Utilizzo rapido

1. Copia l’intera cartella GPSExtractionTool (contenente exiftool.exe e extract_gps.bat)
   dentro la cartella che contiene le foto o i video da analizzare.
   Esempio:

   D:\Viaggi\2024\Foto\GPSExtractionTool\
   

2. Apri la cartella GPSExtractionTool e fai doppio click su:

   extract_gps.bat
   

3. Lo script analizzerà automaticamente tutti i file multimediali presenti nella cartella superiore (dove si trovano le foto), escludendo i propri file interni.

4. I risultati saranno salvati in:

   GPSExtractionTool\GPSData_extracted\
   

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📊 File di output

File	Formato	Contenuto principale
gps_sorted.csv	CSV	Tabella con metadati completi
track.gpx	GPX 1.1	Traccia georeferenziata
track.kml	KML	Percorso temporale (gx:Track)
points.kml	KML	Punti singoli con metadati

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📂 Dettaglio file

1. gps_sorted.csv

• Tabella apribile in Excel / LibreOffice / Google Sheets
• Colonne principali:
  • FileName, Directory, FileSize, MIMEType
  • Make, Model, LensModel, Software
  • ImageWidth, ImageHeight, Orientation
  • DateTimeOriginal, CreateDate, ModifyDate, GPSDateStamp, GPSTimeStamp
  • GPSLatitude, GPSLongitude, GPSAltitude, GPSImgDirection
  • ISO, ShutterSpeed, Aperture, FocalLength
• Ordinato cronologicamente per DateTimeOriginal
  👉 Ideale per analisi dettagliate, filtri, statistiche, esportazioni in GIS

2. track.gpx

• Formato GPX 1.1 standard
• Contiene una traccia (trk) con tutti i punti geotaggati in ordine temporale
• Ogni punto include latitudine, longitudine, altitudine (se presente), timestamp
  👉 Perfetto per dispositivi GPS, Garmin BaseCamp, QGIS, Google Earth (import GPX)

3. track.kml

• Formato KML con estensione Google (gx:Track)
• Sequenza temporale di tutti i punti con animazione della timeline
  👉 Ottimo per rivedere il viaggio in Google Earth come animazione temporale

4. points.kml

• Formato KML con un Placemark per ogni foto/video
• Nome = FileName, descrizione = Directory
• Include TimeStamp e coordinate
• ExtendedData con metadati (fotocamera, lente, ISO, focale, ecc.)
  👉 Utile in Google Earth / QGIS se vuoi i punti singoli con dettagli tecnici

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💡 Consigli d’uso

• Vuoi un’analisi tabellare (filtri, grafici, pivot)?
  → gps_sorted.csv (Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc)

• Vuoi caricare il percorso su un GPS o app sportiva?
  → track.gpx (Garmin, Strava, Komoot, QGIS, MapSource)

• Vuoi rivedere il viaggio in Google Earth con animazione temporale?
  → track.kml (gx:Track)

• Vuoi vedere ogni foto come punto con dettagli tecnici?
  → points.kml (Google Earth, QGIS)

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📌 Note

• Le colonne/elementi possono essere vuoti se il file non contiene quel metadato.
• ExifTool supporta molti formati (JPG, PNG, HEIC, RAW, MP4, MOV...).
• Google Earth preferisce i KML, ma importa anche i GPX.
• QGIS può importare direttamente CSV, GPX e KML.
• Se i dati temporali mancano, l’ordinamento cronologico potrebbe non essere accurato.

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⚙️ Flusso di esecuzione

1. Controllo preliminare

   • Lo script verifica la presenza di exiftool.exe
   • Se manca → errore e stop.

2. Individuazione sorgente

   • Viene analizzata la cartella superiore rispetto a GPSExtractionTool (dove si trovano le foto).
   • Esclude la cartella degli strumenti e l’output (GPSExtractionTool, GPSData_extracted).

3. Preparazione output

   • Se non esiste, viene creata GPSData_extracted accanto allo script.

4. Generazione template

   • Se mancanti, vengono creati i file di formattazione locali:
     • gpx.fmt → struttura del file GPX
     • kml_track.fmt → struttura KML con percorso (gx:Track)
     • kml_points.fmt → struttura KML con punti e metadati

5. Estrazione CSV

   • Genera gps_sorted.csv con metadati completi (camera, parametri di scatto, GPS).
   • Ordinato cronologicamente per DateTimeOriginal.

6. Generazione GPX

   • Produce track.gpx con i punti georeferenziati (lat, lon, alt, time).

7. Generazione KML (track)

   • Produce track.kml con percorso temporale (gx:Track), animabile in Google Earth.

8. Generazione KML (points)

   • Produce points.kml con un Placemark per ogni file e metadati in <ExtendedData>.

9. Messaggio finale

   • Lo script mostra i file creati dentro GPSData_extracted.

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🇬🇧 English version

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Preliminary operation

0. Download ExifTool
   • Download the software from https://exiftool.org
   • Copy the file into the GPSExtractionTool folder, then rename it to exiftool.exe, along with the exiftool_files folder, if present

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Quick Start

1. Copy the entire GPSExtractionTool folder (containing exiftool.exe and extract_gps.bat)
   inside the folder that contains the photos or videos you want to process.
   Example:

   D:\Trips\2024\Photos\GPSExtractionTool\
   

2. Open the GPSExtract folder and double-click:

   extract_gps.bat
   

3. The script will automatically scan all media files located in the parent folder (where the photos are stored), excluding its own internal files.

4. Results will be saved in:

   GPSExtractionTool\GPSData_extracted\
   

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📊 Output files

File	Format	Main contents
gps_sorted.csv	CSV	Table with complete metadata
track.gpx	GPX 1.1	Georeferenced track
track.kml	KML	Temporal path (gx:Track)
points.kml	KML	Individual points with metadata

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📂 Output details

1. gps_sorted.csv

• Tabular format (CSV), can be opened in Excel / LibreOffice / Google Sheets
• Main columns:
  • FileName, Directory, FileSize, MIMEType
  • Make, Model, LensModel, Software
  • ImageWidth, ImageHeight, Orientation
  • DateTimeOriginal, CreateDate, ModifyDate, GPSDateStamp, GPSTimeStamp
  • GPSLatitude, GPSLongitude, GPSAltitude, GPSImgDirection
  • ISO, ShutterSpeed, Aperture, FocalLength
• Chronologically ordered by DateTimeOriginal
  👉 Best for detailed analysis, filters, statistics, export to GIS

2. track.gpx

• Standard GPX 1.1 format
• Contains a track (trk) with all geotagged points in time order
• Each point includes latitude, longitude, altitude (if available), timestamp
  👉 Perfect for GPS devices, Garmin BaseCamp, QGIS, Google Earth (import GPX)

3. track.kml

• KML format with Google extension (gx:Track)
• Temporal sequence of all points with timeline animation
  👉 Great for replaying your trip in Google Earth as a time sequence

4. points.kml

• KML format with one Placemark per photo/video
• Name = FileName, description = Directory
• Includes TimeStamp and coordinates
• ExtendedData with metadata (camera, lens, ISO, focal length, etc.)
  👉 Useful in Google Earth / QGIS to view individual points with technical details

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💡 File usage recommendations

• Need tabular analysis (filters, charts, pivot tables)?
  → gps_sorted.csv (Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc)

• Need to upload the track to a GPS or sports app?
  → track.gpx (Garmin, Strava, Komoot, QGIS, MapSource)

• Want to replay your trip in Google Earth with time animation?
  → track.kml (gx:Track)

• Want to see each photo as a point with full details?
  → points.kml (Google Earth, QGIS)

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📌 Notes

• Columns/elements may be empty if the file does not contain that metadata.
• ExifTool supports many formats (JPG, PNG, HEIC, RAW, MP4, MOV...).
• Google Earth prefers KML but also imports GPX.
• QGIS can directly import CSV, GPX and KML.
• If temporal data is missing, chronological order may not be precise.

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⚙️ Execution flow

1. Pre-check

   • The script verifies that exiftool.exe exists inside GPSExtractionTool.
   • If missing → error and stop.

2. Source detection

   • It scans the parent folder of GPSExtractionTool (where your photos live).
   • Tool and output folders are excluded (GPSExtractionTool, GPSData_extracted).

3. Output preparation

   • Creates GPSData_extracted next to the script if it does not exist.

4. Template generation

   • If missing, it creates local formatter files:
     • gpx.fmt → GPX track structure
     • kml_track.fmt → KML with gx:Track
     • kml_points.fmt → KML placemarks with metadata

5. CSV extraction

   • Produces gps_sorted.csv with complete metadata (camera, exposure, GPS).
   • Chronologically ordered by DateTimeOriginal.

6. GPX generation

   • Produces track.gpx with georeferenced points (lat, lon, ele, time).

7. KML (track) generation

   • Produces track.kml with a temporal path (gx:Track), playable in Google Earth.

8. KML (points) generation

   • Produces points.kml with one Placemark per file and <ExtendedData>.

9. Final message

   • The script prints the list of files created in GPSData_extracted.