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Peter Muraya
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Joined: 5 Dec 2012 7:29

How to read File Properties

Unread post by Peter Muraya »

Hi all,
Recently I'm dealing with lots of data that come as images that have important metadata for us.
The metadata are packaged as file properties, visible when you right click on an image in Windows explorer. I need to read access this from a Visual Prolog program. How can I easily do this? I'm confused by what I read on the internet about NFTS and Alternate Data Streams as the mechanism that is used for storing such information but cannot figure out where to go from there. Thank you all for all the help I get from this forum.
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Thomas Linder Puls
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Joined: 28 Feb 2000 0:01

Unread post by Thomas Linder Puls »

It is outside my expertise.

It seems that the Windows Imaging Component can be used for that.

It is COM based but Microsoft has (which is becoming more and more the rule) not provided a COM type library for this component. Instead there are C++ headers and IDL files.

Without a type library our COM import mechanism does not work. And that means one of three things:
  • Manually create Visual Prolog classes and interfaces for what you need
  • Create a type library using the MIDL compiler and the provided IDL files
  • Find another API
All files are in the Windows 10 SDK.
Regards Thomas Linder Puls
PDC
Peter Muraya
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Posts: 147
Joined: 5 Dec 2012 7:29

Unread post by Peter Muraya »

Thank you Thomas. I followed the two references you gave me; the Windows Imaging Component is relevant to what I'm looking for, but it seems too complicated for what I though would be a simple task. I will study it a little bit harder and look for alternative libraries as you suggested. Thanks again.
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