How to use the command 'ufraw-batch' (with examples)

The ‘ufraw-batch’ command is a powerful utility that allows you to convert RAW files from cameras into standard image files. It supports various file formats and provides options to customize the output according to your requirements.

Use case 1: Simply convert RAW files to JPG

Code:

ufraw-batch --out-type=jpg input_file(s)

Motivation: Converting RAW files to JPG is a common requirement when working with digital photographs. JPG files are widely supported by image editors, web browsers, and other software applications. By using the ‘ufraw-batch’ command, you can quickly and easily convert RAW files to JPG format.

Explanation:

• ‘ufraw-batch’: The command itself.
• ‘–out-type=jpg’: Specifies the output file format as JPG.
• ‘input_file(s)’: The RAW file(s) you want to convert. You can provide one or multiple input files separated by spaces.

Example output: If you execute the command ufraw-batch --out-type=jpg photo1.CR2, it will convert the RAW file “photo1.CR2” to the JPG format. The resulting JPG file will have the same name as the input file but with the extension changed to ‘.jpg’.

Use case 2: Simply convert RAW files to PNG

Code:

ufraw-batch --out-type=png input_file(s)

Motivation: PNG is another popular image file format that supports lossless compression and high-quality graphics. If you prefer using PNG files instead of JPG, you can use the ‘ufraw-batch’ command to convert your RAW files to PNG format.

Explanation:

• ‘ufraw-batch’: The command itself.
• ‘–out-type=png’: Specifies the output file format as PNG.
• ‘input_file(s)’: The RAW file(s) you want to convert. You can provide one or multiple input files separated by spaces.

Example output: Running the command ufraw-batch --out-type=png photo2.CR2 will convert the RAW file “photo2.CR2” to PNG format. The resulting PNG file will have the same name as the input file but with the extension changed to ‘.png’.

Use case 3: Extract the preview image from the raw file

Code:

ufraw-batch --embedded-image input_file(s)

Motivation: RAW files often contain embedded preview images captured by the camera. These preview images are usually smaller in size compared to the full-resolution image. By using the ‘ufraw-batch’ command with the ‘–embedded-image’ option, you can extract and save these preview images separately.

Explanation:

• ‘ufraw-batch’: The command itself.
• ‘–embedded-image’: Instructs the command to extract the embedded image from the RAW file.
• ‘input_file(s)’: The RAW file(s) from which you want to extract the embedded image. You can provide one or multiple input files separated by spaces.

Example output: By executing the command ufraw-batch --embedded-image photo3.CR2, the ‘ufraw-batch’ command will extract the embedded preview image from the RAW file “photo3.CR2” and save it as a separate image file. The resulting image file will have the same name as the input file but with the extension changed based on the file format of the extracted image (e.g., ‘.jpg’, ‘.png’, etc.).

Use case 4: Save the file with size up to the given maximums MAX1 and MAX2

Code:

ufraw-batch --size=MAX1,MAX2 input_file(s)

Motivation: Sometimes, you may want to limit the size of the output image to a specific resolution. For example, you might want to resize large RAW files to a smaller size suitable for web publishing or to fit a specific display device. The ‘–size’ option in the ‘ufraw-batch’ command allows you to set the maximum dimensions of the output image.

Explanation:

• ‘ufraw-batch’: The command itself.
• ‘–size=MAX1,MAX2’: Specifies the maximum dimensions of the output image. Replace MAX1 and MAX2 with the desired width and height values in pixels.
• ‘input_file(s)’: The RAW file(s) you want to convert and resize. You can provide one or multiple input files separated by spaces.

Example output: When you run the command ufraw-batch --size=800,600 photo4.CR2, the ‘ufraw-batch’ command will convert the RAW file “photo4.CR2” to an image with a maximum width of 800 pixels and a maximum height of 600 pixels. The resulting image will be saved in the same directory as the input file, with a name based on the input file’s name and extension.

Conclusion:

The ‘ufraw-batch’ command provides an efficient way to convert RAW files to standard image formats and perform various image processing operations. By understanding the different use cases and their corresponding command options, you can leverage the power of ‘ufraw-batch’ to handle your RAW image files effectively.