{today.date} not working in tcsh but working in zsh

[PDHell]

Hello,

My MacOS's default shell is zsh. But since I am comfortable with tcsh, I changed my default shell to tcsh.

My question is two fold. Could you please help.

#1.
When I use below script, it is working perfectly and I see exportlog_2024-04-22_01H.27M.41S.csv file from --report

#!/bin/zsh
osxphotos \
export /Users/karthikd/Pictures/BackupOfPhotosLibraryUsingOSXPHOTOS_DEL \
--library /Users/karthikd/Pictures/Photos\ Library.photoslibrary \
--filename "{created.date}.{original_name}{favorite?.Fav,}" \
--report ~/Pictures/BackupOfPhotosLibraryUsingOSXPHOTOS_DEL/exportlog_{today.date}_{today.hour}H.{today.min}M.{today.sec}S.csv \
--save-config /Users/karthikd/Pictures/BackupOfPhotosLibraryUsingOSXPHOTOS_DEL/osxphotos.toml \
--update \
--cleanup \
--export-by-date \
--touch-file \
--ramdb  \
--verbose \
--not-hidden \
--keyword-template "{label,KarNoLabel}" \
--keyword-template "{keyword,KarNoKeyword}" \
--keyword-template "{album?KarAlbumName:{folder_album}}" \
--keyword-template "{person}" \
--keyword-template "{favorite?Favorite,}" \
--keyword-template "{descr}" \
--person-keyword \
--xattr-template findercomment "Persons = {, +person,NoPerson} ; Place = {place.name,NoPlace}; Labels = {, +label,NoLabel}; Favorite={favorite?Yes,No}; Keywords = {, +keyword,NoKeyword} ; Album = {, +folder_album,NoAlbum} ; Description = {descr,NoDescr} " \
--keep "/*.csv"  \
--keep "/*.toml"  \
--keep "/*.log"  \
--sidecar XMP --from-date "2024-04-01"

But when execute below script, my --report file looks like this: exportlog_today.date_today.hourH.today.minM.today.secS
Looks like variables are not substituting correctly.

Is it expected that variables replaced only in zsh but not in tcsh ?

#!/bin/tcsh
osxphotos \
export /Users/karthikd/Pictures/BackupOfPhotosLibraryUsingOSXPHOTOS_DEL \
--library /Users/karthikd/Pictures/Photos\ Library.photoslibrary \
--filename "{created.date}.{original_name}{favorite?.Fav,}" \
--report ~/Pictures/BackupOfPhotosLibraryUsingOSXPHOTOS_DEL/exportlog_{today.date}_{today.hour}H.{today.min}M.{today.sec}S.csv \
--save-config /Users/karthikd/Pictures/BackupOfPhotosLibraryUsingOSXPHOTOS_DEL/osxphotos.toml \
--update \
--cleanup \
--export-by-date \
--touch-file \
--ramdb  \
--verbose \
--not-hidden \
--keyword-template "{label,KarNoLabel}" \
--keyword-template "{keyword,KarNoKeyword}" \
--keyword-template "{album?KarAlbumName:{folder_album}}" \
--keyword-template "{person}" \
--keyword-template "{favorite?Favorite,}" \
--keyword-template "{descr}" \
--person-keyword \
--xattr-template findercomment "Persons = {, +person,NoPerson} ; Place = {place.name,NoPlace}; Labels = {, +label,NoLabel}; Favorite={favorite?Yes,No}; Keywords = {, +keyword,NoKeyword} ; Album = {, +folder_album,NoAlbum} ; Description = {descr,NoDescr} " \
--keep "/*.csv"  \
--keep "/*.toml"  \
--keep "/*.log"  \
--sidecar XMP --from-date "2024-04-01"

#2.
Also, is it okay to use osxphotos in tcsh in general ? Will I face any issues going forward? (I just started using osxphotos)

[RhetTbull]

The shell shouldn't matter. This has to do with quoting/escaping behavior. Try quoting the template for the report. But you'll probably have to list the whole path as ~ won't expand if quoted.

Yes you can use osxphotos with tcsh -- you just need to be aware of how your shell handles things like braces.

[PDHell]

Got it. Thank you so much!

Also, can I use variables in --report ?
For example, can I use below:
--report /Users/kar/Pictures/OSXPhotosBackup/{today.date}__{today.hour}h.{today.min}m.{today.sec}s__report.csv \

The reason I want to do this is: For every run I want to know the command I to run that particualt set. Basically everytime I run, I want to dump the command I use into some file for reference. Please let me know if there is a better way.

As of now I have below:

--report       /Users/kar/Pictures/OSXPhotosBackup/{today.date}__{today.hour}h.{today.min}m.{today.sec}s__report.csv 
--save-config  /Users/kar/Pictures/OSXPhotosBackup/{today.date}__{today.hour}h.{today.min}m.{today.sec}s__report.toml 

And I am getting below two files.

2024-04-22__20h.11m.03s__report.csv
{today.date}__{today.hour}h.{today.min}m.{today.sec}s__report.toml

So, my command for --report is working but --save-config is not working.

[RhetTbull]

Yes, the template variables can be used in --report. Unfortunately they cannot yet be used in --save-config though it might be good to add this. I'll open a new issue to allow --save-config to use template variables.

[PDHell]

Got it. In the meanwhile I will do like this:
--save-config /Users/karthikd/Pictures/OSXPhotosBackup/${datestamp}__config.toml \

One more question please:
As of now I am using this:

--keyword-template "{album?KarAlbumName:{folder_album},}" \
--keyword-template "{person?Person:{person},}" \
--keyword-template "{favorite?Favorite,}" \
--keyword-template "{label,KarNoLabel}" \
--keyword-template "{keyword,KarNoKeyword}" \
--keyword-template "{descr}" \

As you can see If there is an album, I am adding <CustomText>:album_name. Similarly adding custom texts for person.

Can I extend this and add custom text for label, keyword, Description? Are there any fall outs of I do like below?

--keyword-template "{album?KarAlbumName:{folder_album},}" \
--keyword-template "{person?Person:{person},}" \
--keyword-template "{favorite?Favorite,}" \
--keyword-template "{label?KarLabel:{label},KarNoLabel}" \
--keyword-template "{keyword?KarKeyword:{keyword},KarNoKeyword}" \
--keyword-template "{descr?KarDescription:{descr}}" \

Also do I have to use KarAlbumName: or can I simply use KarAlbumName= ?
= is easy to query on XML file if needed.

[RhetTbull]

Can I extend this and add custom text for label, keyword, Description? Are there any fall outs of I do like below?

Those should work fine.

Also do I have to use KarAlbumName: or can I simply use KarAlbumName= ?

This should work fine: {album?KarAlbumName={folder_album},}

I don't believe that = in the keyword will cause any issues.

You can use the osxphotos template command to test your templates. Select a photo in Photos then run osxphotos template and type your tempaltes (for example, {label?KarLabel:{label},KarNoLabel} and you'll see it rendered for the currently selected photo. If you switch the selection and render the template again (hit up-arrow to recall the last template) it will render for the new photo. This is useful for debugging and testing template strings.