Putting EXIF info / custom text on the image
BetterJPEG allows you to stamp your images with metadata information contained in EXIF (comment, date, time, f-number, exposure time, ISO, focal length, etc.) and other data, such as file name or custom comment. Parts of the image outside the stamp area don't get recompressed thus causing no degradation to the image quality. Text insertion is done in Text mode.
Text mode
To enter the Text mode, click the Insert Text icon
on the main toolbar or select the Edit->Text item in the main menu or Text item in the context menu.
You can use the T key as a shortcut for this command.The preview of the text to be inserted will appear on the image outlined by a dashed rectangular.
BetterJPEG supports two independent text fields which can be individually formatted and positioned using different settings - Metadata and Custom Text. These fields are generally identical in capability to display different data. Everything you can do with one field you can also do with another one. However, the Metadata field is specifically designed to ease the insertion of metadata parameters, while the Custom Text field is designed to ease the insertion of custom text that can change from one image to another.
To turn custom text insertion on/off, click on the checkbox next to the textbox on the Insert Text panel.
You can change custom text by editing it in the textbox on the Insert Text panel. Parameter masks are allowed (see Parameter Masks section below for more details).
You can cancel text insertion by pressing Esc or clicking the Cancel button
on the Insert Text panel or in the context (right-click) menu.To apply the text insertion press Enter or click the Apply button
on the Insert Text panel or in the right-click context menu.Insert Text options dialog
Text parameters can be specified in the Insert Text options dialog.
To enter the Insert Text options dialog click the Edit button on the Insert Text panel or in the context menu. Alternatively you can double-click on the text preview area on the image to get to the dialog.
To enable insertion of the metadata field onto the image, check the Metadata checkbox on the EXIF tab. This checkbox duplicates the EXIF checkbox on the Insert Text panel.
You can either select predefined metadata parameters from the comboboxes or edit the template manually. Check the Edit checkbox to switch between selection of predefined values and manual editing of the template. When manually defining the template you can use any text and parameter masks (see the Parameter Masks section below for parameters description).
To enable insertion of the custom text field onto the image, check the Custom Text checkbox on the Custom Text tab. This checkbox duplicates the checkbox on the Insert Text panel.
You can change font face, size, style, color, opacity for both fields. Check Antialias on for smoother font appearance.
Different effects such as shadow, outline, emboss, engrave, or 3D can be selected to enhance appearance.
Select the position of the field on the image using Placement combobox and X Offset, Y Offset textboxes.
The Background option allows you to show a rectangular area behind the text. You can specify color, opacity and margin between the text and the area border.
If you want to keep proportion of the inserted text field on images of different size, check the Scale Relative to Image Size 1600x1200px checkbox. If this option is set, then the text size, offset, and margin values will correspond to text dimensions and placement on a 1600x1200 image. On smaller and larger images the text dimensions and placement will be scaled proportionally to the image size.
Format tab
Language - You can select the language for the text you insert.
Date - You can select the format in which date inserted on the image will appear. You can select a format from the list of predefined values (depends on the selected language) or construct a custom format string.
Use the following elements to construct the format string. If you use spaces to separate elements in the format string, these spaces will appear in the same location in the output string. The letters must be in uppercase or lowercase as shown in the table (for example, "MM" not "mm"). Characters enclosed in single quotes will appear as they are in the output string.
| Element | Meaning |
| d | Day of month as digits with no leading zero for single-digit days. |
| dd | Day of month as digits with leading zero for single-digit days. |
| ddd | Day of week as a three-letter abbreviation. |
| dddd | Day of week as its full name. |
| M | Month as digits with no leading zero for single-digit months. |
| MM | Month as digits with leading zero for single-digit months. |
| MMM | Month as a three-letter abbreviation. |
| MMMM | Month as its full name. |
| y | Year as last two digits, but with no leading zero for years less than 10. |
| yy | Year as last two digits, but with leading zero for years less than 10. |
| yyyy | Year represented by full four digits. |
Time - You can select the format in which time inserted on the image will appear. You can select a format from the list of predefined values (depends on the selected language) or construct a custom format string.
Use the following elements to construct the format string. If you use spaces to separate elements in the format string, these spaces will appear in the same location in the output string. The letters must be in uppercase or lowercase as shown (for example, "ss", not "SS"). Characters enclosed in single quotes will appear as they are in the output string.
| Element | Meaning |
| h | Hours with no leading zero for single-digit hours; 12-hour clock. |
| hh | Hours with leading zero for single-digit hours; 12-hour clock. |
| H | Hours with no leading zero for single-digit hours; 24-hour clock. |
| HH | Hours with leading zero for single-digit hours; 24-hour clock. |
| m | Minutes with no leading zero for single-digit minutes. |
| mm | Minutes with leading zero for single-digit minutes. |
| s | Seconds with no leading zero for single-digit seconds. |
| ss | Seconds with leading zero for single-digit seconds. |
| t | One character time-marker string, such as A or P. |
| tt | Multicharacter time-marker string, such as AM or PM. |
Use File Date / Time if there is no EXIF - If set, the file date and time will be used in place of the EXIF date / time when there is no corresponding EXIF data.
Parameter Masks
You can use parameter masks in text strings. They will be replaced with metadata or special values. The following parameter masks are available:
| Mask | Parameter | Output example |
| %c | Comment | Fred's Dog |
| %C | Copyright sign | © |
| %d | Date (in format defined in preferences) | May 04, 2004 |
| %e | Exposure time | 1/61s |
| %f | F-number | F2.6 |
| %i | ISO speed ratings | ISO100 |
| %L | Focal length in 35mm film equivalent | 38mm |
| %l | Focal length | 7.9mm |
| %M | Make | NIKON |
| %m | Model | E4500 |
| %t | Time (in format defined in preferences) | 12:52 |
| %V | Source file name (the name with which the file was open) | DSCN0475 |
| %v | Source file name and extension | DSCN0475.jpg |
| %W | Destination file name (the name under which the file was last saved) | dog2 |
| %w | Destination file name and extension | dog2.jpg |
| %GLt | GPS latitude | N 45° 15.426' |
| %GLg | GPS longitude | W 66° 36.122' |
| %GAl | GPS altitude | 65m |
| %% | Percent sign | % |