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Using MacOS CLI to resize,convert image,Remove image background | Using sips (Scriptable Image Processing System) on macOS

Definitive Guide to Using sips (Scriptable Image Processing System) on macOS

The Scriptable Image Processing System (sips) is a command-line tool that comes pre-installed on macOS. It's a versatile utility that allows you to manipulate images through scripts or direct command-line input. This guide will cover everything you need to know about sips, from basic usage to advanced examples.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to sips
2. Basic Image Manipulation

• Resizing Images
• Converting Image Formats
• Rotating Images
• Flipping Images

1. Advanced Image Manipulation

• Batch Processing
• Adjusting Color
• Adding Metadata

1. Practical Examples

• Resizing for Xcode
• Creating Thumbnails

1. Tips and Tricks
2. Conclusion

Introduction to sips

sips stands for Scriptable Image Processing System. It's a powerful command-line tool on macOS that allows you to perform various image manipulations such as resizing, converting formats, rotating, flipping, and more. It's particularly useful for automating repetitive tasks through scripting.

Basic Image Manipulation

Resizing Images

To resize an image to specific dimensions, you can use the -z flag followed by the desired height and width.

Command:

sips -z <height> <width> /path/to/your/image.png

Example:

sips -z 80 80 /Users/hipster/Images/sample.png

This command resizes the image to 80x80 pixels.

Converting Image Formats

To convert an image from one format to another, use the --setProperty flag to specify the new format.

Command:

sips --setProperty format <format> /path/to/your/image.ext --out /path/to/output_image.new_ext

Example:

sips --setProperty format jpeg /Users/hipster/Images/sample.png --out /Users/hipster/Images/sample.jpg

This converts a PNG image to JPEG format.

Rotating Images

To rotate an image, use the --rotate flag followed by the angle in degrees.

Command:

sips --rotate <angle> /path/to/your/image.png

Example:

sips --rotate 90 /Users/hipster/Images/sample.png

This rotates the image 90 degrees clockwise.

Flipping Images

To flip an image vertically or horizontally, use the --flip or --flop flags.

Command:

sips --flip /path/to/your/image.png  # Flips the image vertically
sips --flop /path/to/your/image.png  # Flips the image horizontally

Example:

sips --flip /Users/hipster/Images/sample.png

Advanced Image Manipulation

Batch Processing

You can use sips in scripts to process multiple images. For example, resizing all PNG images in a directory:

Script:

for image in /path/to/images/*.png; do
  sips -z 100 100 "$image" --out /path/to/resized/$(basename "$image")
done

This script resizes all PNG images in the specified directory to 100x100 pixels and saves them in the resized directory.

Adjusting Color

You can adjust the color of images using flags such as --matchTo, --adjustColor, and --setColor.

Example:

sips --adjustColor sat 1.5 /Users/hipster/Images/sample.png

This increases the saturation of the image by 50%.

Adding Metadata

To add metadata to an image, use the --addMetadataTag flag.

Example:

sips --addMetadataTag iptc.comment="This is a sample image" /Users/hipster/Images/sample.png

This adds a comment to the image metadata.

Practical Examples

Resizing for Xcode

If Xcode throws errors about image dimensions, you can quickly resize the images to meet the required dimensions.

Example:

sips -z 80 80 /Users/hipster/Images/layer-2-dpi.png --out /Users/hipster/Images/layer-2-dpi-resized.png

Creating Thumbnails

To create thumbnails for a batch of images, you can use a script:

Script:

for image in /path/to/images/*.jpg; do
  sips -z 50 50 "$image" --out /path/to/thumbnails/$(basename "$image")
done

This creates 50x50 pixel thumbnails for all JPEG images in the specified directory.

Tips and Tricks

• Preview Changes: Use the -p flag to preview changes without modifying the original image.
• Verbose Mode: Use the -v flag to get detailed output of the operations being performed.
• Batch Renaming: Combine sips with rename commands to rename images based on their properties.

Conclusion

The sips tool is a powerful utility for image manipulation on macOS, offering a wide range of capabilities from basic resizing and format conversion to advanced color adjustments and metadata handling. Whether you're automating image processing tasks or just need a quick way to modify images from the command line, sips is a versatile tool that can meet your needs. By following this guide, you should be well-equipped to leverage sips for various image processing tasks. Happy scripting!