dvcrn PhotoCHAT CLI Search
Search the user's photo library using PhotoCHAT's natural language search CLI.
Command
photochat search [options] <natural language query>
Uses the MSIX-packaged photochat app execution alias (v0.6.0+).
Options
| Flag | Purpose | Default |
|---|---|---|
--json |
Machine-readable JSON output | off |
--limit N |
Max results | 5 |
--show-filters |
Print parsed face/date/exclusion filters | off |
--show-scores |
Include similarity scores in plain text | off |
--profile NAME |
Force-include a face profile | none |
--day-first |
Parse ambiguous dates as DD/MM | off |
--dry-run |
Parse query only, skip retrieval | off |
Workflow
- Run search with
--json,--day-first, and a reasonable--limit:
photochat search --json --day-first --limit 10 show me a photo of sarah at the beach
- Parse JSON output:
{
"query": "original query text",
"intent": {
"cleaned_query": "processed query",
"face_filters": ["sarah"],
"date_range": null,
"exclude_terms": []
},
"total_results": 25,
"returned_results": 5,
"results": [
{ "rank": 1, "path": "I:/Pictures/.../photo.JPG", "score": 0.55 }
]
}
- Present results:
- Show file paths and match count (returned vs total)
- To display a photo, use the
imagetool with thepathfrom results - Scores above 0.4 are decent; above 0.5 is a strong match
- If zero results, suggest simplifying the query or check filters with
--show-filters
Query Capabilities
The parser handles rich natural language:
- Faces: "Sarah at the beach" auto-filters face profile "Sarah"
- Dates: "from 2021", "in March", "before 2015", "from Mar 21"
- Exclusions: "without Matt" excludes face or concept
- Mood/style: "photos that feel cozy and warm", "vintage film look"
- Combos: "Bella standing next to a tall building from Mar 21"
For more examples, read references/search-examples.txt.
Important
- Always use
--day-first(Australian date format DD/MM) - Always use
--jsonfor parseable output - Default
--limit 5unless user asks for more - First search takes 10-30s (model loading); use 60s timeout on first call
- Result paths are absolute file paths; pass directly to the
imagetool
Exit Codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Success (includes zero-result searches) |
| 2 | Argument/usage error |
| 3 | Runtime/model init failure |
| 4 | Storage init/access failure |
| 5 | Unexpected failure |