High Motion Software has extended its batch image processor ImBatch with a new scripting engine.

ImBatch 4.20’s Tools menu now includes a Script Editor, enabling users to dynamically change the current batch task based on any criteria, then maybe skipping one task, running something else, whatever they need.

This isn’t going to be for everyone, not least because you’re expected to write the scripts in a sort-of Pascal syntax, with no real help that we could see. But if that doesn’t scare you, there’s no doubt it gives the program a huge amount of flexibility.

Fortunately you can do a vast amount in ImBatch just by using the program’s canned tasks. As well as the usual batch resizing or format conversions, ImBatch can adjust brightness, contrast or colours, automatically crop images, apply special effects, add watermarks, edit metadata, copy/ delete/ move/ rename files, create contact sheets, save your images to PDF, and upload them to FTP or Facebook.

New Pascal-like scripting gives you even more image processing flexibility

Even these individual options have far more depth than you’d expect. Color tweaks aren’t just about globally applying some fixed RGB offset, for example – you could alternatively set up a custom selection, then adjust it using curves.

ImBatch is an exceptionally powerful image batch processor, then, whether you’ll use the new scripting feature or not. It’s free for personal use, $29.95 for everyone else, and runs on Windows XP and later.