How to run program once for every new image stored in folder?

I have a program to process all the JPEG photos in a folder. But what I want to do is to run the program once every time a new image is stored in the folder. Any ideas to do so?

My current code is something like that:

    srcFiles = dir('C:\FTP\testing2\*.jpg');

    for i = 1 : length(srcFiles)
        filename = strcat('C:\FTP\testing2\', srcFiles(i).name);
        I = imread(filename);
        ...........rest of my code..........
    end

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

What is the problem with your code?

[Image Analyst]

How are you defining what's "new"? New since last time you ran the program? If so, then are you saving, somewhere, the date and time of the last time you checked the folder or ran your script?

[Tan Jun Hao]

I have a IP camera that snaps picture upon detecting motion. The photo is stored inside the folder directory. New photo meaning every time a new photo is saved inside the folder directory.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/18232-detect-new-file-in-a-directory

http://uk.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/99277-how-do-i-programmatically-detect-a-change-in-a-directory

[Tan Jun Hao]

Thanks! It worked perfectly!

Answer 2

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

folder='C:\FTP\testing2'
type='*.jpg'
srcFiles = dir(fullfile(folder,type));
  for ii= 1 : length(srcFiles)
      filename = fullfile(folder, srcFiles(ii).name);
      I = imread(filename);
      %Your code
      %Store the result in a cell array, for example
      Y{k}=I
  end

What is the problem with your code

[Tan Jun Hao]

I only want to process the new image that is stored inside the folder. But now my program is always processing every single image in the folder.

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

That depends on how many files are contained in your folder. Check the number of files by typing

folder='C:\FTP\testing2'
type='*.jpg'
srcFiles = dir(fullfile(folder,type))
size(srcFiles )

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

folder='C:\FTP\testing2'
type='*.jpg'
for k=:100
  srcFiles = dir(fullfile(folder,type));
  if ~isempty(srcFiles)
      dat=datenum({srcFiles.date})
      [~,ii]=min(dat)
      nam=srcFiles(ii).name
      filename = fullfile(folder, nam);
      I = imread(filename);
      %Your code
      wait(2)
      movefile(filename,fullfile(new_folder,nam)
  end