ExifTool Forum

Hello,

Every now and then I need to change the ''Modify Date'' into the ''Original Date'' of some of my photos. I discovered this fantastic Exiftool which helps me a lot.

I get it to work via Terminal, using the code:
exiftool "-FileModifyDate<DateTimeOriginal"

However, to make my life easier, I would like to automate this task via Automator, using a Shell Script.
I am new to coding / scripting, and I have spent multiple hours trying to make it work.
After multiple attempts I thought I could use some help.

This is what I have so far, which probably makes the experts laugh (using ''/bin/bash'' and ''as arguments''):

for f in "$@"
do
   /usr/local/bin/exiftool -FileModifyDate<DateTimeOriginal "$f"
done

Could somebody please adjust my beginner mistakes? As a convenience, I added the automator task as an attachment.

Thank you in advance, and best regards,
Julien

Try

exiftool "-FileModifyDate<DateTimeOriginal"  DIR
instead of looping through the files.

Note, I haven't tested this but it is similar to the help information

Quoteexiftool '-FileModifyDate<DateTimeOriginal' dir
            Use the original date from the meta information to set the same
            file's filesystem modification date for all images in a directory.
            (Note that "-TagsFromFile @" is assumed if no other -TagsFromFile
            is specified when redirecting information as in this example.)

Edit:
or, in your shell script
exiftool "-FileModifyDate<DateTimeOriginal"  "$@"

Dear Alan,

Thank you for the very quick reply!

I just tried adding DIR in the shell script within Automator. It now looks like this:

for f in "$@"
do
   /usr/local/bin/exiftool "-FileModifyDate<DateTimeOriginal"  DIR
done

When I launch the Automator task, it gives the following error:

Warning: Error opening file - DIR
Error: File not found - DIR
You were meant to enter any valid directory name, not "DIR" literally.

This all is a magic language to me. I was already happy to make it work in Terminal, but Shell Scripts in Automator are a whole new level.

Thanks for all the help already!

Dear Alan, you are a king!
Your last edit worked!

for f in "$@"
do
   /usr/local/bin/exiftool "-FileModifyDate<DateTimeOriginal"  "$@"
done

For everyone in the future who is struggling with the same issue, I added the working Automator Task attached.

I was thinking without the loop in the shell

for f in "$@"
do
   /usr/local/bin/exiftool "-FileModifyDate<DateTimeOriginal"  "$@"
done

Even better indeed! Thanks Alan