Missing date in MOV files

[exifzarko]

Thanks, I just tried it, but it seems as if the -v3 command (exiftool -v3 test3.mp4) did not make the complete output in my win8 command prompt. It seems as if the output was cut - please see the attached .txt. Do you know how I can get the complete output out in the command prompt or in a txt file? FYI: I sent the feedback to the Carousel team and asked for support. No reply yet :-(

[Phil Harvey]

This is because of the scroll back limit in your cmd window.  You could change these settings, but a better solution is to send the output directly to a text file:

exiftool FILE -v3 > v3.txt

Then open the file in a text editor.

- Phil

[exifzarko]

Thanks Phil! It worked, but unfortunately I could not locate the so-called ContentCreateDate within the extracted file. I guess it is even beyond the almighty EXIFTOOL :-(

[Phil Harvey]

From this output, I am guessing that Carousel is reading the QuickTime:CreateDate, and not the XMP:CreateDate.

In this case, try setting -api quicktimeutc=1 in your command when writing the date.  It could be that Carousel is expecting the QuickTime date/time tags in UTC.

- Phil

[exifzarko]

I don't believe you did it and figured it out!!!! It works!!!! You're genius Phil!

[exifzarko]

And apology to the almighty EXIFTOOL, of course ;-)

[exifzarko]

Phil, something went wrong when I changed the date and then sequenced the files. I am probably to blame as I am not sure if I applied EXIFTOOL commands correctly. First I did this: exiftool -createdate="2014:09:19 10:50:56" -api quicktimeutc=1 *.mp4 and then this: 5-min time sequence: exiftool "-createdate+<0:${filesequence;$_*=5}" -api quicktimeutc=1 -ext mp4 s:\test. Needless to say, I created a mess, and I do not know how to correct it. Whatever I do, I cannot get the time right. I tried moving the part with "-api quicktimeutc=1" elsewhere in the command, but either I get the time in Carousel to be 09:50:56 or 11:50:56, but never 10:50:56. Could you please help resolve this nightmare?

[Phil Harvey]

Try this for your first command:

exiftool -api quicktimeutc=1 -quicktime:createdate="2014:09:19 10:50:56+01:00" -ext mp4 .

- Phil

[exifzarko]

It works!!! Thanks a million Phil! The f****** files finally have correct dates and are displayed correctly in the timeline. Cheers!

[exifzarko]

Phil, when I now apply a sequence command (any of the below), I am getting a strange error by exiftool (warning sec too big...). Could you please correct what I am doing wrong? I have tried with three different options, but none of them worked :-( This s*** is driving me crazy!!!!

a) 1-sec time sequence:
exiftool -api quicktimeutc=1 "-createdate+<0:0:$filesequence" -ext mp4 s:\test\

b) 5-min time sequence:
exiftool "-createdate+<0:${filesequence;$_*=5}" -ext mp4 s:\test\

c) 1-hour time sequence:
exiftool -createdate+<filesequence -api quicktimeutc=1 -ext mp4 s:\test\

If you could re-write the commands for the three examples mentioned it would be highly appreciated. Thanks!

[Phil Harvey]

It would be useful if you gave the exact error message.  Your commands all look good, except that you don't need the "-api quicktimeutc=1" for commands a) and c), and you need quotes around -createdate+<filesequence in command c).

- Phil

[exifzarko]

Thanks Phil! It works now. I cleaned my cache directory, deleted all the converted files, and started from scratch. No problem and worked like a breeze :-) I was not sure which "createdate" fields EXIFTOOL would actually fill out. I guess I need to run three EXIFTOOL commands one at a time: 1) exiftool -createdate="2014:09:19 10:45:56" *.mp4 (in order that the file gets the real createdate), then 2) exiftool -api quicktimeutc=1 -quicktime:createdate="2014:09:19 10:45:56+01:00" -ext mp4 . (in order that the file get the encoded UTC createdate for Apple-centric programs) and finally 3) exiftool "-createdate+<0:${filesequence;$_*=5}" -ext mp4 s:\test (in order to sequence the files). Do you know if these three EXIFTOOL commands could be combined in one command and how would it look like?

[exifzarko]

Or if it is not feasible, do you know if a Windows batch file could be set up that would execute these three commands one at a time?

[Phil Harvey]

I am fairly certain that your software is reading the QuickTime:CreateDate.  (This is Apple-centric only because the MP4 format is based on the Apple QuickTime container.) The other ("real"?) CreateDate written by ExifTool is XMP:CreateDate, but my feeling is that this would not be as widely supported.

The single command to do this would be:

exiftool -api quicktimeutc=1 -quicktime:createdate="2014:09:19 10:45:56+01:00" -execute "-createdate+<0:${filesequence;$_*=5}" -common args -ext mp4 .

Or in a .bat file, use the exact same command but replace the "." with "%1", then drag and drop the folder containing the images onto the .bat file.

- Phil

Edit:  If you want to write both CreateDate tags, you don't need another command.  Just drop the "quicktime:" from the command above, and both will be written (both with the time zone, as they should have).

[exifzarko]

Thanks Phil - I am testing it now...You are absolutely right that Carousel uses the QuickTime:CreateDate. The reason why I would also like to have ExifTool's XMP:CreateDate is that is shown whichever program you use to examine the file and is not hidden as is the case with QuickTime:CreateDate. Last but not least, it bears the right time format with time shown in my time zone (for eventual reference later on in the future). Could you please tell me if it is possible to "squeeze" the ExifTool's XMP:CreateDate in the same command somehow?