Set Time Intervals for Each Photo on an Album

[JEXIF]

I have many older scanned albums where the time and date are exactly the same or the dates are jumbled and out of sequence. They are in order by name.

What I wish to achieve is to set a date and a time for the album on the first photo and then make the software add 5 minute intervals for each photo that follows.

I thought about making them all exactly the same time but this is causing issues in some software where it stacks the photos.

Does any know a way to achieve this?

For example:

Photo 1:  2025-01-01  12:00
Photo 2:  2025-01-01  12:05
Photo 3:  2025-01-01  12:10.....

Thank you for any help you can provide.

[StarGeek]

This is a two-step procedure. See this post.

The command given there will increment each image by one minute. To change it to a five-minute interval, replace
$filesequence
with
${filesequence;$_*=5}

If you're using Windows, use CMD, not PowerShell, and you need to use double quotes instead of single quotes in the second command.

[JEXIF]

Thank you for the reply. I appreciate that. 1 minute intervals will be fine. It does not necssarily need to be 5 minutes.

I should have said that I am using the ExifGUI version. I can not figure out how to use the software through CMD.


To change the date and time I usually use:

-CreateDate="2021:12:17 13:50:00"

I then fill all the other fields using this:

"-QuickTime:CreateDate<CreateDate" "-QuickTime:ModifyDate<CreateDate" "-EXIF:CreateDate<CreateDate" "-EXIF:DateTimeOriginal<CreateDate" "-EXIF:ModifyDate<CreateDate" "-IPTC:TimeCreated<CreateDate" "-IPTC:DateCreated<CreateDate" "-XMP:DateTimeOriginal<CreateDate" "-XMP-exif:DateTimeOriginal<CreateDate" "-XMP-xmp:CreateDate<CreateDate" "-XMP-xmp:ModifyDate<CreateDate" "-XMP-pdf:CreationDate<CreateDate" "-XMP-photoshop:DateCreated<CreateDate" "-CreationTime<CreateDate" "-CreationDate<CreateDate" "-CreateDate<CreateDate" "-DigitalCreationDate<CreateDate" "-ModifyDate<CreateDate" "-DateTime<CreateDate" "-DateCreated<CreateDate" "-FileCreateDate<CreateDate" "-FileModifyDate<CreateDate" "-FileAccessDate<CreateDate" "-TrackCreateDate<CreateDate" "-TrackModifyDate<CreateDate" "-MediaCreateDate<CreateDate" "-MediaModifyDate<CreateDate" "-FileCreateDate<CreateDate"


Is there something like this I can use for the ExifGUI software with the 1 minute intervals? A way where I can select the full album in one batch?

Thank you for your help with this.

[FrankB]

Interesting question. Need some time for a proper reply.

@Stargeek: What do you think about the copying to all the other tags?

[FrankB]

I have tested this and it looks it can be done with 3 Predefined ExifTool Direct commands + 1 Args file

1. Create a predefined command like this.

Code Select Expand

-createdate="2025-02-19 12:00:00"


2. Create a predefined command like this.

Code Select Expand

-createdate+<0:${filesequence;$_*=5}


3. Create an Args file and save it.
Notes:
- If you dont save the args file in the same directory as exiftool.exe, you have to specify the full path in step 4.
- I have deleted FileAccessDate from your post. Isn't writable.
- I dont consider myself the expert on this subject, but to me it seems not desirable to copy the createdate to all these tags. @Stargeek: What do you think?

Code Select Expand

-QuickTime:CreateDate<CreateDate
-QuickTime:ModifyDate<CreateDate
-EXIF:CreateDate<CreateDate
-EXIF:DateTimeOriginal<CreateDate
-EXIF:ModifyDate<CreateDate
-IPTC:TimeCreated<CreateDate
-IPTC:DateCreated<CreateDate
-XMP:DateTimeOriginal<CreateDate
-XMP-exif:DateTimeOriginal<CreateDate
-XMP-xmp:CreateDate<CreateDate
-XMP-xmp:ModifyDate<CreateDate
-XMP-pdf:CreationDate<CreateDate
-XMP-photoshop:DateCreated<CreateDate
-CreationTime<CreateDate
-CreationDate<CreateDate
-CreateDate<CreateDate
-DigitalCreationDate<CreateDate
-ModifyDate<CreateDate
-DateTime<CreateDate
-DateCreated<CreateDate
-FileCreateDate<CreateDate
-FileModifyDate<CreateDate
-TrackCreateDate<CreateDate
-TrackModifyDate<CreateDate
-MediaCreateDate<CreateDate
-MediaModifyDate<CreateDate
-FileCreateDate<CreateDate
4. Create a predefined command like this.

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-@ "<Path_to_args_file>"

Online Documentation on ExifTool Direct

How to use:

- Select all files in the directory.
- In Exiftool direct, select the 1st predefined command (SetCreateDate), change the date time and press Enter
- Next select the 2nd predefined command (IncDateTimeFiveMin) and press Enter.
- Next select the 3rd predefined command (CopyCreateDate) and press Enter.

Good luck,
Frank

[JEXIF]

Thank you for your help with this, it is really appreciated.

Okay I have made the predefined commands in point 1 and 2 (my view is slighlty different and does not show the Stay Open menu).

In number it says 3 it says to create an arg file. I am not sure what that is. Do I simply save the command in a text file and change the extension to .args? If not is there a tutorial or video somewhere I can follow? I did try and search but can not find much information on this.

Thanks again for your help

[FrankB]

(my view is slighlty different and does not show the Stay Open menu).

That makes me wonder. Are you using the latest version: (V6.3.7 as of writing)

Latest version of ExifToolGui

In number it says 3 it says to create an arg file. I am not sure what that is. Do I simply save the command in a text file and change the extension to .args?

That's what I meant.
Select and copy (CTRL/C) the text. Paste it in NotePad (or any other editor you like) and save it as <filename>.args

EDIT: These are the lines that go in the args file.

Code Select Expand

-QuickTime:CreateDate<CreateDate
-QuickTime:ModifyDate<CreateDate
-EXIF:CreateDate<CreateDate
etc...