Dates metadata from HEIC to JPEG

[marciano]

From MacOS I drag a photo from Photos app  and drop it to an external folder.
HEIC files are converted to JPEG and file extension is .jpeg.
Because this is a new created file Get Info, Properties in Ubuntu and a list of files in Finder/File browser in both OS (or any other) shows the just created file date.
I want to keep original dates, at least original date.

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exiftool -*date* photo.jpeg lists:

File Modification Date/Time     : 2023:08:18 19:17:17-03:00
File Access Date/Time           : 2023:08:19 18:20:59-03:00
File Inode Change Date/Time     : 2023:08:19 12:16:29-03:00
Modify Date                     : 2023:03:05 21:14:42
Date/Time Original              : 2023:03:05 21:14:42
Create Date                     : 2023:03:05 21:14:42
Date Created                    : 2023:03:05 21:14:42
Profile Date Time               : 2022:01:01 00:00:00
Create Date                     : 2023:03:05 21:14:42.583-03:00
Date/Time Original              : 2023:03:05 21:14:42.583-03:00
Modify Date                     : 2023:03:05 21:14:42-03:00

The first 3 contains the dates the OSs use to display. I guess.
I would like to change those first 3 by the Create Date (the third from the bottom (there is another one w/o UTC zone)) to all *.jpeg files in a dir and subdirs.
Is that possible?
I'm stuck because there are  duplicated tags.
Thank you

[StarGeek]

You are looking at tag descriptions, not tag names.  See FAQ #2.

Use this command to find out the actual tag names (a variation of FAQ #3)
exiftool -time:all -G -a -s /path/to/files/

This will give you the tag names and their locations.  Pick the correct tag you want to copy from and use this command
exiftool "-FileModifyDate<TAG" /path/to/files/

The FileAccessDate cannot be edited and it's useless to try, as it will automatically change whenever the file is accessed, such as if you viewed the image.

I'm not sure if the Inode timestamp can be changed, as I don't use a Mac, but you can try.  The format is the same as above and you can add it to the same command.

[wywh]

MacOS I drag a photo from Photos app  and drop it to an external folder. HEIC files are converted to JPEG and file extension is .jpeg

Do not drag and drop from Photos. It used to work as expected but not anymore. The output might produce even a low-res thumbnail or some other unexpected result. It seems to preserve the original ExifIFD:DateTimeOriginal but I was not aware it by default converts .heic to .jpeg.

The recommended workflow is to use Photos > File > Export Unmodified if you want the original (maybe with .xmp sidecar with nonstandard GPS tags you must work around for files in western and southern hemispheres...). The file dates should then be preserved ... unless you are maybe exporting from iCloud Photos.

Those fragile file dates is a FAQ in Apple's support communities. People frequently get mad when "metadata dates are reset to the current date when I just moved the files around". macOS Finder does has an option to show ExifIFD:DateTimeOriginal for images but to see that needs a minor effort which is greeted with a blank stare. Movie dates are even harder or impossible to check with the built-in tools.

I wish the file dates were automagically preserved unless pixel data or metadata were really changed.

- Matti

[marciano]

Use this command to find out the actual tag names (a variation of FAQ #3)
exiftool -time:all -G -a -s /path/to/files/

This will give you the tag names and their locations.  Pick the correct tag you want to copy from and use this command
exiftool "-FileModifyDate<TAG" /path/to/files/

Before any change I get

[File]          FileModifyDate                  : 2023:08:18 19:17:17-03:00
[File]          FileAccessDate                  : 2023:08:21 11:13:15-03:00
[File]          FileInodeChangeDate            : 2023:08:19 12:16:29-03:00

and other tags with the same original creation date -March (and other related tags).
Obviously AccessDate changes every time the file is accessed.
Then I run

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exiftool "-FileModifyDate<SubSecDateTimeOriginal" Pictures/test.jpeg I get

Warning: [minor] Bad format (16) for MakerNotes entry 15 - Pictures/test.jpeg
    1 image files updated

Running again

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exiftool -time:all -G -a -s Pictures/test.jpeg I get

[File]          FileModifyDate                  : 2023:03:05 21:14:42-03:00
[File]          FileAccessDate                  : 2023:03:05 21:14:42-03:00
[File]          FileInodeChangeDate            : 2023:08:21 11:20:30-03:00

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exiftool "-FileInodeChangeDate<SubSecDateTimeOriginal" Pictures/test.jpeg I got

Warning: [minor] Bad format (16) for MakerNotes entry 15 - Pictures/test.jpeg
Warning: No writable tags set from Pictures/test.jpeg
    0 image files updated
    1 image files unchanged

Anyway, first change is enough to display "Date Created" and "Date Modified" in Mac as the first original date.  Same in Ubuntu

[marciano]

MacOS I drag a photo from Photos app  and drop it to an external folder. HEIC files are converted to JPEG and file extension is .jpeg

Do not drag and drop from Photos. It used to work as expected but not anymore. The output might produce even a low-res thumbnail or some other unexpected result. It seems to preserve the original ExifIFD:DateTimeOriginal but I was not aware it by default converts .heic to .jpeg.

The recommended workflow is to use Photos > File > Export Unmodified if you want the original (maybe with .xmp sidecar with nonstandard GPS tags you must work around for files in western and southern hemispheres...). The file dates should then be preserved ... unless you are maybe exporting from iCloud Photos.

Those fragile file dates is a FAQ in Apple's support communities. People frequently get mad when "metadata dates are reset to the current date when I just moved the files around". macOS Finder does has an option to show ExifIFD:DateTimeOriginal for images but to see that needs a minor effort which is greeted with a blank stare. Movie dates are even harder or impossible to check with the built-in tools.

I wish the file dates were automagically preserved unless pixel data or metadata were really changed.

- Matti

Hi Matti,
I do file > export with RAW files.
I just compared drag and drop HEIC photo with the export version. They have the same 12MP size

Code Select Expand

exiftool -location:all -G -a -s Pictures/test.jpeg and get the same values for both.
Some years ago I started an Apple Discussions question about displayed dates of files in Finder where Modified Date were older than Create Date without metadata manipulation. I got answers that were vague to me.

[StarGeek]

Since exiftool can't edit the FileInodeChangeDate, you'll have to look for another tool if you need it updated.

But as you've seen, the file system time stamps are fragile and should not be relied upon.