MP4 / MOV Dates not considered in -AllDates?

[sx8999]

Hi all,

I use this command to set all dates by the "OldestDate" custom Tag:

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exiftool -m -overwrite_original_in_place -wm w -api RequestAll=2 "-DateTimeOriginal<OldestDateTime" "-AllDates<OldestDateTime" "-DateCreated<OldestDateTime" "-FileCreateDate<OldestDateTime" "-FileModifyDate<OldestDateTime" -r "%ddir%"

exiftool -ext mp4 -ext mov -m -overwrite_original_in_place -wm w -api QuickTimeUTC=1 -api RequestAll=2 "-creation_time<OldestDateTime" "-AllDates<OldestDateTime" "-Track*Date<OldestDateTime" "-Media*Date<OldestDateTime" "-Keys:CreationDate<OldestDateTime" "-FileCreateDate<OldestDateTime" "-FileModifyDate<OldestDateTime" -r "%ddir%"
With UserDefined Composite Tag from here https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=7986.msg80801#msg80801. I thought this way, I would really update ALL available dates tags. But it seems not so.

After running through the process, my file of concern shows the following output for AllDates:

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exiftool -a -G1 -s -AllDates "%~1"->

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[UserData]      DateTimeOriginal                : 2011:09:21 12:02:44+02:00
[XMP-exif]      DateTimeOriginal                : 2011:09:21 12:02:44
[QuickTime]     CreateDate                      : 2011:09:21 10:02:44
[XMP-xmp]       CreateDate                      : 2011:09:21 12:02:44
[QuickTime]     ModifyDate                      : 2011:09:21 10:02:44
[XMP-xmp]       ModifyDate                      : 2011:09:21 12:02:44
Looks synchronized. But in MediaPlayer Classic it shows yet another date:

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General
Complete name                  : xyz
Format                         : MPEG-4
Format profile                 : Base Media
Codec ID                       : isom (isom/iso2/mp41)
File size                      : 11.1 MiB
Duration                       : 1 min 52 s
Overall bit rate               : 829 kb/s
Recorded date                  : 2011-09-21T12:02:44+0200
Encoded date                   : UTC 2011-09-21 10:02:44
Tagged date                    : UTC 2011-09-21 10:02:44
major_brand                    : isom
minor_version                  : 512
compatible_brands              : isomiso2avc1mp41
>>>>>>>>>>>>> creation_time                  : 2016-06-11T10:42:27.000000Z <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
encoder                        : Lavf60.20.100

Video
ID                             : 1
Format                         : HEVC
Format/Info                    : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                 : Main@L3.1@Main
Codec ID                       : hvc1
Codec ID/Info                  : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration                       : 1 min 52 s
Bit rate                       : 662 kb/s
Maximum bit rate               : 7 000 kb/s
Width                          : 640 pixels
Height                         : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio           : 4:3
Frame rate mode                : Constant
Frame rate                     : 30.000 FPS
Color space                    : YUV
Chroma subsampling             : 4:2:0 (Type 0)
Bit depth                      : 8 bits
Scan type                      : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)             : 0.072
Stream size                    : 8.87 MiB (80%)
Writing library                : x265 3.5+113-5f066dd2d:[Windows][GCC 13.2.0][64 bit] 8bit+10bit+12bit
Encoding settings              : cpuid=1111039 / frame-threads=4 / numa-pools=20 / wpp / no-pmode / no-pme / no-psnr / no-ssim / log-level=2 / input-csp=1 / input-res=640x480 / interlace=0 / total-frames=0 / level-idc=0 / high-tier=1 / uhd-bd=0 / ref=3 / no-allow-non-conformance / no-repeat-headers / annexb / no-aud / no-eob / no-eos / no-hrd / info / hash=0 / temporal-layers=0 / open-gop / min-keyint=25 / keyint=250 / gop-lookahead=0 / bframes=4 / b-adapt=0 / b-pyramid / bframe-bias=0 / rc-lookahead=15 / lookahead-slices=0 / scenecut=40 / no-hist-scenecut / radl=0 / no-splice / no-intra-refresh / ctu=64 / min-cu-size=8 / no-rect / no-amp / max-tu-size=32 / tu-inter-depth=1 / tu-intra-depth=1 / limit-tu=0 / rdoq-level=0 / dynamic-rd=0.00 / no-ssim-rd / signhide / no-tskip / nr-intra=0 / nr-inter=0 / no-constrained-intra / strong-intra-smoothing / max-merge=2 / limit-refs=3 / no-limit-modes / me=1 / subme=2 / merange=57 / temporal-mvp / no-frame-dup / no-hme / weightp / no-weightb / no-analyze-src-pics / deblock=0:0 / sao / no-sao-non-deblock / rd=2 / selective-sao=4 / no-early-skip / rskip / fast-intra / no-tskip-fast / no-cu-lossless / no-b-intra / no-splitrd-skip / rdpenalty=0 / psy-rd=2.00 / psy-rdoq=0.00 / no-rd-refine / no-lossless / cbqpoffs=0 / crqpoffs=0 / rc=crf / crf=28.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpstep=4 / stats-write=0 / stats-read=0 / vbv-maxrate=7000 / vbv-bufsize=14000 / vbv-init=0.8 / min-vbv-fullness=50.0 / max-vbv-fullness=80.0 / crf-max=0.0 / crf-min=0.0 / ipratio=1.40 / pbratio=1.30 / aq-mode=2 / aq-strength=1.00 / cutree / zone-count=0 / no-strict-cbr / qg-size=32 / no-rc-grain / qpmax=69 / qpmin=0 / no-const-vbv / sar=1 / overscan=0 / videoformat=5 / range=0 / colorprim=2 / transfer=2 / colormatrix=2 / chromaloc=1 / chromaloc-top=0 / chromaloc-bottom=0 / display-window=0 / cll=0,0 / min-luma=0 / max-luma=255 / log2-max-poc-lsb=8 / vui-timing-info / vui-hrd-info / slices=1 / no-opt-qp-pps / no-opt-ref-list-length-pps / no-multi-pass-opt-rps / scenecut-bias=0.05 / no-opt-cu-delta-qp / no-aq-motion / no-hdr10 / no-hdr10-opt / no-dhdr10-opt / no-idr-recovery-sei / analysis-reuse-level=0 / analysis-save-reuse-level=0 / analysis-load-reuse-level=0 / scale-factor=0 / refine-intra=0 / refine-inter=0 / refine-mv=1 / refine-ctu-distortion=0 / no-limit-sao / ctu-info=0 / no-lowpass-dct / refine-analysis-type=0 / copy-pic=1 / max-ausize-factor=1.0 / no-dynamic-refine / no-single-sei / no-hevc-aq / no-svt / no-field / qp-adaptation-range=1.00 / scenecut-aware-qp=0conformance-window-offsets / right=0 / bottom=0 / decoder-max-rate=0 / no-vbv-live-multi-pass / no-mcstf / no-sbrc
Encoded date                   : UTC 2011-09-21 10:02:44
Tagged date                    : UTC 2011-09-21 10:02:44
Color range                    : Limited
Codec configuration box        : hvcC
This leads to a wrong sorting in Google Photos which recognizes the date as 2016...
Damn - how to cope with this additionally?

[Phil Harvey]

What is the output of this command for that file?:

exiftool -time:all -G1 -a -s FILE

- Phil

[StarGeek]

I thought this way, I would really update ALL available dates tags. But it seems not so.

After running through the process, my file of concern shows the following output for AllDates:

As you've seen, AllDates is a Shortcut tags for the three most common EXIF timestamps, CreateDate, DateTimeOriginal, and ModifyDate, but it will also write to tags with the same name in other groups.

[sx8999]

What is the output of this command for that file?:

exiftool -time:all -G1 -a -s FILE

- Phil

It shows a lot more times/dates, but still not the one listed as MediaInfo -> "creation_time":

[StarGeek]

Can you share the file?

I installed MPC and have looked through several files but couldn't find this entry on any of them.  Also, what version/fork are you using?

[sx8999]

Alright, I'll send you a link via PM
My versions are:

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MPC-HC (64-bit)
---------------

Build information:
    Version:            1.9.24 (ffe50c0c7)
    Compiler:           MSVC v19.29.30145
    Build date:         Nov 12 2022

LAV Filters:
    LAV Splitter:       0.77.0.1
    LAV Video:          0.77.0.1
    LAV Audio:          0.77.0.1
    FFmpeg compiler:    MinGW-w64 GCC 12.2.0

Operating system:
    Name:               Windows 11
    Version:            10.0.22621 (64-bit)

Hardware:
    CPU:                12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-12700H
    GPU:                NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (driver version: 31.0.15.3209)

Actually I do find these entries in a hell lot of mp4 files of mine.
Hmmm, very interesting.

[StarGeek]

That file has a tag called Keys:CreationTime, which exiftool doesn't know about, so it's not marked as a time based tag.  I've passed the link on to Phil so he can take a look at it.

Do you know what program created this file?

[sx8999]

Alright, thanks for digging into it.

I dont know how it was created, but I checked - I have a HUGE number of files with that tag it seems... regular videos from smartphone.

I mean you two are seriously into EXIF tags - if you've not yet come across it, I would assume this tag actually should not have a big relevance - is it? Because if so, I'll just add a removal of that tag to my workflow of processing my files. I want to avoid confusion within files at all cost, so getting rid of a unused tag which shows a different date.


----------
I think I found it:
I process my files using ShutterEncoder while preserving Metadata.
I just recorded a video on my smartphone and checked before and after Encoding with Shutter Encoder.
This is what MediaInfo shows:

BEFORE:

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General
Complete name                  : 20240122_064707.mp4
Format                         : MPEG-4
Format profile                 : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                       : mp42 (isom/mp42)
File size                      : 4.48 MiB
Duration                       : 2 s 605 ms
Overall bit rate               : 14.4 Mb/s
Performer                      : Galaxy S23
Encoded date                   : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
Tagged date                    : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
xyz                            : +48.8973+009.1770/
com.android.version            : 14

Video
ID                             : 1
Format                         : HEVC
Format/Info                    : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                 : Main@L4@High
Codec ID                       : hvc1
Codec ID/Info                  : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration                       : 2 s 605 ms
Source duration                : 2 s 433 ms
Bit rate                       : 15.2 Mb/s
Width                          : 1 920 pixels
Height                         : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio           : 16:9
Rotation                       : 90°
Frame rate mode                : Variable
Frame rate                     : 30.000 FPS
Minimum frame rate             : 30.000 FPS
Maximum frame rate             : 30.010 FPS
Real frame rate                : 30.000 FPS
Standard                       : PAL
Color space                    : YUV
Chroma subsampling             : 4:2:0
Bit depth                      : 8 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)             : 0.244
Stream size                    : 4.40 MiB (98%)
Source stream size             : 4.40 MiB (98%)
Title                          : VideoHandle
Language                       : English
Encoded date                   : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
Tagged date                    : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
Color range                    : Limited
Color primaries                : BT.709
Transfer characteristics       : BT.709
Matrix coefficients            : BT.709
mdhd_Duration                  : 2605
Codec configuration box        : hvcC

Audio
ID                             : 2
Format                         : AAC LC
Format/Info                    : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                       : mp4a-40-2
Duration                       : 2 s 560 ms
Bit rate mode                  : Constant
Bit rate                       : 256 kb/s
Channel(s)                     : 2 channels
Channel layout                 : L R
Sampling rate                  : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                     : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode               : Lossy
Stream size                    : 80.2 KiB (2%)
Title                          : SoundHandle
Language                       : English
Encoded date                   : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
Tagged date                    : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11


AFTER:

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General
Complete name                  : 20240122_064707.mp4
Format                         : MPEG-4
Format profile                 : Base Media
Codec ID                       : isom (isom/iso2/mp41)
File size                      : 285 KiB
Duration                       : 2 s 600 ms
Overall bit rate               : 898 kb/s
Encoded date                   : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
Tagged date                    : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
major_brand                    : mp42
minor_version                  : 0
compatible_brands              : isommp42
creation_time                  : 2024-01-22T05:47:11.000000Z
location                       : +48.8973+009.1770/
location-eng                   : +48.8973+009.1770/
com.android.version            : 14
encoder                        : Lavf60.20.100

Video
ID                             : 1
Format                         : HEVC
Format/Info                    : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                 : Main@L4@Main
Codec ID                       : hvc1
Codec ID/Info                  : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration                       : 2 s 600 ms
Bit rate                       : 750 kb/s
Maximum bit rate               : 6 000 kb/s
Width                          : 1 080 pixels
Height                         : 1 920 pixels
Display aspect ratio           : 0.562
Frame rate mode                : Constant
Frame rate                     : 30.000 FPS
Real frame rate                : 30.000000 FPS
Color space                    : YUV
Chroma subsampling             : 4:2:0 (Type 0)
Bit depth                      : 8 bits
Scan type                      : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)             : 0.012
Stream size                    : 238 KiB (83%)
Title                          : VideoHandle
Writing library                : x265 3.5+113-5f066dd2d:[Windows][GCC 13.2.0][64 bit] 8bit+10bit+12bit
Encoding settings              : cpuid=1111039 / frame-threads=4 / numa-pools=20 / wpp / no-pmode / no-pme / no-psnr / no-ssim / log-level=2 / input-csp=1 / input-res=1080x1920 / interlace=0 / total-frames=0 / level-idc=0 / high-tier=1 / uhd-bd=0 / ref=3 / no-allow-non-conformance / no-repeat-headers / annexb / no-aud / no-eob / no-eos / no-hrd / info / hash=0 / temporal-layers=0 / open-gop / min-keyint=25 / keyint=250 / gop-lookahead=0 / bframes=4 / b-adapt=0 / b-pyramid / bframe-bias=0 / rc-lookahead=15 / lookahead-slices=8 / scenecut=40 / no-hist-scenecut / radl=0 / no-splice / no-intra-refresh / ctu=64 / min-cu-size=8 / no-rect / no-amp / max-tu-size=32 / tu-inter-depth=1 / tu-intra-depth=1 / limit-tu=0 / rdoq-level=0 / dynamic-rd=0.00 / no-ssim-rd / signhide / no-tskip / nr-intra=0 / nr-inter=0 / no-constrained-intra / strong-intra-smoothing / max-merge=2 / limit-refs=3 / no-limit-modes / me=1 / subme=2 / merange=57 / temporal-mvp / no-frame-dup / no-hme / weightp / no-weightb / no-analyze-src-pics / deblock=0:0 / sao / no-sao-non-deblock / rd=2 / selective-sao=4 / no-early-skip / rskip / fast-intra / no-tskip-fast / no-cu-lossless / no-b-intra / no-splitrd-skip / rdpenalty=0 / psy-rd=2.00 / psy-rdoq=0.00 / no-rd-refine / no-lossless / cbqpoffs=0 / crqpoffs=0 / rc=crf / crf=28.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpstep=4 / stats-write=0 / stats-read=0 / vbv-maxrate=6000 / vbv-bufsize=12000 / vbv-init=0.8 / min-vbv-fullness=50.0 / max-vbv-fullness=80.0 / crf-max=0.0 / crf-min=0.0 / ipratio=1.40 / pbratio=1.30 / aq-mode=2 / aq-strength=1.00 / cutree / zone-count=0 / no-strict-cbr / qg-size=32 / no-rc-grain / qpmax=69 / qpmin=0 / no-const-vbv / sar=0 / overscan=0 / videoformat=5 / range=0 / colorprim=1 / transfer=1 / colormatrix=1 / chromaloc=1 / chromaloc-top=0 / chromaloc-bottom=0 / display-window=0 / cll=0,0 / min-luma=0 / max-luma=255 / log2-max-poc-lsb=8 / vui-timing-info / vui-hrd-info / slices=1 / no-opt-qp-pps / no-opt-ref-list-length-pps / no-multi-pass-opt-rps / scenecut-bias=0.05 / no-opt-cu-delta-qp / no-aq-motion / no-hdr10 / no-hdr10-opt / no-dhdr10-opt / no-idr-recovery-sei / analysis-reuse-level=0 / analysis-save-reuse-level=0 / analysis-load-reuse-level=0 / scale-factor=0 / refine-intra=0 / refine-inter=0 / refine-mv=1 / refine-ctu-distortion=0 / no-limit-sao / ctu-info=0 / no-lowpass-dct / refine-analysis-type=0 / copy-pic=1 / max-ausize-factor=1.0 / no-dynamic-refine / no-single-sei / no-hevc-aq / no-svt / no-field / qp-adaptation-range=1.00 / scenecut-aware-qp=0conformance-window-offsets / right=0 / bottom=0 / decoder-max-rate=0 / no-vbv-live-multi-pass / no-mcstf / no-sbrc
Language                       : English
Encoded date                   : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
Tagged date                    : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
Color range                    : Limited
Color primaries                : BT.709
Transfer characteristics       : BT.709
Matrix coefficients            : BT.709
Codec configuration box        : hvcC

Audio
ID                             : 2
Format                         : MPEG Audio
Format version                 : Version 1
Format profile                 : Layer 3
Format settings                : Joint stereo / MS Stereo
Codec ID                       : mp4a-6B
Duration                       : 2 s 560 ms
Source duration                : 2 s 583 ms
Bit rate mode                  : Constant
Bit rate                       : 128 kb/s
Channel(s)                     : 2 channels
Sampling rate                  : 48.0 kHz
Compression mode               : Lossy
Stream size                    : 40.1 KiB (14%)
Source stream size             : 40.5 KiB (14%)
Title                          : SoundHandle
Writing library                : LAME3.100
Language                       : English
Default                        : Yes
Alternate group                : 1
Encoded date                   : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11
Tagged date                    : UTC 2024-01-22 05:47:11


In this case, obviously the newly created key has nearly the same date (because I just captured and encoded right after each other).
But yes, this could lead to deviation in the future, e.g. if one decides to encode old videos...

[wywh]

ShutterEncoder while preserving Metadata

Yes, ShutterEncoder uses ffmpeg and its metadata preserving options generate that 'Keys:CreationTime' tag:

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ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c copy -movflags use_metadata_tags -map_metadata 0 output.mp4             
ffmpeg version 4.4.4 Copyright (c) 2000-2023 the FFmpeg developers

exiftool -a -G1 -s -fileOrder5 FileName -api QuickTimeUTC=1 -QuickTime:CreateDate -Keys:All .
======== ./input.mp4
[QuickTime]     CreateDate                      : 2001:01:01 12:00:00+02:00
======== ./output.mp4
[QuickTime]     CreateDate                      : 2001:01:01 12:00:00+02:00
[Keys]          MajorBrand                      : mp42
[Keys]          MinorVersion                    : 1
[Keys]          CompatibleBrands                : isommp41mp42
[Keys]          CreationTime                    : 2001-01-01T10:00:00.000000Z
[Keys]          Encoder                         : Lavf58.76.100
Currently it is best to avoid trying to preserve metadata with ffmpeg and use exiftool for that.

https://www.reddit.com/r/shutterencoder/comments/181wtrf/incorrect_movie_metadata/

https://superuser.com/questions/1817856/incorrect-movie-keys-metadata-with-ffmpeg

- Matti

[sx8999]

Hmmm, interesting.
Or just remove this newly created Key afterwards using Exiftool? But the way I read it is: It still is a difference, right?

[wywh]

remove this newly created Key afterwards using Exiftool

I'd remove it only if some app happens to use it. It seems '-Keys:All=' is currently needed for that:

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exiftool -a -G1 -s -fileOrder5 FileName -api QuickTimeUTC=1 -QuickTime:CreateDate -Keys:All output.mp4
[QuickTime]     CreateDate                      : 2001:01:01 12:00:00+02:00
[Keys]          MajorBrand                      : mp42
[Keys]          MinorVersion                    : 1
[Keys]          CompatibleBrands                : isommp41mp42
[Keys]          CreationTime                    : 2001-01-01T10:00:00.000000Z
[Keys]          Encoder                         : Lavf58.76.100

exiftool -overwrite_original -Keys:CreationTime= output.mp4                                          
Warning: Sorry, Keys:CreationTime doesn't exist or isn't writable
Nothing to do.

exiftool -a -G1 -s -fileOrder5 FileName -api QuickTimeUTC=1 -QuickTime:CreateDate -Keys:All output.mp4
[QuickTime]     CreateDate                      : 2001:01:01 12:00:00+02:00
[Keys]          MajorBrand                      : mp42
[Keys]          MinorVersion                    : 1
[Keys]          CompatibleBrands                : isommp41mp42
[Keys]          CreationTime                    : 2001-01-01T10:00:00.000000Z
[Keys]          Encoder                         : Lavf58.76.100

exiftool -overwrite_original -Keys:All= output.mp4                                       
    1 image files updated

exiftool -a -G1 -s -fileOrder5 FileName -api QuickTimeUTC=1 -QuickTime:CreateDate -Keys:All output.mp4
[QuickTime]     CreateDate                      : 2001:01:01 12:00:00+02:00
- Matti

[sx8999]

Damn, I just wanted to clean it up - because why keep an information which seamingly is nowhere used...
So I wanted to only Focus on the relevant entries.

But you are right, I can't remove this one alone.
Tried several commands:

Code Select Expand

exiftool -overwrite_original -Keys:CreationTime= output.mp4                                         
exiftool -overwrite_original "-Keys:CreationTime=" output.mp4             
exiftool -overwrite_original "-CreationTime=" output.mp4                 

Nothing worked to remove it. And yes obviously dont wanna use Keys:All.                     

[Phil Harvey]

Thanks all.  I'll add support for this tag in version 12.74 (to be released within a few days) so you can edit/delete it as you please.  Also so it will show up in the Time group.

- Phil

[sx8999]

Wow thats great to hear. Thanks so much for your amazing efforts

[sx8999]

I saw it's released! Thanks! Works as expected