Brand new to ExifTool

[johnlgalt]

Hi.  I love the fact that this tool has so many capabilities, but I'm brand new and would like a little (or a lot) of advice

First off, I read the newbie sticky post (first couple, I don't need a DOS refresher b/c I'm an old hack at DOS commands).  I have a couple of questions:

• I use a utility called WSCC that allows me to use utilities from both Sysinternals and NirSoft on my computer, and one NirSoft utility, ZipInstaller, allows me to install .ZIPs as if they were actual programs (rather, the contents of said ZIPs).  This seems to work perfectly well, and since Program Files (x86) and Program Files are both in the system PATH statement, but can you think of any detrimental effect this might have on execution (using the Windows standalone binary)?
• The whole reason I am here is that I am trying to sort out around 45 GB of pictures and videos that I have taken over the last year, using a tool that supposedly sorts them into folders based upon creation date and whatnot, but I have a large group of photos that are not parsing into separate groups, and I think the EXIF info is missing.  the File names contain time and date info as to when they were taken, but each photo's name is (obviously) different slightly, and I'd like a way to import the filename into not only EXIF info but also parse it to the System's File Access Date and Creation Date.

Now, I can use tools to do each file manually, but I'd rather have it performed in a batch process (and yes, I'll be testing extensively first on copies to make sure that every thing works for ever single file before migrating to the real files).

OK, so, for the advice:  Installation location OK?  Also, as for my purpose in using exiftool in the first place, well, here are a couple of representative samples:

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ExifTool Version Number         : 9.31
File Name                       : IMG_20130110_105508_641.jpg
Directory                       : .
File Size                       : 316 kB
File Modification Date/Time     : 2013:01:12 05:07:28-05:00
File Access Date/Time           : 2013:02:05 16:36:21-05:00
File Creation Date/Time         : 2013:02:05 16:36:21-05:00
File Permissions                : rw-rw-rw-
File Type                       : JPEG
MIME Type                       : image/jpeg
JFIF Version                    : 1.01
Resolution Unit                 : None
X Resolution                    : 1
Y Resolution                    : 1
Image Width                     : 4977
Image Height                    : 600
Encoding Process                : Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
Bits Per Sample                 : 8
Color Components                : 3
Y Cb Cr Sub Sampling            : YCbCr4:2:0 (2 2)
Image Size                      : 4977x600

Code Select Expand

ExifTool Version Number         : 9.31
File Name                       : 2012-08-10 19.29.47.jpg
Directory                       : .
File Size                       : 1687 kB
File Modification Date/Time     : 2012:08:10 23:12:30-04:00
File Access Date/Time           : 2013:06:13 11:59:24-04:00
File Creation Date/Time         : 2013:06:13 11:59:24-04:00
File Permissions                : rw-rw-rw-
File Type                       : JPEG
MIME Type                       : image/jpeg
Exif Byte Order                 : Big-endian (Motorola, MM)
Make                            : Motorola
Camera Model Name               : DROID BIONIC
X Resolution                    : 72
Y Resolution                    : 72
Resolution Unit                 : inches
Modify Date                     : 2012:08:10 19:29:47
Y Cb Cr Positioning             : Centered
Exposure Time                   : 1/10
F Number                        : 2.4
Exposure Program                : Not Defined
ISO                             : 282
Exif Version                    : 0220
Components Configuration        : Y, Cb, Cr, -
Compressed Bits Per Pixel       : 0
Shutter Speed Value             : 1/16
Aperture Value                  : 2.8
Brightness Value                : 0
Exposure Compensation           : 0
Max Aperture Value              : 2.8
Subject Distance                : 0 m
Metering Mode                   : Average
Light Source                    : Flash
Flash                           : Auto, Fired
Focal Length                    : 4.6 mm
Flashpix Version                : 0000
Color Space                     : sRGB
Flash Energy                    : 1800
Exposure Index                  : undef
Scene Type                      : Directly photographed
Custom Rendered                 : Custom
Exposure Mode                   : Auto
White Balance                   : Auto
Digital Zoom Ratio              : 1.000015259
Scene Capture Type              : Standard
Gain Control                    : Unknown (256)
Contrast                        : Normal
Saturation                      : Normal
Sharpness                       : Normal
Subject Distance Range          : Unknown
XP Comment                      : Janamashtmi 2012
Padding                         : (Binary data 2014 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Compression                     : JPEG (old-style)
Thumbnail Offset                : 4984
Thumbnail Length                : 46387
About                           : uuid:faf5bdd5-ba3d-11da-ad31-d33d75182f1b
Rating                          : 5
Rating Percent                  : 99
Image Width                     : 3264
Image Height                    : 2448
Encoding Process                : Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
Bits Per Sample                 : 8
Color Components                : 3
Y Cb Cr Sub Sampling            : YCbCr4:2:0 (2 2)
Aperture                        : 2.4
Image Size                      : 3264x2448
Shutter Speed                   : 1/10
Thumbnail Image                 : (Binary data 46387 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Focal Length                    : 4.6 mm
Light Value                     : 4.4

Notice that these pictures were both taken by the same device, and I have yet to fully ascertain why not only are the naming schemes different but also why there is such a discrepancy in information.  However, the info I need, exact time and date taken, is there.  In the case of the Hawai'i pics, GPS info *should* be there as well, but is not a dealbreaker.

I've seen a couple of code snippets from various posts about how to import info to the EXIF stream, but I Have yet to see one on how to actually change the System DATE/TIME settings using the EXIF info.  I'm experimenting (on copies), but am getting lost in a hurry.

Thanks for any help or advice.

[johnlgalt]

Through this post https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php/topic,4878.0.html I found this https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php/topic,3063.0.html - Finally. Now to really dig in.

[Phil Harvey]

One thing it seems that you need to do is this:

exiftool "-datetimeoriginal<filename" -if "not $datetimeoriginal" DIR

where DIR is the name of a directory containing the images.  This will fill in the EXIF DateTimeOriginal from the date/time in your file name if it didn't already exist.  (Luckily your file names are the correct format, and contain the YYYYMMDDHHMMSS in that order.)

Also, you may find the -G or -G1 option useful when extracting information to see where it comes from.

- Phil

[johnlgalt]

Thanks for that, Phil.  That should help fill in the missing EXIF datetime Info, correct?

[Phil Harvey]

Yes.  That is the purpose of this command.

- Phil

[johnlgalt]

Awesome.  I think that by exploring it more and more I'll get the hang of it.

The GUI helps a lot in that I can easily see a good list of actions that can be performed, and yet I can also enter any action manually just as if I were using the CL.  Plus, the built in option to make backups of the originals is really, really nice.  No more having to copy files to a new folder, make changes, with the originals being unchanged

I've already gone through a batch of photos all taken with the same device at the same even and copied to my HD at the same time - half of the pics had valid EXIF info the other half did not, but I've already learned how to remove EXIF info, copy EXIF in from one particular file to the ones that are missing it, then import the actual DateTime parameters for each file from the filename, and finally pass those back out to the System File ModifiedDateTime and AccessedDateTime (I've also gone looking for a utility that can not only modify files' CreatedDateTime but can copy the values from one of the other DateTime fields - sadly, not seeing it thus far).

One question - any way of modifying CreatedDateTime?  That is the only thing I have left, and not really a major issue, just would be nice if I could.

Also, I've been exploring other items in the EXIF info - such as name of Photographer, GeoSat cords (which when I get to my vacation pics I know most of them are tagged anyway) and other stuff - what's your personal opinion about having versus stripping such info prior to posting pics online (I'm thinking specifically about using Flickr b/c of the new astounding high limit, but may also post at other places - to share with family and friends)?  Also, what do you think about copyright info, if any?  I've previously used PicasaWeb and the in-built Licensing system, usually using Creative Commons licensing (although there have been times I've used a limited license on certain photos that I want to truly retain ownership on)?

Thanks again for a great, great tool.  It's now yet another of my absolutely must have installed on my computer app - and that list is not nearly as large as some people think, so you're in great company

[Phil Harvey]

One question - any way of modifying CreatedDateTime?

You mean the filesystem creation date?  See the Extra tags documentation for details.

what's your personal opinion about having versus stripping such info prior to posting pics online (I'm thinking specifically about using Flickr b/c of the new astounding high limit, but may also post at other places - to share with family and friends)?  Also, what do you think about copyright info, if any?

If you're using an illegal copy of Photoshop to edit your images, or if the images could get you into trouble in any way, I would recommend stripping the metadata.  Otherwise I don't worry.  Also, I don't worry about copyrights.  If you post it online, people will copy it whether or not it has a copyright attached.

- Phil

[johnlgalt]

Hi, Phil, back again.

I'm getting around to figuring out how to do some things here and there, but I'm also finding a lot of problems, I think that I'm creating myself.

Using the GUI tool (I know it hasn't been updated in a long time, but I cannot really find a better way to do it until I learn all of the commands myself) I'm using the equalize function to set the three dates in Exif info to be the same as the stored Modify Date.  I then use the GUI to Change the FileModifyDate to match the Exif DateTimeOriginal, but it is offsetting it by an hour (Presumably for DST). 

I've figured out a couple of command line options to get some of what I need done, using the built in Exiftool direct function of the GUI, such as alter the files' System Create date and time stamp (-filecreatedate<datetimeoriginal) and Changing the filename to match the accepted format of YYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS.extension (-FileName<DateTimeOriginal -d "%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S.%%e"). 

It only seems to do this on images taken from my camera, pictures that I have taken on my phone are not affected by this at all.  So, if I can figure out the commands for copying the Exif ModifyDate to the other two Exif date fields, I think I'll be all set, b/c changing the File Modified date and time stamp should simply be (-filecreatedate<datetimeoriginal) again using the GUI's EXIFtool direct button.

Also, I am also (shamefacedly) using Micro$oft's Pro Photo Tools b/c it has options that I can fill in that I don't see in the GUI, like Info about the Photographer, Location (as in city, etc., not just GPS coords) and such.  But it has no way of copying the different EXIF Time/Date to each other as the EXIFtool GUI does.

I'm getting a lot closer to being able to post the images I have online - next I'll be tackling the videos with this.

[johnlgalt]

OK, I see when the offset occurs, I get an error message about a warning - each image has the following warning preceding it:

Warning: [minor] Possibly incorrect maker notes offsets (fix by 1658?) - {imagename}

I've been clicking OK thus far, but even if I just close the box instead of clicking OK, the values are offset by 59 minutes.  Not exactly 1 hour, but 59 minutes and 59 seconds, to be exact

0_o

[Phil Harvey]

You might try the -F option when this warning occurs, and look at the maker notes of the edited files to see which is better (with or without -F).  See FAQ 15 for details.

To copy the EXIF modify date to the other EXIF date/time fields, these are the arguments:

"createdate<modifydate" "datetimeoriginal<modifydate"

- Phil