using -if with DateTimeOriginal to test for Null Data

[Archive]

[Originally posted by bv on 2007-12-19 07:30:19-08]


Hi Phil,

How do I write the ArgFile code to test if a date is NULL? I have had no success and I have tried every combination of possibilities. I even tried to use $Year (from Exitfool_config from before).

-Brooks

Code:

-P
-DateTimeOriginal<FileModifyDate
-if
   $DateTimeOriginal eq "    :  :     :  :"
#   NOT $DateTimeOriginal
#   $DateTimeOriginal eq ""   
#   $DateTimeOriginal eq 0   
#   $DateTimeOriginal eq "0000"

Sample output
F:\Photos\2005\2005_01_01>EXIFTOOL -ALLDATES *.jpg
======== IMG_0117.JPG
Date/Time Original              :     :  :     :  :
Create Date                     :     :  :     :  :
Modify Date                     :     :  :     :  :

[Archive]

[Originally posted by exiftool on 2007-12-19 12:10:52-08]

Hi Brooks,

I'm not sure what you mean by NULL.  Is the date an empty string,
or all zeros, or missing entirely? How about this: Set the date/time
only if it doesn't begin with a 1 or a 2:

Code:

-if "$dateTimeOriginal !~ /^[12]/"

- Phil

[Archive]

[Originally posted by exiftool on 2007-12-19 12:14:41-08]

Oh.  But that didn't handle the case that the date/time is missing.
Try this instead:

Code:

-if "not $dateTimeOriginal or $dateTimeOriginal !~ /^[12]/"

(you were close with "NOT $dateTimeOriginal", but the logical operators
are all lower case in Perl.)

- Phil

[Archive]

[Originally posted by bv on 2007-12-19 16:40:38-08]


Hi Phil, I am not sure what I am doing wrong when trying to use @argile syntax. This is what I get.

Code:

#ArgFile DateTest.arg
-DateTimeOriginal<FileModifyDate
-if
   not $dateTimeOriginal or $date TimeOriginal !~ /^[12]/
# End of ArgFile DateTest.arg

Results
F:\Photos\2005\2005_01_01>exiftool -v -@ bv_UseModDate.arg IMG_0118.JPG
Condition: syntax error - ~/^[12]/
-------- ~/^[12]/ (failed condition)
Condition: syntax error - IMG_0118.JPG
-------- IMG_0118.JPG (failed condition)
    2 files failed condition

[Archive]

[Originally posted by bv on 2007-12-19 16:48:58-08]


My mistake leaving an unwanted space in there. Here is the working argfile:

Code:

-P
-DateTimeOriginal<FileModifyDate
-if
   not $dateTimeOriginal or $dateTimeOriginal !~ /^[12]/